CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 01: Javier Assad #72 of the Chicago Cubs delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field on April 01, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs were a sly pick for several MLB experts to make some noise in 2023. That hasn’t happened yet. Who’s to blame for the team’s slow start?
Well, it could be worse, Cubs fans. You could be cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals. All kidding aside, the season hasn’t gotten off to a horrific start, but the expectations have been raised heading into 2023.
While last season was seen as the start of the Cubs rebuild after jettisoning the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez, this year Chicago was expected to be somewhat competitive in a relatively weak NL Central Division.
If the Cubs are going to make a run this season, some of those players who’ve started slow have got to pick things up. Let’s look at three
Chicago Cubs
players who’ve contributed to the team’s slow start?
3. Cubs reliever Javier Assad deserves some blame for Chicago’s slow start
Javier Assad’s poor performance to begin the season came with consequences. The Cubs reliever was optioned to Triple-A this week and outfielder Nelson Velasquez was brought up to the big league squad.
Assad was lights out during spring training and in the World Baseball Classic, but his star seemed to dull once the regular season began. Though he made just two relief appearances during the first two weeks of the season, David Ross and company had seen enough.
Assad went 4.1 innings of work and allowed six earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out five. The right-hander blew his lone save opportunity this season and Chicago is now going with 12 pitchers instead of 13. Hopefully, this trip to Iowa is productive for Javier Assad.
Chicago Cubs</a> players who’ve contributed to the team’s slow start?</p>
<h2>3. Cubs reliever Javier Assad deserves some blame for Chicago’s slow start</h2>
<p>Javier Assad’s poor performance to begin the season came with consequences. The Cubs reliever was optioned to Triple-A this week and outfielder Nelson Velasquez was brought up to the big league squad.</p>
<p>Assad was lights out during spring training and in the World Baseball Classic, but his star seemed to dull once the regular season began. Though he made just two relief appearances during the first two weeks of the season, David Ross and company had seen enough.</p>
<p>Assad went 4.1 innings of work and allowed six earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out five. The right-hander blew his lone save opportunity this season and Chicago is now going with 12 pitchers instead of 13. Hopefully, this trip to Iowa is productive for Javier Assad.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #58595b" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://fansided.com/2023/04/11/cubs-blame-slow-start-2023-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Cody Bellinger </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-2403231" src=https://fansided.com/2023/04/11/cubs-blame-slow-start-2023-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1479891380.jpeg" alt="Chicago Cubs, Cody Bellinger" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1479891380.jpeg 1600w, https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1479891380-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">CINCINNATI, OHIO – APRIL 04: Cody Bellinger #24 of the Chicago Cubs flies out in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 04, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2. Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger deserves some blame for Chicago’s slow start</h2>
<p>The chances of the Chicago Cubs seeing <a href=https://fansided.com/2023/04/11/cubs-blame-slow-start-2023-season/"https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellico01.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Cody Bellinger</a> return to his NL MVP form were slim. After all, the centerfielder has struggled in the batter’s box since 2020. But the Cubbies were hoping to get a little more than a .557 OPS out of their $17.5-million investment.</p>
<p>Bellinger signed a hefty contract, but after seeing finding success in Los Angeles, Chicago has to be wondering whether or not they’ve been sold a bill of goods. Bellinger is 6-for-34 thus far and has an on-base percentage south of .275.</p>
<p>Bellinger obviously provides good defense up the middle, but Chicago has plenty of capable outfield defenders. Christopher Morel is currently in the minors, but if Bellinger doesn’t get things going, the Cubs could recall the 23-year-old in a hurry.</p>
<p>Cody Bellinger was virtually unstoppable during his first three major league seasons. After winning Rookie of the Year and going to the All-Star Game in 2017, Bellinger ripped off three seasons in which he slashed .278/.369/.559 and walloped 111 dingers.</p>
<p>The Los Angeles Dodgers thought so little of Bellinger after last season that he was non-tendered. At the moment, the Cubs are probably wishing they had Jason Heyward back in the outfield.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #58595b" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://fansided.com/2023/04/11/cubs-blame-slow-start-2023-season/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-2403238" src=https://fansided.com/2023/04/11/cubs-blame-slow-start-2023-season/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1480065937.jpeg" alt="Chicago Cubs" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1480065937.jpeg 3200w, https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1480065937-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">CINCINNATI, OHIO – APRIL 04: Yan Gomes #15 of the Chicago Cubs walks across the field in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on April 04, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>1. Cubs catchers Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart deserve some blame for Chicago’s slow start</h2>
<p>Let’s loop the two catchers together here, because the tandem of Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart amounts to one player. The Cubs actually have three catchers on the active roster at the moment if you include Luis Torrens.</p>
<p>There’s plenty of defense between the duo of Gomes and Barnhart. The latter won two Gold Gloves during his time with division rival Cincinnati, and Gomes is a well-regarded receiver.</p>
<p>But the North Siders have to get some sort of offense from the pair, don’t they? Sure, you might point to the fact that Barnhart is hitting .364, but he’s not drawing walks, and isn’t hitting for power. His slugging percentage, batting average, and on-base percentage are all the same.</p>
<p>Then you’ve got Gomes who couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat at the moment. The veteran backstop is 2-for-21 and has an OPS of just .238. Even the aforementioned, lesser-used Torrens has an OPS of .286.</p>
<p>Willson Contreras isn’t walking through that door, and while the defense is certainly an improvement, in today’s MLB, you can’t have a black hole in your lineup and expect to compete.</p>
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