Defense and pitching, not pinch-hitters, lead Cubs to sixth straight win
Adding the designated hitter in the National League diminished dugout strategy. There is simply less need for pinch-hitters when the pitchers don't bat.
Lately, though, Cubs manager Craig Counsell has been tinkering with lineups as if he were engaged in a double-switch duel with Joe Maddon. The Cubs collected clutch pinch-hits three days in a row when they swept the Mets over the weekend.
Counsell couldn't match that success Monday. His pinch-hitters went 0-for-2, but it didn't matter. The Cubs beat Philadelphia 5-1 to stretch their winning streak to six in a row on a chilly night at Wrigley Field.
Dansby Swanson struck the biggest offensive blow with a 3-run homer in the second inning that reached the greenery in center field despite a strong wind. Starting pitcher Colin Rea (3-0) turned in another solid outing, going 6 ⅔ innings.
This was an impressive defensive night for the Cubs. Nico Hoerner, named the NL player of the week earlier in the day, robbed two potential hits with diving stops. Ian Happ tumbled into the seats in the first inning to catch a pop-up off the bat of Kyle Schwarber.
Matt Shaw's diving catch of a Trea Turner line drive in the ninth was given an expected batting average of .800 by StatCast. Hoerner's two diving stops were xBA of .620 and .510.
“I had seven plays that were excellent, excellent plays,” Counsell said. “Keeping runs off the board, keeping pitches off Colin's ledger, saving a run. The story of the night was the defense, absolutely.”
The Cubs almost always have an opposite-side pinch-hitter ready these days. Against the Mets, the pinch-hits came from three different players — Shaw (RBI double), Carson Kelly (3-run homer) and Michael Conforto (game-tying RBI double).
On Monday, the Cubs started two left-handed hitters in the flexible spots, Conforto in right field and Moises Ballesteros at DH. When the Phillies brought in underhand-throwing lefty Kyle Backhus in the fifth, Counsell sent Seiya Suzuki and Shaw in as pinch-hitters, but both made outs.
The next time they came to the plate in the eighth inning, though, Suzuki walked and Shaw singled, against a right-handed reliever.
Before the game, Counsell was asked about old-school NL baseball, when pitchers hit and opposing pitchers didn't have to face a minimum of three batters.
“I did enjoy that part of it,” Counsell said. “I don't know if I enjoyed pitchers hitting. We took the DH out of the game (Sunday), which doesn't happen very often. That does bring some more choices from a strategy standpoint into the game.”
In Sunday's game, the Cubs eliminated the DH when they pinch-ran Scott Kingery for Ian Happ, then put Conforto in left field. If the Cubs hadn't won it in the 10th inning, the pitcher's spot would have come up in 11th, with no non-pitchers left on the bench.
Counsell was then asked if he knew why there's a strict roster requirement of 13 pitchers and 13 position players. The Cubs manager tacked on his own editorial comment.
“I've never understood it either,” Counsell said. “I mean, it's an offensive rule, essentially. It's a rule to help offense, I think, more than anything, if you ask me.
“And then there's one team that's allowed to carry basically one of both and he gets special consideration. Which is probably the most bizarre rule. For one team.”
No names were mentioned, but Counsell obviously meant the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani, the lone MLB player who both pitches and hits.
The Cubs will see the Dodgers this weekend in Los Angeles. Ohtani is scheduled to start Wednesday, so the Cubs shouldn't see him on the mound.