With the start of the 2019 season rapidly approaching, I believe it’s time that we give you the ultimate breakdown of each division and predict their position in the standings come season’s end. It’s hard to predict record, so we’ll just give you their placement in the standings. Of course, this is coming from a fan’s perspective and what we think it could look like, not what it will. Today, we focus on the National League Central and the Chicago Cubs:
Chicago Cubs
2018 record: 95-68, 2nd in NL Central, 1st Wild Card
Projected Lineup:
2B Ben Zobrist
3B Kris Bryant
1B Anthony Rizzo
SS Javier Baez
LF Kyle Schwarber
C Willson Contreras
RF Jason Heyward
CF Albert Almora Jr.
Pitcher
Starting Rotation:
LH Jon Lester
LH Cole Hamels
RH Kyle Hendricks
LH Jose Quintana
RH Yu Darvish
Key Bullpen Pieces:
RH Brandon Morrow
RH Carl Edwards Jr.
RH Pedro Stroup
LH Mike Montgomery
RH Tyler Chatwood
Key Bench Pieces:
UTL Ian Happ
INF David Bote
INF Daniel Descalso
The Cubs ended their two straight division title run with a tie-breaking loss to the Brewers for the NL Central crown. With key pieces being struck by the injury bug, the Cubbies just weren’t able to hold off Milwaukee and take the division for a third consecutive year. They hope to get back there in 2019 with a healthy former MVP Kris Bryant, who only appeared in 102 games. Javier Baez himself put up MVP like numbers in 2018, batting .290 with 34 home runs and an OPS of .881. He finished 2nd to Yelich for the NL MVP, but I see an encore performance from him in 2019. One guy who needs to step up offensively is Jason Heyward. Since joining the Cubs in 2015, Heyward has disappointed fans offensively, batting .252 with just 26 home runs and an SLG of .367. If Heyward can turn the bat around and have a career year in his age 29 season, it will be huge for the Cubs.
Not only do the North siders have assets at the dish, but on the mound as well with a very good 1-2 punch in Lester and Hendricks. Since 2016, Hendricks has been one of Chicago’s most reliable starters. Over the last three seasons, he’s pitched to a collective 2.86 ERA, 454 strikeouts and an ERA+ of 155. He finished 3rd in the 2016 NL Cy Young voting. The Cubs also picked up Cole Hamels for the playoff push in 2018. In 12 starts, he held a 2.36 ERA, WHIP of 1.100 and 74 strikeouts. Now the Cubs can get that production over 30+ starts. The question mark with the rotation is Darvish whose first year on the North side was plagued with injuries and underperformance. Only appearing in 8 games last year, Darvish held a 4.95 ERA and 22 earned runs. 2019 has to be a bounce back year for Darvish, who enters his second year of his 6-year, $126 million contract with the Cubbies.
Along with the rotation, Chicago’s bullpen has the pieces as well. Morrow is expected to slide in as the primary 9th inning guy, after collecting a 1.47 ERA and 22 saves in 35 games before missing the rest of the year. Behind him, you have Stroup and Edwards Jr who both pitched to sub 3.00 ERAs last year. The Cubs did lose Justin Wilson, their primary lefty out of the pen but will look for Montgomery to step in a fill that role.
From top to bottom, the Cubs seem to have a complete team. I see another NL Central title in 2019 for them, but it will be another close battle.
2019 prediction: 1st in NL Central
