For all their frustrating play this season, the Cubs have benefited from several excellent individual performances. That’s part of what makes their sub-.500 record so hard to swallow. Their starting pitchers have an aggregate 3.62 ERA, seventh in MLB, and four members of the rotation have marks of 3.04 or lower. And while the bats haven’t held up their end of the bargain, three hitters are making noise with wRC+ numbers of at least 128.
Let’s first give Justin Steele his flowers after tossing seven shutout innings in Baltimore Thursday night to earn his second win in as many starts.