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Chicago Cubs are on a historic pace to start 2016

By Carlos Nazario

May 6, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) celebrates with Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon (70), Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) after they scored on his three run homer with Chicago Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward (22) against the Washington Nationals in the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
May 6, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) celebrates with Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon (70), Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) after they scored on his three run homer with Chicago Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward (22) against the Washington Nationals in the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

The starting rotation is getting the team off on the right foot

It does not matter if a team is pounding the ball, if the starting pitcher is getting pounded himself, wins will be difficult to come by.

So far this season, the Chicago Cubs starting rotation has done its job and then some.

The Cubs’ rotation owns three of the top four ERA’s in the National League. Jake Arrieta (1.13) is the leader, with Jon Lester (1.58) right behind him, and Jason Hammel (1.85) is fourth.

Arrieta is continuing his dominating performance that is historic in its own right. His ERA was under one until this past Sunday, when he got bombed for…two earned runs.

Arrieta also threw his second no-hitter as well. Batters are hitting just .159 off him, and he has a 0.88 WHIP.

Lester had a slow start to the season in 2015 when he dealt with an injury.

He has no such problem this season.

Along with the second-best ERA in the NL, Lester also has a 1.05 WHIP. Batters are hitting .228, and he has 38 strikeouts in 40 innings.

Lester was underrated last season, but this season, no one can deny that he is pitching like the ace the Chicago Cubs signed before the 2015 season. Now if he could just start to be able to throw to first base.

Hammel has been the big surprise in the rotation. Last season, he was up-and-down, mostly down in the second half of the season. He has shown flashes of what he could do, but he has not put it all together.

So far in 2016, he has put it together, and is throwing lights out. We will see if he can finally keep it up the entire season.

John Lackey and Kyle Hendricks have not been as dominant as the other three, but they have kept the team in their games, giving them a good chance to win. Lackey has a 1.09 WHIP and has forty strikeouts in forty-and-one-third innings. Hendricks has a 1.00 WHIP and a 3.10 ERA.

The Chicago Cubs starting rotation has a 19-4 record, with a 2.26 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. That is a formula that can get you a bunch of wins.

Next: While we are talking pitching, how about that bullpen?

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