After a red-hot start to the season, the Cubs sputtered into the All-Star break. At one point, because of scheduling and a make-up game, the team was forced to play 24 games in 24 days. The Cubs started that stretch with a three-game sweep of the Pirates at Wrigley Field. The next 21 games did not go so well.
| Record | Win % | Team ERA | Runs per game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Through June 19 | 47-20 | .701 | 2.66 | 5.43 |
| After June 19 | 6-15 | .286 | 5.60 | 4.57 |
Since June 19, the Cubs have had the third-worst record in baseball, going 6-15 into the All-Star break. Their combined ERA in that time jumped nearly three points. They ended the first half with 53 wins and 35 losses.
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Win percentage through June 19
Win percentage after June 19
(through all-star break)
HOU
.737
(14-5)
CUBS
.701
(47-20)
CLE
.700
(14-6)
SFG
LAD
.650
(13-7)
PIT
TEX
.643
(45-25)
TOR
SFG
.629
(44-26)
CHW
.632
(12-7)
WSN
.614
(43-27)
DET
PHI
.600
(12-8)
BAL
.588
(40-28)
BAL
MIN
.579
(11-8)
BOS
.574
(39-29)
CLE
.559
(38-30)
WSN
KCR
.551
(38-31)
(11-9)
NYM
.550
TOR
.542
(39-33)
STL
MIA
.536
(37-32)
LAD
.535
(38-33)
BOS
NYM
.529
(36-32)
MIA
.526
(10-9)
NYY
SEA
.522
(36-33)
STL
.515
(35-33)
.500
SDP
(10-10)
OAK
.500
(9-9)
DET
.493
(34-35)
NYY
.493
(34-35)
HOU
.486
(34-36)
CHW
.478
(33-36)
PIT
.478
(33-36)
COL
.471
(32-36)
TBR
.463
(31-36)
ARI
.451
(32-39)
TEX
LAA
.449
(31-38)
SEA
.450
(9-11)
MIL
.443
(31-39)
PHI
.429
(30-40)
(7-10)
MIL
.412
SDP
.408
(29-42)
OAK
.406
(28-41)
COL
ATL
.400
(8-12)
CIN
.386
(27-43)
KCR
.368
(7-12)
ATL
.333
(23-46)
(6-13)
ARI
.316
MIN
.304
(21-48)
LAA
.300
(6-14)
CUBS
.286
(6-15)
CIN
.263
(5-14)
TBR
.143
(3-18)
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Win percentage
through June 19
Win percentage
after June 19
(through all-star break)
HOU
.737
CUBS
.701
CLE
.700
SFG
LAD
.650
PIT
TEX
.643
TOR
SFG
.629
CHW
.632
WSN
.614
DET
PHI
.600
BAL
.588
BAL
MIN
.579
BOS
.574
CLE
.559
WSN
KCR
.551
NYM
.550
TOR
.542
STL
MIA
.536
LAD
.535
BOS
NYM
.529
MIA
.526
NYY
SEA
.522
STL
.515
SDP
OAK
.500
DET
.493
NYY
.493
HOU
.486
CHW
.478
PIT
.478
COL
.471
TBR
.463
ARI
.451
TEX
LAA
.449
SEA
.450
MIL
.443
PHI
.429
MIL
.412
SDP
.408
OAK
.406
COL
ATL
.400
CIN
.386
KCR
.368
ATL
.333
ARI
.316
MIN
.304
LAA
.300
CUBS
.286
CIN
.263
TBR
.143
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Win percentage
through June 19
Win percentage
after June 19
(through all-star break)
HOU
.737
CUBS
.701
CLE
.700
SFG
LAD
.650
PIT
TEX
.643
TOR
SFG
.629
CHW
.632
WSN
.614
DET
PHI
.600
BAL
.588
BAL
MIN
.579
BOS
.574
CLE
.559
WSN
KCR
.551
NYM
.550
TOR
.542
STL
MIA
.536
LAD
.535
BOS
NYM
.529
MIA
.526
NYY
SEA
.522
STL
.515
SDP
OAK
.500
DET
.493
NYY
.493
HOU
.486
CHW
.478
PIT
.478
COL
.471
TBR
.463
ARI
.451
TEX
LAA
.449
SEA
.450
MIL
.443
PHI
.429
MIL
.412
SDP
.408
OAK
.406
COL
ATL
.400
CIN
.386
KCR
.368
ATL
.333
ARI
.316
MIN
.304
LAA
.300
CUBS
.286
CIN
.263
TBR
.143
Poor pitching leads the way
The astronomical winning pace in April – .773 – was unsustainable and would have shattered the MLB record for wins in a season. But the Cubs’ winning percentage has shrunk each month, dropping to .200 so far in July.
The pitching has been an obvious sticking point. The once rock-solid bullpen is showing cracks, and the starting pitching is beginning to strain as well. It could be bad luck or opponents making more solid contact against Cubs pitchers, but the Batting Average on Balls in Play jumped from .257 in April to .303 in July (league average for the season is .301).
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Earned Run Average
8.81
Starters
Relievers
5.85
3.96
3.80
2.76
2.72
2.49
2.33
April
May
June
July
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Earned Run Average
8.81
Starters
Relievers
5.85
3.96
3.80
2.76
2.72
2.49
2.33
April
May
June
July
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Earned Run Average
Starters
Relievers
8.81
5.85
3.96
3.80
2.76
2.72
2.49
2.33
April
May
June
July
Bats hold steady, mostly
Oddly enough, the overall hitting has improved a bit, with Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo having an excellent June and July. Nevertheless, the team is scoring 1.7 fewer runs per game. The team is walking less and striking out more — possibly the result of injuries forcing the promotion of younger players with less discipline at the plate.
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Batting avg.
On-base pct.
Slugging pct.
+30 points
-21 points
+7 points
.456
.462
.432
.414
.364
.349
.336
.343
.255
.259
.251
.262
April
May
June
July
April
May
June
July
April
May
June
July
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Batting avg.
April
.255
.259
May
+7 points
.251
June
July
.262
On-base pct.
April
.364
.349
May
-21 points
June
.336
July
.343
Slugging pct.
April
.432
May
.414
+30 points
June
.456
July
.462
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By month
Batting avg.
On-base pct.
Slugging pct.
+30 points
-21 points
+7 points
.456
.462
.432
.414
.364
.349
.336
.343
.255
.259
.251
.262
A
M
J
J
A
M
J
J
A
M
J
J
Hope is not lost
The Cubs started the season by building a commanding lead in the NL Central. The recent losing skid has cut that lead by nearly half, but the team still leads by seven games. This remains the largest division lead in all of baseball.
The Cubs hitting and starting pitching have been strengths most of the season. It is unlikely that a team as good as the Cubs will continue to underperform as they have in July. Equally unlikely is a return to their red-hot pace from April. The Cubs chances of making the playoffs remain very good, but there is still a half a season to be played.
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Games above/below .500
For each team in the NL Central
Cubs on June 19: 47-20
30
25
20
Cubs
15
10
Cardinals
Pirates
5
-5
Brewers
-10
Reds
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Games above/below .500
For each team in the NL Central
Cubs on June 19: 47-20
30
25
20
Cubs
15
10
Cardinals
Pirates
5
-5
Brewers
-10
Reds
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Cubs on June 19:
47-20
Games above/below .500
For each team in the NL Central
30
25
20
Cubs
15
10
Cardinals
Pirates
5
-5
Brewers
-10
Reds
Source: Chicago Tribune analysis of data from Baseball-Reference.com
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