The Chicago Cubs have an impressive roster, combining a young crop of players with veteran talent. The front office decided this was a year to spend, and the Cubs made waves in the free-agent market with several key additions to the roster. Chicago managed to hang onto most of the talent it already had and could be a legit postseason threat if all the pieces fall into place. MLB predictions on breakout teams are tricky, but the Cubs are making it easy for us to look deeper.
Cubs Revamp Offense
The North Siders have had two losing seasons in a row but are committed to winning in 2023. The team signed exciting young players to complement its stable of veteran talent. New additions include Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, Trey Mancini, Tucker Barnhart, and Eric Hosmer. The only significant loss was catcher Wilson Contreras. We can’t ignore his contribution as a catcher who routinely hits north of 20 home runs. However, Barnhard is a Gold Glove winner and will bolster the Cubs’ defense. Along with elite second baseman Nico Hoerner, the Cubs are set up well in the infield to succeed in the MLB’s post-shift era.
Chicago Cubs having a sneaky offseason.
Notable additions:
• Dansby Swanson (SS)
• Trey Mancini (1B)
• Cody Bellinger (OF)
• Jameson Taillon (SP)
• Drew Smyly (SP)
• Eric Hosmer (1B)
• Tucker Barnhart (C)
• Brad Boxberger (RP)— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) January 15, 2023
After their significant moves, the MLB lines are very tempting for the Cubs to win the National League at +4000 or make the playoffs at +300. With a season win total set at 77½, there are several potentially profitable ways to bet online in favor of the Cubs.
The team still needs a true offensive leader, and one has to wonder if they have the firepower to hang with the big boys. They finished 11th in the NL last season in runs scored and need somebody to step up and do better in 2023.
Pitching Needs Improvement
The reason to be pessimistic about the Cubs in 2023 is their potentially shaky pitching staff, not their offense. Projections aren’t everything, but the Cubs are expected to fall into the average to below-average range in most important pitching metrics.
It would be a shame for this staff to undo all the work the front office did to improve the offense. But projections are just that, and the Cubs should have a better rotation than they did last year.
The Cubs added Jameson Taillon to the rotation, featuring Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks, and Drew Smyly. Brad Boxberger and Michael Fulmer were further additions to the pitching staff, while Wade Miley was the only key player to leave.
While the team may lack a true ace, there is potential here. Steele posted a 3.18 ERA in limited action last season, while Stromand and Smyly held their ERA’s under 3.50.
The biggest issue for this staff was health and durability. Steele played just 119 innings and missed the last five weeks of the season. Meanwhile, Stroman, Smyly, and Hendricks combined for just 63 starts. The MLB news is already bad as Hendricks is starting the season on the IL, and the team can ill afford a repeat of 2022 from a durability standpoint.
Coming off a 74-win season, I expect the Cubs to easily surpass their 77 ½ game total this time around. I’m not opposed to sprinkling a few bucks on an MLB bet for Chicago to make the playoffs at such favorable odds, either. Anything more than that may not be worth the risk for your MLB picks.
