On paper, the start to the Chicago Cubs season looked pretty easy as they opened with four against Miami then two against Cincinnati. It was a chance for the Cubs to play six games against teams that are expected to finish in the bottom of the standings.
But through the first five games, the Cubs are 2-3 on the year and on the wrong side of history.
The Cubs were shutout for the second-straight game, falling 1-0 to the Reds on Monday afternoon. A day ago they were shutout 6-0 in the series finale against the Marlins. The bats are ice cold to start the season and struck out 11 more times in Monday’s loss.
With those 11 strikeouts, the Cubs now have 58 on the season which sets a new record for the most strikeouts by a national league team through its first five games of the season. The Cubs passed the 2009 Washington Nationals who had 57 on the year:
Now 58 K's for the Cubs. Most ever by NL team through 5 games.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) April 2, 2018
The rough start is highlighted by Ian Happ’s 10 strikeouts in 17 plate appearances this season. The Cubs new leadoff hitter hit the very first pitch of the season for a home run but has struggled since as that’s his only hit of the year.
The Cubs aren’t ready to panic just yet as hitting coach Chili Davis revealed to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers in the postgame interview:
Chili Davis must have said he's not panicking about 5 times in a 5 min interview. And of course no reason to but ugly numbers through 5 games
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) April 2, 2018
Chicago returns to action on Tuesday night in Cincinnati as they close the quick two-game series against the Reds. They head up to Milwaukee for a big four-game set against the Brewers beginning on Thursday.
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1 Comment
11.6 strike out per game and close to another record for fewest hit with runner in scoring position through the first 5 games. Not sure how many they left in scoring position today but i will wager their BA with runners in scoring position is less than a buck. Same cancer it flowing through team again so far this year. Unable to score without the long ball.