Contreras: Cubs should stop sitting on fastballs

Asked about the Cubs' continuing offensive struggles, catcher Willson Contreras had a specific suggestion: Stop looking for fastballs.

"It looks like we're all trying to hit the fastball, and we're not getting the fastball," Contreras said after Sunday's 7-1 loss at Pittsburgh. "So that's the main adjustment we have to make. If you're not hitting the fastball, you have to try to look for something else and then give up one pitch. We can't go to home plate trying to hit two pitches at one time. It's one or the other. That's what I say our approach needs to get better."

After collecting just 5 hits Sunday, the Cubs' team batting average is .167. Only four players are hitting .200 or better right now - Jake Marisnick, Javy Baez and Kris Bryant, while Contreras got 2 hits Sunday to each an even .200.

Anthony Rizzo (4-for-30), Joc Pederson (4-for-29) and David Bote (2-for-20) are at the low end of slumping Cubs.

"I think as a group we're not having the right approach," Contreras said. "That's something I talked to the guys, and I think we have to take care of that. We have to have an approach as a group.

"I think that's something we really need to work on."

Williams' unhappy return

Asked if it hurt a little less to lose to his old friends on the Pirates, Cubs starter Trevor Williams said absolutely not.

"Nobody likes losing, obviously," he said. "You hate losing regardless if it's your best friends or it's people that you hate. Today I wore a blue jersey and when I'm wearing a blue jersey, I hate everyone else that doesn't wear a blue jersey."

Williams had the unenviable task of making his second start for the Cubs in the city where he spent the first five years of his big-league career. It didn't go great, with Williams lasting just 3⅓ innings, giving up 5 runs and 10 hits. He joined the Cubs as a free agent this winter.

"It was a special day," Williams said. "I was really proud to wear the Pirate uniform. But then coming back on the flip side was a special day too because there's a little bit of a chip on my shoulder knowing I could have been there with those guys, but I wasn't.

"I'm in a good spot. I'm meant to be on the Cubs."

Mills for MVP

During the first eight games of the season, Alec Mills has picked up a save as a ninth-inning closer and come on in long relief when Zach Davies had trouble in the second inning.

And this is after being a starter for all of last season and tossing a no-hitter against Milwaukee on Sept. 13.

"I said this kind of before the season, a guy like Alec Mills, you could look back at the end of the year and say a guy like him is going to be MVP of our pitching staff," pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said Sunday. "Knowing the versatility, what he can do, his ability to come in and execute a game plan, know what he has working that day.

"But he's going to make starts at some point this year, too. He's going to hit so many different facets of the game this year."