Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo Is Surging Right When They Need Him
The Chicago Cubs have been struggling mightily as of late, but slugger Anthony Rizzo is doing everything he can to pull them out of their prolonged slump.
Anthony Rizzo is a man on fire. After stumbling out of the gate with a .218 batting average in April and a .250 average in May, he’s heated up, and he’s done so quickly. He hit .378 in 107 June plate appearances, which is incredible in itself, but he’s managed to get even hotter in July. In 45 plate appearances, he’s hitting .400, including including 8 hits in his last ten at bats. His batting average now sits at .299, the highest on the Cubs.
The Cubs managed to get off to a scorching start, with a 25-6 record on May 10. Discussion quickly jumped to if this was the best young team ever, whether or not they would break the Major League record for wins, and if this is the team that would finally break the curse. People pointed out that the Cubs were on this record pace even though Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward weren’t producing, and that they would get even better once those guys heated up.
Things have changed on the North Side since then. Since May 10, they’ve gone 28-29. The pitching staff is starting to fall apart, and their division lead is down to only seven games. Now, some may start to panic about this kind of prolonged slump, but those people haven’t seen Anthony Rizzo and Co. in action lately.
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Rizzo just keeps improving, but how? Well first off, he’s hitting the ball much, much harder than he was earlier in the season. After posting a 31.3% hard contact percentage in May and 33.0% in June, that number skyrocketed to 39.2% in June and is at 40% thus far in July.
He’s getting on base at an absurd .410 clip, and he’s doing everything he can to not only pull his team out of their slump, but also push himself into MVP discussion. After his recent surge, he is fourth in the National League in WAR, at 3.8. He’s third in all of baseball in OPS, trailing only Red Sox legend David Ortiz and reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson. His 21 home runs are tied for fifth in the NL, and his 63 RBIs are tied for fourth.
As the Cubs do their best to regain their step after the break, their leaders have already emerged. Rizzo and Kris Bryant are both absolutely killing the baseball this season, and their presence will bring this young team back to their winning ways. The lineup is still almost everything it was expected to be, and as soon as the pitching comes back, watch out: these Cubbies are still dangerous. Most teams would love to have one MVP candidate, and the Cubs have two in Rizzo and Bryant.
Next: The All-Pitcher Home Run Derby
The rotation and bullpen in Chicago may be legitimate concerns, but make no mistake; this lineup is in excellent shape, and Anthony Rizzo is a huge reason why.