Kyle Hendricks couldn’t assist however giggle after his postgame media availability ended Sunday.
As a lot because the Chicago Cubs have tried to disregard the inevitable questions surrounding the commerce deadline the final couple of weeks, their inconsistencies and a brutal May efficiency had them trending towards a 3rd consecutive season as sellers. Their turnaround, successful 10 of their final 12 video games, efficiently shifted the main target onto how they might enhance the roster moderately than what the Cubs’ most useful property might internet in return.
“I do appreciate that, the shift in tone,” Hendricks stated, smiling, of the commerce deadline seller-turned-buyer questions.
So once they ended their sequence Sunday in St. Louis with a 3-0 loss to halt their season-high eight-game successful streak, the Cubs might nonetheless admire what they completed during the last two weeks and the chance that lies forward over the following two months. They stepped as much as ship the wins and the motion up the standings that President Jed Hoyer and the entrance workplace wanted to see to shift the group’s route main into Tuesday’s 5 p.m. commerce deadline.
“Honestly, the mental lift will come in the next couple days when it’s over,” Hendricks stated. “It’s been talked about for a very long time and as a lot as you attempt to block it out, we now have been doing an incredible job with it and specializing in what we do right here, however to not have get these questions in one other couple days and simply questions on how the crew is doing, the way you’re feeling, the way it’s going — that’s what we wish to concentrate on.
“It’ll be much easier to tune out the noise after another two days, but we love where we’re at. We know exactly what we’ve got in here and we’re super excited where we’re headed.”
The Cubs don’t have a lot room underneath the aggressive stability tax (CBT) — just below $4.9 million left, in response to Cot’s Contracts at Baseball Prospectus — to accumulate upgrades. Chairman Tom Ricketts instructed the Tribune in January that they should be strategic once they go over the CBT threshold due to the penalties which can be accrued for repeat offenders: “So there will be times I’m sure in the near future where we’ll go over. But we’ll always keep in mind that there’s a balance there you have to always look to manage.”
A crew that has clawed its manner again into the playoff race, largely due to the roll they’ve been on the final two weeks, usually isn’t the kind that will get an upper-tier in-season roster funding to go over the CBT. The Cubs nonetheless have avenues to handle roster weaknesses that may assist their playoff push, notably in two areas: the bullpen and a nook infielder with some pop.
Their bullpen has develop into extra cohesive in the previous few weeks by way of Julian Merryweather, Mark Leiter Jr. and Adbert Alzolay stabilizing the late-game high-leverage conditions. Their heavy workloads and lack of postseason expertise are components the Cubs should take into account.
Merryweather has already exceeded final 12 months’s mixed innings with the Blue Jays and within the minors. His 46 innings for the Cubs symbolize his most at any degree since 2017 between Double A and Triple A in Cleveland’s group as a starter. Leiter has pitched in additional video games by way of the primary 4 months than he did all season with the Cubs final 12 months and is 24 innings away from exceeding his big-league innings whole from 2022, which largely got here in much less high-leverage alternatives. Alzolay has adjusted properly to the nearer position however didn’t pitch a lot final 12 months due to a shoulder harm.
Trading for not less than one and ideally two veteran relievers would assist alleviate potential utilization considerations and supply Ross with extra skilled choices over the ultimate two months.
The lineup is top-heavy and total lacks constant energy, a difficulty that has existed because the finish of final season. First base and third base are the clear spots the Cubs can enhance by way of a commerce. Ross has been utilizing Bellinger at first base extra incessantly towards righties to permit Mike Tauchman to fit into the leadoff spot as their middle fielder. That has helped the Cubs’ run-scoring potential the final couple of weeks. But the right-handed energy choices are bleak within the nook infield positions.
Trey Mancini’s struggles have decreased him to a platoon-player position, and even when he begins towards lefties, supervisor David Ross has typically lifted him for a pinch-hitter versus a right-handed reliever, as he did Sunday. The Cubs’ .680 OPS from first basemen ranks twenty seventh within the majors and so they rank final with minus-0.6 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
Although Patrick Wisdom’s 18 residence runs lead the Cubs, the strikeouts stay an issue and his protection has taken a step again. Ross has tried to search out good matchups based mostly on his swing profile, however Wisdom might lose extra taking part in time in the event that they discover a right-handed energy improve to enhance Nick Madrigal’s hit device.
The Cubs taking part in significant video games in August and September is the kind of short- and long-term objective the franchise wanted to expertise this 12 months.
“Does it feel good when the front office gets a piece? Of course. Every team would say that, every player would say that,” Ross stated this weekend. “I don’t faux to not suppose that items assist when each crew most likely has areas they wish to enhance and once you get to try this, that’s nice.
“The tough part about the trade deadline is trying to continue to see the positives and the wins and things you need to do. Looking ahead and worrying about the other stuff is out of your control.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com