Left-handed bats could be the key to unlocking Cubs offense; Indians blank Cubs
One theory about how to ignite the Cubs offense is find a consistent left-handed hitter.
When the Cubs' bats were clicking in April, lefty Cody Bellinger got off to a nice start. When the Cubs found a groove in June, it began when Mike Tauchman was elevated to the leadoff spot in the batting order.
Could the promotion of first baseman Jared Young bring the same type of spark? He went 4-for-9 with 2 triples and a home run in his first three games with the Cubs, but it always makes sense to quell expectations for young hitters until they survive the inevitable scouting adjustment.
Bellinger was back in center field, Young at first base and Tauchman got the night off on Saturday against Cleveland at Wrigley Field. The first pitch was delayed until 9 p.m. by a rain delay, then the Cubs managed just 5 hits in a 6-0 loss. Bellinger had 3 of the 5 hits, one was a double on a routine fly ball that dropped between two outfielders.
The Cubs' left-handed hitting stats are pretty rough. Edwin Rios, Miles Mastrobuoni, Matt Mervis and Tucker Barnhart are all below .200 on the season. Eric Hosmer was let go after hitting .234, while Mervis, Mastrobuoni and Rios are all currently in Triple A Iowa.
"We've needed that (left-handed bat), right?" manager David Ross said. "We struggled against righties until we started this run in San Francisco with Tauchman at the top. That was kind of the thinking with getting JY up here when we have really heavy split righties."
Tauchman's journey has been interesting. The Palatine native hit .355 in May after started the year in Iowa. After a quiet stretch, Tauchman batted leadoff for the first time on June 10 at San Francisco. The Cubs then went 8-2 in the first 10 games with Tauchman at the top, and he hit .341 in those games.
Tauchman struggled in the Philadelphia series this week, but since June 10, he's scored a run in 12 of the 16 games he's played.
Seiya Suzuki returned to the lineup Saturday at DH after missing three games with a stiff neck. Christopher Morel started in right field and before the game, Ross suggested Morel will continue to roam.
"He's taking some balls at third. We've actually worked him out at first a couple times and we've moved him around the outfield pretty consistently," Ross said. "I try to give him a heads up, he'll be in a new position tomorrow (Sunday), so he can get some work over there before."
Morel has started at all three outfield spot, second base and DH, so maybe he'll try third base today. The Cubs got what they hoped for out of Nick Madrigal by sending him to Triple A, then giving him regular starts at third. Madrigal is hitting .340 since returning on June 9 and hit his first Cubs home run Friday.
Another issue with the Cubs offense - and this one's not new - is velocity. According to baseball-reference.com, the Cubs are hitting just .207 as a team against power pitchers, which the site defines as those in the top third of MLB in strikeouts plus walks.
The only two hitters who have done well against the power pitchers are Nico Hoerner (.314) and Dansby Swanson (.298). Suzuki is next on the list at .239.
"We're not going to slug you to death," Ross said. "I don't think we're that type of team. We're going to have to get key hits, get guys on base, take our walks and get timely hits."
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee, a right-hander making his first appearance against the Cubs, likely fits into the power category. His fastball consistently clocked in at 95-96 miles per hour and he worked the top of the zone aggressively. Bibee dominated the Cubs, with 9 strikeouts and just 3 hits in 5⅔ innings.
Marcus Stroman retired the first eight Guardians hitters without a ball leaving the infield. But then he walked catcher Bo Naylor, Kwan bounced a double that deflected off Young's glove at first and Amed Rosario dropped a 2-run single into center to put Cleveland up 2-0 in the third.
Stroman didn't give up a ton of hard contact, but was tagged with 5 earned runs in 5⅔ innings. The Guardians strung together 5 singles plus an error on Bellinger to score 4 runs in the sixth inning.
Twitter: @McGrawDHSports