Cubs hitters overachieved in August
The Cubs finished August ranked second in MLB in both runs per game (5.96) and OPS (.792), trailing Arizona in both categories.
So how to explain the same group of hitters posting the 27th-best OPS in May? Or 20th in June and 19th in July?
“I have not figured out offense,” manager Craig Counsell said before the Cubs began a homestand against Pittsburgh. “It confuses you even more, frankly. But I know a baseball season is a marathon. It has to breathe. We've hit a good stretch right now.”
There are obvious explanations for the Cubs' surge. They're about to finish a run of 18 straight games against teams with losing records and have gone 12-3 so far.
Two of the youngest players on the roster spent the first half of the season in serious struggles, but Pete Crow-Armstrong and Miguel Amaya are now among the hottest hitters in the game.
And new catching addition Christian Bethancourt has been off the charts, posting a 1.330 OPS in August. OPS is on-base percentage plus slugging, so it provides a nice measure of overall offensive value.
For the Cubs in August, Crow-Armstrong is at .933, Amaya .929, Ian Happ .889 and Seiya Suzuki .849. Dansby Swanson was disappointing most of the year, then picked it up in August, with a .783 OPS, while Nico Hoerner posted a .280 batting average, The regulars who didn't hit well last month were Michael Busch (.233 BA), Cody Bellinger (.228) and Isaac Paredes (.165).
“I would talk about the defense a lot on this road trip,” Counsell added, “I would talk about the baserunning a lot on this road trip. I think we played well in a lot of areas.”
The Cubs ranked fifth in stolen bases last month, sixth in doubles and 11th in home runs.
Hendricks set to start
At the start of the night, it wasn’t clear what the Cubs would do with their fifth rotation spot. Jordan Wicks came back from the injured list to earn the win at Washington on Sunday, and manager Craig Counsell said Kyle Hendricks was available in the bullpen against Pittsburgh.
Then after the game, Counsell announced Hendricks would start Tuesday’s game in place of Justin Steele, who was experiencing elbow soreness. Hendricks had a rough start against the Pirates last week, the game where the Cubs rallied from a 10-3 deficit.
This move suggests Wicks will start again Saturday against the Yankees. Shota Imanaga is scheduled to finish the Pirates series, with Javier Assad likely on Friday. Fortunately for the Cubs, they have no makeup games to play and get three off-days in September, so their pitchers will get some extra rest.
Around the horn
The Cubs scored 99 runs in their previous 10 games, which is the most for the franchise over a 10-game span since May 28 to June 7, 1930, according to Marquee's Christopher Kamka. …
Cubs' first-round draft pick Cam Smith homered in six straight games at Myrtle Beach and was quickly promoted to High A South Bend. The third baseman from Florida State has hit .455 (10 for 22) in his first six games at the new level.