Tauchman stating case to be Cubs' permanent leadoff hitter
Maybe it's too soon to start bringing up Dexter Fowler, but the Cubs found a solution that works in the leadoff spot.
Palatine native Mike Tauchman has hit .346 in seven starts at leadoff. He started Sunday's game with the first home run of his Cubs career, but the Cubs lost to Baltimore 6-3 at Wrigley Field, ending a five-game win streak.
In the top of the first inning, Tauchman threw out Orioles leadoff man Austin Hays at the plate. He was trying to score on a medium-shallow fly ball, but Tauchman's throw to catcher Miguel Amaya got him with ease.
"That's just like one of the 'baseball god' things," Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon said. "You make a sick play to end an inning, you lead off the next inning with a big hit or homer. He's been awesome for us ever since he came up."
Technically, Christopher Morel has been the Cubs' best leadoff man this season. He hit .368 in four games at the top spot. Nico Hoerner has hit .284 leading off, Nick Madrigal .130 and Miles Mastrobuoni .111.
The Cubs have notoriously struggled to find a productive leadoff man since letting go of Fowler after the World Series win in 2016. Fowler is now working as an analyst for the Marquee Network.
"When we tried to just mix things up, I put (Tauchman) up there because the on-base (percentage) is significant, especially against some righties," Cubs manager David Ross said. "Then it just worked. It's an, 'If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it' kind of thing. Nico really fits nicely in the two (spot)."
Tauchman's home run was an opposite-field shot that landed in the left-field basket. So obviously, he didn't see it clear the fence.
"It's a tough angle when you're going the opposite direction of the ball," said the Fremd High School grad. "You never know here, I learned pretty quickly that balls can hang up. I'm not one to really watch (the ball), anyway. I don't ever hit enough no-doubters to really watch them. I want to at least be on second base, or if I get a kick (off the wall), be on third."
Tauchman, 32, spent time with the Rockies, Yankees and Giants and spent a year in Korea before joining the Cubs this year. So batting leadoff isn't anything new.
"By this point, you kind of spend some time at every spot," he said. "You really only lead off once, then the game goes and it's just the flow of the game. So try not to make too much of it. Whether I'm hitting first, fourth, eight, ninth, sixth, I'm trying to have a good at-bat, trying to swing at good pitches. That doesn't change with where I am in the lineup."
After hitting the ball very well as a team in April, the Cubs went cold in May and struggled to find the right spark. Putting Tauchman at leadoff, while Cody Bellinger returned from a month on the injured list, seemed to work. The Cubs even moved Bellinger to first base and sent Matt Mervis back to Iowa, so Tauchman could stay in center field.
"We have some stability in our lineup," Hoerner said. "Obviously Belli helps that a lot and then Tauchman's been incredibly consistent. I think those lefty bats are really valuable. I think there's going to be a lot of productive offensive games this summer here at Wrigley."
The Cubs collected just 3 hits Sunday. There was Tauchman's homer, then Christopher Morel hit a laser into the left field bleachers off Baltimore starter Dean Kremer to put the Cubs ahead 3-2 in the fourth.
Bellinger reached third base ahead of Morel's homer with a line drive to right-center field that was originally ruled a triple, then changed to an error on right fielder Ryan O'Hearn, who stuck out his glove and came up empty. The Orioles (44-27) scored 3 runs in the sixth off Taillon and reliever Anthony Kay to take the lead.
The Cubs (33-38) hope they built some positive momentum during this 5-1 home stand. They departed after the game for an unusual road trip, which starts with three games in Pittsburgh and ends with two in London against the Cardinals.
After Sunday's action, the Brewers lead the Reds by a half-game for the NL Central lead, with the Cubs 4 games out in fourth place and the Pirates 2 ½ back.
"It's kind of a cool point in the season where everybody's in it," Tauchman said. "Everybody's in the race. So these games are critical and we have to be ready to go."
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