The Chicago Cubs acquired inside 90 toes of a sequence sweep of the Miami Marlins — 3 times — on a boisterous, sunny Sunday at Wrigley Field. They wound up with a 5-4, 14-inning loss due to an ill-timed balk and a number of marooned baserunners.
But it may have been so much worse.
In reality, the good-vibe Cubs (17-17) received’t need to look far Monday to really feel so much higher about themselves. The National League Central’s sizzling mess of a so-called division favourite involves city for a three-game sequence.
That can be the last-place — by so much — St. Louis Cardinals, who wanted a seventh-inning outburst Sunday at dwelling towards the awful Detroit Tigers to snap an eight-game shedding streak earlier than their first assembly of the season towards the rival Cubs. At 11-24, the Cards lug the NL’s worst file to Chicago.
If the Cubs assume it sounds unhealthy to be advised they’re horrible (or worse) at hitting with males in scoring place (3-for-20 in Sunday’s loss) or to listen to Twitter calling day by day for his or her supervisor to be fired, attempt getting celebrated because the $87.5 million substitute for a legend — after which barely 4 months later getting advised you’re not adequate to play the place.
That’s the place outdated good friend Willson Contreras landed over the weekend because the Cardinals advised the three-time beginning All-Star catcher they plan to make use of him largely as a chosen hitter till additional discover. It’s a part of a shakeup in response to a woeful begin that features one of many worst rotation performances within the majors.
Cardinals starters have a 5.33 ERA even after a superb begin by Steven Matz on Sunday.
“I’m sure it’s a hard thing to hear and a hard thing to swallow,” mentioned Cubs catcher Tucker Barnhart, who signed a two-year deal to backfill the free-agency lack of Contreras — the final of the core place gamers from the 2016 World Series champions.
“It’s surprising for sure. It feels like it’s really early in the year, early in his tenure in St. Louis, for them to make that decision. His skills are off the charts. He has one of the better arms in baseball behind the plate. And I respect the hell out of him.”
It ought to make for one more awkward Wrigley Field second for Contreras, who skilled two tearful goodbyes final season. He prevented what appeared like a sure trade-deadline departure when a cope with the Houston Astros fell via, then had a second “final” dwelling recreation at Wrigley full of rousing ovations and lingering postgame goodbyes to followers.
All of that within the context of crickets from the entrance workplace relating to potential extension talks.
If something, this sequence appeared to line up as a redemption tour for Contreras, a how-do-you-like-me-now second because the jewel of the Cardinals offseason, their handpicked reply to the retirement of Hall of Fame-bound franchise icon Yadier Molina. Especially after Contreras acquired off to a powerful begin on the plate.
“It’s tough,” Contreras advised St. Louis media Saturday. “It’s tough, but I’m an employee. I know my primary position is catching, but if they want me to DH more, I can do nothing about it but be the best hitter I can be.”
He was hitting .280 with a .781 OPS when the Cardinals brass sat him down. He additionally ranked sixth amongst big-league catchers with 2.8 defensive runs saved, in line with Fangraphs.
“That’s what he does,” mentioned Cubs left fielder Ian Happ, whose hit off reigning Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara opened a two-run ninth that despatched Sunday’s recreation to further innings. “I don’t know what’s happening of their clubhouse. … Willson’s having a superb 12 months, proper?
“He’s someone I’ve remained close to,” continued Happ, who exchanged texts with Contreras when every signed multiyear contracts in latest months. “I look forward to seeing him when he gets here.”
Rookie Miguel Amaya, the long-touted prospect who debuted final week and would possibly ultimately get a chance to be the Cubs’ subsequent long-term beginning catcher, sounded stunned by the information relating to his mentor however mentioned he didn’t “want to get into it” earlier than his begin Sunday.
Amaya plans to seek out Contreras for a hug Monday and believes he’ll be going through him within the subsequent 12 months or in order rival beginning catchers.
The Cardinals have advised publicly this can be a momentary transfer, and supervisor Oliver Marmol advised St. Louis reporters: “One thing I want to make super clear is that we are not losing ballgames because of Willson Contreras.”
In reality, the Cardinals have skilled a multifaceted face plant since Molina left the constructing after the 2022 playoffs. Longtime rotation chief Adam Wainwright returned from an harm Saturday to make his season debut.
Happ in contrast the Molina loss in St. Louis to the Cubs shedding face of the franchise Anthony Rizzo when crew President Jed Hoyer traded him to the New York Yankees in 2021.
“You had to find your way about what that looks like after a guy like that walks,” Happ mentioned. “Wainwright was still there, but Yadi was the guy that kind of set the tone there every day going out on the field for as long as he has. I’m sure it was different walking around the clubhouse.”
Cubs supervisor David Ross, a longtime catcher, wouldn’t discuss in regards to the Contreras information Sunday however did say: “Yadi did some special things. That’s one of those guys you don’t replace.”
Whatever is subsequent for Contreras with the Cardinals, he’s anticipated to get a heat welcome from Wrigley followers Monday night time, a minimum of for his first at-bat.
After that, a Cubs crew with one of many best-performing rotations within the majors appears to be like to kick the Cardinals as usually as potential whereas they’re down and benefit from what immediately appears to be like like a chaotic, wide-open division.
“Obviously you didn’t expect St. Louis to get off to the start that they’re on,” Barnhart mentioned. “And I nonetheless anticipate them to be within the combine on the finish of it; they’ve too many good gamers to not be.
“But, yeah, it’s a division that feels like it’s winnable and feels like in here we have a group that believes we can do it.”
Fifth starter Hayden Wesneski may be the newest cause to imagine along with his third straight robust begin Sunday after a shaky April. He went six innings and gave up solely a Yuli Gurriel basket shot within the fifth. He has allowed just one run in every of his final three begins (17 innings) to deliver his ERA beneath 4.00 (3.93) for the primary time this season.
“Spectacular,” Ross mentioned of the rookie’s efficiency.
The Cubs might need received if they’d cashed in as soon as extra on all of these scoring alternatives — or if Adbert Alzolay hadn’t balked dwelling the go-ahead run within the 14th throughout an in any other case spectacular aid outing.
The loss within the third-longest recreation (by innings) since MLB instituted the designated runner rule in 2020 for further innings gave the Marlins the season sequence over the Cubs 4-2 and dropped the Cubs to .500.
But, once more, it may have been worse.
For instance, have you ever ever had someone say you’re not chopping it as a catcher?
“I’ve had people tell me I don’t cut it as a manager, as a catcher and in a lot of different ways,” Ross mentioned. “So the answer to that is yes.”
Gordon Wittenmyer is a contract reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com