Hey Pirates, Meet the Cubs Lineup (Spoiler: They Hit Dingers)

The Leadoff Man

Cubs Take the Win at PNC Park

Cubs' Lineup: Full Strength (Well, Almost) = Trouble for the Rest of the NL

The 2024 Cubs starting lineup is better with Bellinger and Suzuki

The Cubs lineup is like a band filled with skilled musicians, each capable of a standout solo but sometimes struggling to find the consistent rhythm we all crave. Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki, with their ability to carry the team, are like our lead guitarists—when they hit the right notes, the whole band starts to swing in harmony. Is hitting contagious? Watching Bellinger's at-bats, it feels like one sharp solo can indeed set off a symphony of hits. Suzuki will be back in the lineup on Saturday. The stage is set for an electrifying debut of Rookie Paul Skenes, fresh from LSU and the number one pick in the 2023 MLB draft, who steps onto the mound for Pittsburgh. Known for his blistering pitches—22% of which soar over 100 MPH—he’s sure to test our Cubs lineup.

Belli Blast Sets Tone in Cubs Victory

Cody Bellinger's early home run sparked a Cubs hitting spree, leading to a commanding 7-2 win over the Pirates.

Pirates starter Jared Jones kicked things off with a bang, hurling a blistering 100.5 MPH pitch to Cody Bellinger in the 1st inning. But Cody Bellinger was having none of it. He returned fire with a homer that soared 390 feet, giving the Cubs an early lead. Talk about an explosive start to the game!

Fast forward to the top of the 7th, and it’s Hunter Stratton's turn on the mound for Pittsburgh, stepping right into a veritable Cubs fiesta of hits.

Christopher Morel didn’t waste any time sending out invites. He sliced a fly ball to right field that had Bryan Reynolds scrambling—Mike Tauchman scored and Bellinger hustled to second. Cubs now lead 4-2, thanks to Morel's slick RBI single.

Not to be left out of the party, Ian Happ stepped up and smashed a line drive that also zipped past Reynolds, bringing Bellinger home and shuffling Morel to third. That's a double for Happ, and another run on the board—Cubs now leading 5-2.

For the nail in the coffin, Nick Madrigal with a ground ball that sneaked past the infield to Reynolds again, letting Happ and Michael Busch tally up the runs. Madrigal made a dash for second on the throw, and just like that, the Cubs broadened their lead to 7-2

What’s Up with Adbert’s Struggles?

On paper, his stat line from last night looks solid: one inning, one hit, two strikeouts. However, a deeper dive into the numbers flags a bit of a slowdown that can't be ignored. The average velocity of his fastball has dropped from 94.5 MPH in 2023 to 93.2 MPH this year. This reduction might seem minor, but in the high-speed world of MLB pitching, every MPH is crucial.

Furthermore, the horizontal movement on his fastball has taken a slight detour. Last year, his pitches tailed away from batters with an average horizontal movement of 9.0 inches. This year, it's down to 8.7 inches. A 0.3-inch reduction might not seem like much, but combined with the decreased speed, it makes the pitches less intimidating and more hittable.

And let’s not overlook the fielding heroics that saved Adbert’s outing in the bottom of the 9th. A prime example? Ian Happ's spectacular outfield play, where he snagged what would have been a home run in 27 of the 30 MLB parks—was a real game-saver!