It’s easy to see why manager David Ross has put run prevention at the forefront of his managerial agenda this season. In 2018, the Cardinals had more errors (133) than any team in the majors. Last year they had the least (66), a turnaround that vaulted the Redbirds from third place to first in the NL Central.
Since 2015, the Cubs have averaged about 105 errors per season, hitting their high-water mark of the Joe Maddon era with 117 last year. Giving the opposition extra outs is never a good thing, but with starters who tend to labor (Jon Lester) or walk their fair share of hitters (Tyler Chatwood), poor fielding is the type of accelerant you want to avoid.