Enhanced Box Score: Dodgers 9, Cubs 4 – April 22, 2023
That one was competitive for most of the day if that means anything to you. It was a rare day when the Cubs’ bullpen couldn’t help them hang around. I suppose it had to happen eventually.
Nico Hoerner stayed scorching hot, though his 42-plate-appearance streak without a strikeout came to an end. Elsewhere on offense, the 0-6 with runners in scoring position sure feels right. No big hits in those moments.
Hayden Wesneski wasn’t terrible today, but he once again dealt with lapses in command. It’s not the kind where you’d be described as “wild.” It’s the kind where you just can’t quite get your pitches close enough to where you want them, so you can’t maximize the effectiveness of your stuff. For Wesneski, that turns into hitter’s counts, harder contact, and much fewer missed bats. That’s what a marginal fifth starter looks like, not the midrotation type we hope Wesneski can be. Mostly, he’s gotta figure out how to get a usable fastball, or at least much more consistent usage out of his cutter. You can’t just live on one pitch as a starter, no matter how good the slider is.
Meanwhile, can’t wait to see this guy go 0-for-the-rest-of-the-season when he’s done playing the Cubs …
