Chicago Cubs: Four left-handed targets to balance the lineup

4 lefty targets - 3. David Peralta

Another option to place in the lineup against righties is veteran David Peralta. For his career against RHP, Peralta has slashed .294/.350/.486 with a 121 wRC+. Also a former Gold Glove winner (2019), Peralta plays left field and could be looked at as having the same responsibilities as Corey Dickerson. With a little more slug in his bat, Peralta has hit 30 doubles in each of the last two seasons, and where he hit 12 home runs between Arizona and Tampa Bay in 2022, that number would have been 17, adjusting for park factors at Wrigley Field.

Given the average launch angle of 15.1 degrees in 2022, it's no wonder that Peralta is still mashing doubles. Those numbers offensively figure to improve, especially in a park such as Wrigley, not only when you adjust for park factors but also when you factor in the banning of the extreme shift. Peralta is undoubtedly a guy you can still pencil into a lineup against righties and know there is potential there. If he can still average 60 RBI as he has the last six seasons, he's worth taking a flier on offensively in the bottom half of the order.