Enhanced Box Score: Rockies 3, Cubs 1 -September 17, 2022
The Cubs saw their winning streak snapped today as they lost it late against the Rockies, but I found the day on the whole really encouraging because of the two pitchers. At least if your main purpose is to think about the Cubs’ quality, controllable pitching depth for 2023!
Again, Rockies away from Coors Field is your necessary caveat, but if you were watching, didn’t Hayden Wesneski LOOK good? Good command, great control, the sweeper was so nasty, and he got 12 whiffs out of 88 pitches. The 33% CSW was also great. And the traditional line was just about as good as it gets: 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 7 K. I don’t think the Cubs have had more than, what, five or six starts all year better that that? Lots more to say about Wesneski soon.
Meanwhile, Adbert Alzolay looked FANTASTIC in the first inning of his long-awaited return to the big leagues. The fastball looked lively, the slider looked sharp, and the cutter was getting in on the lefty’s hands. It was pretty much exactly what I would’ve wanted to see.
When he came back out for the second inning, he was not a sharp. I think that’s to be expected when you have a guy coming back after all that time, getting massively amped up at Wrigley Field, sitting back down, having the adrenaline settle, and then going back out there. We know that he can do multi-inning stints, generally speaking. So no extra or new worries today. Just want to see him settle back into a routine and looking like himself before the end of the season, and I think the dominant first inning today is a start.
