Back end of Cubs rotation providing front end results
It would be easy to overlook the work done by the pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel with a front of the rotation that included Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, and John Lackey, but the "back end" have given the Cubs a much-needed boost.
Hammel followed up Hendricks' masterful performance from Friday with one of his own during Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Rangers. He threw 6 strong innings, surrendering just 3 hits, 1 run (1 earned), 1 walk and 7 strikeouts for his eighth win of the season.
Because of what Cubs manager Joe Maddon calls "National League Moments," neither Hendricks nor Hammel were able to go longer than six innings, but both had more than enough left in the tank.
"Jason was really good. Really good," Maddon said. "It's the fascinating part about the game in this league as opposed to the other side, having to make decisions like that. You do what you think is the right thing in the moment. When Matty gets a hit, everybody's happy, it was a great move. If he doesn't get a hit, it was still the right thing to do."
After going 10 straight starts without a quality start game, the Cubs have now had one in back-to-back games. In games where the Cubs get a quality start from one of their starting pitchers, they are now 42-14, opposed to 13-21 when they don't. Hammel's 10 quality starts ties him for third among Cubs starting pitchers, the same total as ace Jake Arrieta. Hendricks has nine.
It has been important for the Cubs to get off to a good start against the Rangers, as it allows the Cubs rotation to roll over to Lester and Arrieta going into the next series against the Mets.
"Giving Lackey, Lester and Jake substantial rest, I think is gonna matter" Maddon said. "If you look at the pitch counts of Kyle and Jason coming into this game, I would imagine they have the least number of pitches. So it's nice to get those guys out first and give those other three guys the most rest."
Hammel's outing on Saturday may also been due to a new prescription given to him by team doctor Stephen Adams to help relieve some of the cramps that have ailed him at times this season.
"Potato Chips. My prescription is potato chips," Hammel said with a chuckle. "He said for my cramps if it's a chronic thing, because they have a lot of potassium, and the sea salt helps retain water. So I focused on that over the break, ate a lot of potato chips and I think it turned out pretty well."
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