Wicks’ Inefficiency and Talent, Busch is So Good, Cubs Facing Highest Velo in MLB, and Other Cubs Bullets

Well, the Cubs are officially in a little rut, eh? They’ve lost four of their last six games, and have plated just four runs over their last two. I hate west coast road trips. I feel like it goes this way every single time.

  • And it’s not even close to over. The Cubs still have two more games in Seattle, and then three more in Arizona before finally coming home. And while that homestand starts off with four sweet-heart games against the Marlins followed by an off-day, it ends with three against the Astros. After that, the Cubs head out east to face the Red Sox and Mets (which … depending on how you feel about those teams, cuts either way). And then FINALLY they come back home for a series against an NL Central club (Brewers). But that’s not until May! I’m still getting used to the balanced schedule.
  • Speaking of the NL Central, those teams all just keep winning. The Brewers (9-3) have won three straight. The Pirates (10-4) are the first team to ten wins, the Reds (7-6) are tied with the Cubs, and the Cardinals (7-7) just got back up to .500. The NL Central remains the only division with all five teams at or above .500.
  • I missed most of Jordan Wicks’ start last night and haven’t gotten a chance to go back and watch the whole thing yet (I tuned in around the 6th, because of life), but there is one thing you can dissect without actually watching: Inefficiency. Despite throwing 94 pitches (a solid total, especially for April), Wicks did not even come out for the 5th inning. Through three starts so far this season, he’s never gotten past 2 outs in the 5th. And while it may be unfair to expect much more out of a rookie, 24-year-old starter who’s SUPPOSED to be the fifth man in the rotation, we don’t really have that luxury right now. With Justin Steele out, Jameson Taillon out, and Kyle Hendricks scuffling, Wicks is basically … the Cubs No. 2 starter(?) behind Shota Imanaga. The Cubs bullpen just can’t handle this volume of innings. We’ll have more on the bullpen and Keegan Thompson’s 2024 debut later today.
  • On the flip side, I can see that Wicks somehow managed to generate another 16(!) whiffs on the night. And that means, for the season, his 15.4% whiff rate is 11th best in MLB. That’s kind of insane given what we think about his stuff. From what I gather about last night’s start, it sounds like Wicks was a little too-nibbly. And we’ve seen that from him before. So if he can keep missing bats like this, he needs to start attacking more, getting a little more aggressive. It’ll come, though. He’s still so young and is looking more and more like a mid-rotation fixture for years to come.
  • After facing Bryce Miller and the back of the Mariners bullpen last night, the Chicago Cubs are one of only two teams to still be facing an average fastball velocity over 95 MPH this year.
  • Of the regulars, Miguel Amaya (96.8 MPH), Christopher Morel (95.8 MPH), Seiya Suzuki (95.7 MPH), and Michael Busch (95.6 MPH) have faced the most heat. But at least, for Busch, who homered again last night, the results speak for themselves.
  • That was a ROCKET no-doubter that left the bat at 105 MPH and traveled 406 feet over the wall.
  • Through 13 games and 48 plate appearances this season, Michael Busch has been every bit as good as you could possibly have hoped: .293/.375/.585 (154 wRC+). He’s hitting for average, he’s walking and getting on base, and he’s slugging — tied for the team lead in doubles (3) and homers (3). Among all first basemen with at least 40 PAs, Busch’s 154 wRC+ is trailing only Josh Naylor and Matt Olson. He’s been really, really good.
  • In case you missed infamous umpire Angel Hernandez grabbed the spotlight again, and it’s exactly why you think!
  • And in other big news, Spencer Strider did, indeed, have season-ending elbow surgery (his second UCL surgery in 5 years).
  • There was also a TON of stuff to get into from yesterday’s I-Cubs game, from Matt Mervis to BJ Murray to Carl Edwards Jr., Jameson Taillon, and Hayden Wesneski. I’ll get started on that post as soon as I click publish here! Happy Saturday. Now go win this series, Cubs.
  • written by

    Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

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