Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Season Thread Vol: (17-17)

I don’t believe I’m being hyperbolic when I say that yesterday, Jason Heyward had his best day at the plate since putting on a Cubs uniform. If you weren’t able to catch the game, you may not understand why, but trust me, the box score doesn’t do him justice.

Before the ninth inning was up, Heyward had put five balls in play. Unfortunately, only two actually fell in for hits, starting with an RBI triple in the top of the first inning:

And while that was a fantastic start to his day – indeed, it lengthened his current hitting streak to five games (a feat he accomplished just six times last season) – it was just the beginning. Heyward hit the ball HARD four more times before the Cubs won.

Here’s how Jason Heyward’s five plate appearances shook out yesterday (data via Baseball Savant):

Line-Drive Triple: 380 feet – 99.5 MPH exit velocity
Line-out: 321 feet – 96.8 MPH
Ground-out: n/a – 100.5 MPH
Ground-Ball Single: n/a – 99.8 MPH
Fly-out: 396 feet – 96.3 MPH

On almost any other day, Jason Heyward would be 5-5 with a home run, a triple, and three singles. He absolutely smoked the ball every single time up, and literally all three of his outs were tip-your-cap, what’re ya gonna do, excellent defensive plays by the Brewers. The ninth-inning fly out, by the way, wasn’t exactly a robbed home run, but it was really darn close.

All in all, Heyward hit five balls over 95 MPH yesterday. And if you’re struggling to put that into perspective, let me point out that last season, Statcast indicates there were only 17 instances of a player hitting a ball 95+ MPH five times in a game (via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers). Think about that.

Heyward was absolutely brilliant yesterday.

And for what it’s worth, Joe Maddon was very complimentary of the changes he’s seen. “I like his hands,” manager Joe Maddon told ESPN Chicago. “I like his hands more involved right now. He’s getting started sooner, staying through the ball longer.” He added that no one should expect the changes to happen over night, but it’s hard not to be encouraged by what we’ve seen.

It’s only been 23 plate appearances, but Heyward is slashing .333/.391/.429 (.121 wRC+ and .350 wOBA) in the early going. And that is, of course, despite being robbed thrice yesterday. And if you’ve been watching the games, you’ll definitely have noticed how much more comfortable and confident his swings look – yesterday being the prime example of everything coming together at once.

It’s early and he may have a long way to go, but Jason Heyward has gotten off to basically the best start you could have realistically hoped for. And the most important part is that the results (slash line) is not even what drives this. Instead, we’re encouraged by what we’ve seen with our eyes, what others around the club have said, and what the underlying statistics promise for the future.

If Heyward is truly back, the Cubs lineup just got downright unstoppable.
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Schwarber LF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Zobrist RF
Russell SS
Contreras C
Heyward CF
Baez 2B
Lester P

Lineup for the Home Opener, same as the regular season opener, only with Lester batting 9th tonight it looks like.
 
Lester was great, the pen is in trouble now tho. Bases loaded, nobody out. CJ and Grimm can't throw a strike. :{
 
Addy with a terrible idea to throw for the DP in the 8th, throws it away and allows the tying run to score. :{

Javy going at the foot and not the bag on Lester's hit was the turning point, would have been bases loaded one out for Schwarber, instead of two on but two outs. :{

Have to clean those kind of mistakes up.
 
What a night....I'm exhausted, and frozen lol. Incredible. I'll be back at Wrigley for ring day :)
 
Ian Happ, home run #4 at Triple A.

Jeimer Candelario with another 5 RBI game, his 3rd, in a week. :lol
 
Mark Gonzales‏ @MDGonzales 30s30 seconds ago
Pirates-Cubs probables: Gerrit Cole vs. Kyle Hendricks; Tyler Glasnow vs. Jake Arrieta; Jameson Taillon vs. Jon Lester
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Cubs just had one of their worst weekends in a long time.

Lead in all 3 games vs the Pirates, and lost all 3. :lol :{

CJ Edwards bein out due to a family issue cost us a lil bit as the pen was a tad shorthanded and struggled without him. That said, because it's so early, part of that is Joe not wanting to push his starters further into games. In July, he could get 7-8 from his starters and reduce the need for the pen, in April, that's not so important as long term health.

Get CJ back, get deeper into the season, the pen will strengthen.

Bright side, Happ hit #6, in 11 games. :lol :hat

Bryant hit his first 2 on Saturday, a game we should have closed out. Can't blow 6-2 leads at home with Jake on the mound. :{

Won the first 3 series of the year, but cost ourselves with this one. Gotta get to work vs the Brew Crew starting tonight.
 
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