This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it often in your inbox.
CHICAGO — The All-Star Game is within the rearview mirror, the second half is approaching quick and the Cubs have loads of work minimize out for them if the workforce desires to push its manner again into the October image and keep away from one other Trade Deadline outlined by promoting.
Let’s take a short look again and a glimpse on the weeks forward:
What we realized within the first half
After two years of rebuilding, the Cubs infused the 2023 roster with veteran free brokers with the objective of fielding a extra aggressive workforce. Led by All-Stars Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele, the rotation (whose 4.02 ERA ranks fourth within the National League) has been stable. The bullpen weathered a tough begin and has been the second-best group within the NL by ERA (2.95) for the reason that begin of June.
Anchored by Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner up the center, the protection has been greater than dependable. And the underlying numbers — the Cubs are the one NL Central workforce with a optimistic run differential (+26) — point out that the workforce needs to be higher than its document. On the offensive aspect, the facility has been missing (.396 slugging proportion), leaving loads of room for enchancment within the second half.
Likely Trade Deadline technique
The Cubs discover themselves in a form of grey space in relation to selecting a purchase or promote lane for the Deadline. At 42-47, Chicago’s document will not be the place the membership hoped to be on the break. That mentioned, the Cubs aren’t solely out of the postseason dialog (6 1/2 video games again within the Wild Card race and 7 within the division). The subsequent few weeks earlier than the Deadline might be crucial to how the Cubs react. They have some veteran commerce chips, with Stroman and Cody Bellinger topping the record. If the Cubs do wish to add, the most important wants can be offensive energy (the nook infield spots being one of the best avenue) and an impression arm within the bullpen.
Key participant: CF Cody Bellinger
It is just too simplistic to say, “As Belli goes, the Cubs go,” however the offense has labored and regarded so significantly better when the middle fielder has been locked in. The Cubs received off to a robust begin in April, when Bellinger turned in a .976 OPS and had seven homers. A left knee damage value him time between May and June, and when he did play he noticed his energy sapped (no homers in 102 plate appearances in these months). Bellinger has been on a robust run once more in July, and stable play from him couldn’t solely assist the Cubs within the standings, however in flip affect the Trade Deadline technique.
Prospect to observe: RHP Daniel Palencia
Palencia (MLB Pipeline’s No. 13 Cubs prospect) was not too long ago promoted after a midseason transition to the bullpen within the Minors. The 23-year-old righty made a robust first impression, logging three shutout frames in his first two outings and reaching not less than 100 mph 5 instances (already tied for essentially the most this 12 months by a Cubs pitcher). Palencia — acquired from the A’s within the 2021 deal for lefty Andrew Chafin — balances his high-octane fastballs with a pointy slider and has extra pitches in his arsenal given his background as a starter. He has the potential to develop right into a weapon for a Chicago bullpen that has began to search out stability in its reduction corps.
Content Source: www.mlb.com