CLEVELAND — The Cubs offense has looked unstoppable the last week and the bullpen still ranks among the best in the National League.
Now it's time for the starting pitching to step up.
In a rotation packed with the resumes and reputations of Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana, it was Tyler Chatwood who became the first Cubs starter to throw a pitch in the seventh inning this season when he did so in the Cubs' 10-3 win over the Indians Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
It took until the 20th game of the year, on Chatwood's fourth start in a Cubs uniform. It also was the team's 8th quality start of the campaign, tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the worst mark in the National League and only the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox have fewer in the AL.
However, Chatwood didn't even get an out in that seventh inning as Cleveland's Tyler Naquin reached on an infield single to lead off, prompting a pitching change to Steve Cishek.
The Cubs began the day ranked 17th in MLB in starter's ERA, a far cry from where they thought they might be after signing Darvish and leading a lot of people (myself included) to boldly claim this as the best rotation in baseball.
It obviously hasn't played that way, despite some terrible hitting conditions in frigid weather in the season's first month.
MLB
The weather has actually been working against the Cubs pitching staff thus far, which Chatwood used to explain the fact he has walked 19 hitters in 21.2 innings in 2018, with three separate starts of at least 5 free passes.
"There's really no excuses, but we haven't really had ideal weather yet. I think that was the best start I've had for weather-wise," Chatwood said after he pitched in a constant light drizzle throughout Tuesday's game.
"I think it's just a matter of clicking. We've had a lot of rest; it's tough to get into a routine, but I think once we get rolling, I'll clean that up. I need to."
Chatwood went a week in between starts the last two times out and before that, it was 8 days. All these rain/snowouts has really done a number on the routines and habits of the Cubs starting pitchers. Lester admitted the same thing last week.
The Cubs are currently in a stretch of 8 games in 8 days and — knock on wood — it appears the snow and wintry weather is gone from Chicago until far later this year. So every member of the Cubs rotation is on track to throw on regular rest for the first time all year.
That being said, the weather hasn't been the reason behind Darvish's fifth-inning meltdowns and the walks are troublesome with Chatwood, who has a history of control issues. He walked 4.7 batters per nine innings with the Rockies last season and sits at 4.3 per nine for his career.
"I don't think it's a good recipe for success any time you let free baserunners on," Chatwood said. "Throughout my career, I don't really get hit around. It's whenever I walk guys and give up the basehit is when I get hurt.
"Obviously clean that up and I don't think there's any doubt in my mind that I will."