7 observations: Cubs vs. Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Cubs came into this weekend’s series against the Miami Marlins hoping to end the month of April with a bang, but instead they end it with a whimper as they’re swept in South Florida, bringing their season record to 14-13.
All three of the losses came by one run, including a 4-3 defeat in the Sunday finale, with Keegan Thompson taking the loss after surrendering a run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Here are seven observations, stats and more from the weekend series.
Cody Bellinger Keeps Mashing
Bellinger has been arguably the Cubs’ best offensive player in the first month of the season, and kept that up on Sunday as he launched a home run in the sixth inning of the loss to the Marlins.
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In fact, fans may not be aware of how good his numbers are, because they’re very similar to what he put up during his 2019 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That year, Bellinger slashed .305/.406/.629, with a wRC+ of 161, and won the National League MVP award.
This season, Bellinger is at .297/.371/.604, with a wRC+ of 158. He also has a FanGraphs’ WAR of 1.2, after putting up a 1.8 last season in 144 games.
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Finally, Bellinger had seven home runs in April, the first time he’s hit seven in a month since Aug. 2020.
Justin Steele Continues His Dominance
According to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian, Steele has now gone 13 consecutive starts allowing two or fewer earned runs after surrendering two in six innings of work Sunday against Miami.
Only Jack Taylor’s streak of 15 such games in 1902 and Jake Arrieta’s 14 straight starts between 2015 and 2016 best that in Cubs history.
Nico Hoerner’s Strikeout-Filled Sunday
Prior to Sunday’s game, Nico Hoerner had not struck out three times in a game in his big-league career, but that ended on Sunday as he fanned three times in a 1-for-5 performance.
While multi-strikeout games are rare for Hoerner, who now has 22 in his career, he actually has hits in 12 of those games. He also drew walks in three other contests.
If there is a consolation for Hoerner, it’s that he extended his streak of reaching base to 25 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak in baseball.
A Michael Fulmer Rebound?
Michael Fulmer pitched twice in the series, and after some struggles he may finally be finding his form for the North Siders.
In his last three outings, Fulmer has four strikeouts, one walk and no hits allowed, and more importantly, no runs allowed.
Michael Rucker’s Sad Friday
While Michael Rucker did take the loss on Friday, giving up the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, his performance overall this season has still been strong.
Prior to this game, Rucker had pitched six consecutive scoreless appearances, with six strikeouts and just three hits allowed in that stretch.
Cubs’ Bullpen Kept Team Alive Saturday
The Cubs knew Saturday’s game was going to be tough, with Caleb Killian forced into making a spot start. He ultimately gave up seven earned runs in 3.1 innings, but was able to rebound a bit after a tough first inning.
The real story of the game was the performance of the team’s bullpen, as Jeremiah Estrada, Julian Merryweather and Adbert Alzolay combined for 4.2 innings of shutout baseball, with two walks, two hits and seven strikeouts between the group.
Their performance allowed the Cubs’ offense to mount a late comeback, which came up just short in a 7-6 loss.
Speaking of that…..
The Marlins’ 1-Run Game Prowess is Bewildering
The Miami Marlins are now 16-13 on the season, but the way they’re earning those wins is incredible. Including the three triumphs over the Cubs, the Marlins are now 10-0 this season in one-run games.
