In the 2018 season, 990 players had at least one plate appearance; 799 players had a pitching appearance.
Today, we’re narrowing it down to one.
Who are the Cubs who can claim to be the only player in the Majors in 2018 to accomplish something? I’m going to answer that question right here with eleven examples.
Seventy-five pitchers had at least 9 wins in 2018… only one of those seventy-five had at least 9 RBI at the plate as well.
Jon Lester. 18 Wins, 9 RBI in 2018
Sixty-two pitchers tossed at least 160 innings in 2018… one did so without throwing a wild pitch.
MLB
Kyle Hendricks. 199.0 IP, 0 Wild Pitches.
Forty-two players hit more than 25 home runs in 2018… but only one did so without hitting a long one in the first inning.
Kyle Schwarber (26 HR). If you lower the bar to 25 or more, Cody Bellinger & Evan Gattis join Schwarber on the list.
Twenty-one players hit their 100th career home run in 2018… but only one did it on the anniversary of his first career MLB home run.
Kris Bryant (May 9 - three years to the day after his first)
Twenty pitchers had at least 20 saves in 2018. One did so without getting a decision.
Brandon Morrow, 0-0 on the season with 22 saves.
Fourteen players stole home in 2018. One stole home twice.
Javier Báez (of course) – June 3 & July 4
Eleven players hit multiple triples in a game in 2018… but only one had a multi-triple game followed by a multi-homer game (or vice versa).
Willson Contreras (2 triples May 9, 2 home runs May 11)
Nine players hit multiple walkoff home runs in 2018… but only one did so as a rookie.
David Bote (August 12 – Bote was also the only player to hit an ultimate grand slam in 2018 & August 24)
Six players in 2018 made multiple appearances at both pitcher & catcher… one made multiple appearances at catcher, pitcher and third base.
Victor Caratini. Two mound appearances, 37 at catcher and three at third base
Four players in 2018 were hit by a pitch 20 or more times… one had 20+ HBP and 20+ home runs
Anthony Rizzo (of course)
Two players in 2018 were intentionally walked 3 times in a game. One had 3 IBB in a game and a hit.
Ian Happ (May 18). The other player by the way was Mike Trout (on May 1 - he didn’t have a hit though)