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Chicago Cubs: Will Addison Russell’s bat finally break out in 2017?

By Brandon Hinrichs

Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell drives in a run with a sacrifice fly against the Cleveland Indians in the fourth inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell drives in a run with a sacrifice fly against the Cleveland Indians in the fourth inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Addison Russell already performed at a high level for the Chicago Cubs since making his MLB debut in 2015. Still, the pressure has never been higher for Russell to improve his hitting this season to make up for the loss of a few key contributors from last season.

Addison Russell has been everything the Chicago Cubs hoped they’d get when they traded for him in July of 2014.  It was a trade the Cubs were ecstatic to make despite parting ways with Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel.

The Cubs wouldn’t have won the 2016 World Series without the improved play of the 23-year-old Russell. As he’s done since being called up nearly two seasons ago, he’s always displayed a “team first” mentality.

Displaying that “team first” mentality served Russell well so far in many areas. While shortstop is his primary position, there was a time back in 2015 when he played second base. That was so Starlin Castro could continue playing shortstop. Maddon ultimately moved Russell back to his natural position.

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There is never a mere ounce of complaining coming from Russell. His personality at times appears more laid back than most players. Still, Russell, like many of his teammates, is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win ballgames.

Having been voted by fans as the starting National League shortstop back in 2016, Russell was under some intense media scrutiny. Many observers felt that Russell didn’t deserve to be starting in the game due to his low batting average. After all, a career .240 hitter in 1,000 at-bats over two seasons will certainly raise some eyebrows.

Having said that, Russell’s game has never been defined purely off his batting average. Russell’s defense while playing shortstop is among the best in all of baseball. While he doesn’t possess a strong throwing arm like Javier Baez, he often makes smooth, yet circus-style plays. He’s never afraid to stretch out his body to dive for balls rolling through the infield.

What often becomes lost when evaluating Russell’s play is how clutch of a hitter he’s become. Often batting in the lower part of the Cubs’ lineup, Russell drives in plenty of runs. His 95 RBI last season were third most on the team. That’s another sign of the “team-first” mentality Russell displays on a daily basis — he doesn’t pout just because he’s batting .240. Rather, he continues to stay focused on finding different ways to help his team win. Hence, driving in plenty of runners on base.

Russell also displayed improved power last season, hitting a career-high 21 home runs. He also hit three more during the postseason. That’s a very encouraging sign for Russell’s future outlook as a hitter. Being able to consistently drive the ball with more authority only further helps the Cubs win games.

So what will be in store for Russell in 2017? Cubs fans hope that Russell will have an even better season than last year. That means improving his batting average. While Russell proved often to perform well in clutch moments, he still will go through prolonged slumps. These slumps will have to be minimized in 2017 because the Cubs offense is now missing two key players.

Dexter Fowler is no longer on the Cubs’ roster. He’ll be taking his talents down to Saint Louis this season. Also, David Ross retired. Both hitters provided excellent value for the Cubs last season.

While fans will be excited for hopefully having a full season from Kyle Schwarber, his presence won’t entirely make up for the departure of Fowler and Ross. That’s why Russell will have to become a more consistent hitter this season, getting on base early and often. Doing so will take away a ton of pressure from the Cubs’ other big bats.

Next: Rick Renteria out to prove himself with the White Sox

From looking at Russell’s various improvements as a hitter last season, there’s little reason to doubt his batting average won’t finally increase in 2017. Only time will tell however.

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