Stroman Quality Again, Outstanding Defense, Another Series Win, Madrigal, Miller, and Other Cubs Bullets

And then there was one. My name is Brett Taylor, and I am the last surviving member of the Great Taylor Family Sickness of Spring 2023. Let at least me continue to have the good fortune to avoid this infernal plague …

  • The Chicago Cubs won again last night, and I’ve gotten in the habit of really enjoying a re-watch of the highlights the next day. When they win, at least. This team is fun.
  • With last night’s win, the Cubs have now won four series in a row. But with a win today, they can finally SWEEP one of those series. I really want to break out the broom.
  • Marcus Stroman did what he does (after getting through a dicey first inning), mixing up five pitches (threw each one at least nine times), staying in the zone, avoiding hard contact, and getting just enough whiffs to stay out of trouble. It was his fourth straight quality start to open the season, and his third out of four where he allowed no runs at all. Stroman’s 0.75 ERA leads the National League by nearly a full run (his teammate Justin Steele is one of the guys tied in that spot). It’s the second best in MLB, just behind Luis Castillo’s 0.73 ERA. (And hey, the Cubs had to face that guy and they won that game!)
  • “I just feel good — mentally, physically, emotionally,” Stroman said, per Cubs.com. “I just feel like I’m very in tune right now, on and off the field. I feel like the defense behind me is incredible. They’re giving me more confidence. I feel like the vibe of the squad and the clubhouse is amazing. I feel like it’s everything, kind of playing into one.”
  • Dating back to last year, Stroman is now up to eight straight Quality Starts. Only 18 more to go to tie the record shared by Jacob deGrom and Bob Gibson! (Framber Valdez holds the record within a single season at 25.)
  • Just a fun list:
  • Ni-Co, Ni-Co:
  • Patrick Wisdom did not homer yesterday, ending his four-game streak. He did hit a rocket double in the 4-run 8th inning, though, so that was cool.
  • He’s playing so little that the sample size remains tiny (26 PAs), but so far, Nick Madrigal has basically been what you’d expect him to be when healthy: .320/.346/.400/103 wRC+, 3.8% BB, 3.8% K. As the wRC+ indicates, that isn’t SUPER valuable in this offensive environment, but we know there are situations where having his extreme contact bat available has unique value. And we also know that a hit is slightly more valuable than a walk, so I don’t want to completely ignore that .320 BA. I still have no idea what the Cubs’ plan is for Madrigal longer-term, but I would think they want to keep hanging onto him in the event of an injury to any of Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, or Patrick Wisdom.
  • Dansby Swanson sliding backhands:
  • And what a job tracking this down by Cody Bellinger:
  • If the Cubs are to pull off the sweep today, they may have to touch up one of the best pitching prospects in baseball:
  • Miller has barely pitched at all in the minors because of injuries, but you can see there that the pitches are pretty clearly big league caliber. Hopefully he’s got some nerves, and even more hopefully, the Cubs can make him work a bit. Based on his recent starts and limited experience, you can’t expect Miller to be allowed to throw more than about 50 or 60 pitches. So make that young man work!
  • Oof. The news on Rays lefty Jeffrey Springs went from minor to a nerve issue to a flexor issue to Tommy John surgery over the span of a week:
  • The 30-year-old was a surprising breakout last year for the Rays (standard for them), and thankfully for him, he just signed a four-year, $31 million deal before the season. Never crap on a guy for taking life-changing money when he has a chance!
  • Cubs connections all over that staff – Lester, Lackey, Dempster, Breslow:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    Latest News

    Braves vs. Phillies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Atlanta Braves start their season as road favorites (-125) in a matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday at 3:05 PM ET, live on BSSO from Citizens Bank Park.Spencer Strider will get the ball for Atlanta while Philadelphia will...

    Washington State vs. Illinois Women’s Basketball: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Two hot teams meet when the Washington State Cougars (21-14) host the Illinois Fighting Illini (17-15) on April 1, 2024. The Cougars will put their three-game win streak on the line against the Fighting Illini, who have won three straight.On...

    Villanova vs. Penn State Women’s Basketball: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Villanova Wildcats (21-12) will try to extend a three-game winning streak when they host the Penn State Lady Lions (22-12) on April 1, 2024. The Lady Lions have also won three games in a row.In its previous game, Villanova...

    Brewers vs. Mets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Milwaukee Brewers open their season as -110 favorites in a road matchup with the New York Mets on Friday at 1:40 PM ET, live on SNY.Freddy Peralta gets the starting nod for Milwaukee while Jose Quintana is New York's...

    Braves vs. Phillies Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

    The Philadelphia Phillies (0-0) host the Atlanta Braves (0-0) in an Opening Day contest at 3:05 PM ET on Friday.The Braves will call on Spencer Strider against the Phillies and Zack Wheeler.Braves vs. Phillies Pitcher Matchup and Game InfoWhen: Friday,...

    Suns vs. Thunder Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The game starts at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The matchup's point total is...

    Brewers vs. Mets Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

    The Milwaukee Brewers (0-0) and the New York Mets (0-0) face off on Friday at Citi Field for Opening Day. First pitch is at 1:40 PM ET.The Brewers will look to Freddy Peralta versus the Mets and Jose Quintana.Brewers vs....

    Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

    Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

    Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

    more cubs news