Baseball Brilliance: The Chicago Cubs’ On-Base Domination
Last season’s statistics would have you raising eyebrows. Nico Hoerner took his time, not marking his fifth walk until April 17th, spanning over 15 games and 71 plate appearances. But fast forward to this week, and Hoerner’s performance has skyrocketed. With back-to-back two walk games, he’s already tallied five walks in merely six games and 27 plate appearances. Couple that with three hit-by-pitches and two hits, and Hoerner boasts an impressive .370 on-base percentage, despite his meager .105 batting average.
However, the spotlight isn’t solely on Hoerner.
Ian Happ, with an outstanding 17.9% walk rate and a .500 OBP, has consistently found his way on base in every game this season. Christopher Morel’s impressive .375 batting average is complemented by a .423 OBP. Not to be overshadowed, Dansby Swanson with a 16% BB rate and a .400 OBP, Michael Busch with a 15% BB rate and a .400 OBP, and Seiya Suzuki with a .333 AVG and a .379 OBP, are all contributing significantly. Collectively, these stellar performances position the Cubs as the indisputable leaders in on-base success throughout the first two series of the year.
In Major League Baseball, the Cubs are unrivaled in getting on base this season.
- Cubs: .380 OPB
- Pirates: .377 OBP
- Dodgers: .376 OBP
- Braves: .370 OBP
- D-Backs: .370 OBP — Michael Cerami
Granted, this data is based on a small sample size, including three games against one of the league’s weakest teams. Nevertheless, it’s an encouraging sight. The Cubs’ impressive 13.6% team-wide walk rate and .276 batting average (tied for 7th) reflect a commendable approach at the plate, particularly for a team potentially lacking the firepower of other contenders. In the early stages of the season, when the weather is chilly and slugging becomes even more challenging, prioritizing getting runners on base becomes paramount.
And the results speak for themselves. Currently, the Cubs are averaging 6.67 runs per game, ranking them third in MLB, trailing only the Braves (7.20) and Pirates (7.00). With a challenging series against the Dodgers on the horizon, featuring formidable young pitchers like Bobby Miller, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Gavin Stone, the Cubs will need to maintain their disciplined approach to continue their success.