Chicago Cubs are on a historic pace to start 2016
The offense is scoring runs by the bunches
The pitching and the defense has been doing great this season, but the only way you win games is by scoring more runs than your opponents.
That is exactly what the Chicago Cubs are doing. They are scoring runs and scoring runs in bunches.
Going into Tuesday’s game, two Cubs are among the top eight in RBI, Anthony Rizzo (28) and Zobrist (25). Only the Colorado Rockies have even two players in the top 15 in that category.
That has helped the Cubs lead Major League Baseball in runs scored with 184. Projected for the entire season, they are on pace to score 994 runs.
Combined with the great pitching, the Cubs’ run differential (runs scored minus runs allowed) is at +102. The second-best run differential is +46 by the New York Mets. Just the difference of 56 runs is higher than any other team. That is historic.
What is amazing is that the Cubs’ run differential on the road is so much better than at Wrigley Field. They have a +72 run differential on the road, and +32 at home.
More from Da Windy City
- Juan Soto appears headed to the Yankees which is not a big blow Chicago Cubs offseason
- 3 takeaways from Chicago Blackhawks shootout loss to Nashville
- Chicago Cubs in the middle of chaos that is Shohei Ohtani’s free agency
- The Chicago Cubs are on a roller coaster of emotions chasing Shohei Ohtani
- Chicago Bears quietly compiling list of head coaching candidates
While last season the Cubs scored many runs via the home run, this season is a different story. They are still hitting homers (they rank 12th in the major leagues with 37), but they are also getting on base through hits and walks, so when the homers are hit, there are runners on, increasing the scoring.
The Cubs are twelfth in baseball with 270 hits, and they lead the league in walks with 156. That is a lot of baserunners. So much, in fact, that they lead the league in on-base percentage (.368).
All of this has helped the Chicago Cubs become just the eighth team in the past 80 years to start a season 24-6 or better. The 1984 Detroit Tigers were the last team to start better than this year’s Cubs.
One fact that will excite Cubs fans is that of the previous seven to start the way the Cubs have, six of them made it to the World Series. Four of them won it all.
Next: Jorge Soler Is Wasting A Great Opportunity
Yes, it is still early, and a lot can happen before the end of the season. The numbers suggest, however, that this could be the magical season most Chicago Cubs fans have waited a lifetime to experience.