Willson Contreras is on another level right now.
Sure, the extra HBPs are helping his on-base percentage, but the guy is hitting for plenty of average and an absurd amount of power: .297/.438/.703. That slash line, updated after he launched not one, but two homers before the end of the third inning today, is good for a 199 wRC+ (12th best in MLB).
Here’s a look at his second homer of the day (and fifth of the year):
Two homers today for @WContreras40, and four in his last three games!#CubTogether pic.twitter.com/4yfCotWNF7
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 17, 2021
Statcast had that 111 MPH off the bat and 416 feet.
But the inning didn’t end at Contreras’ homer. After a couple Cubs got on base, Javy Baez absolutely unloaded on a middle-up mistake by Huascar Ynoa:
Don’t worry about us.
Until you have to worry about us. #CubTogether pic.twitter.com/cnvV89X6RN
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 17, 2021
Yeah, Javy got all of that one, and it got out in a hurry.
Baez may not be hitting as well as Contreras is at the moment. HOWEVER, his fourth home run of the season does bring his overall production up to just about the league average. Obviously, you hope for a little more than that given his abilities, but if Baez is around league average with the bat, he’s still a hugely valuable player because of everything else.
This inning put the Cubs up 6-0, and my god did we need it.
My god did we need this.
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) April 17, 2021