Chicago Cubs: 2019 letter grades for each player
By Bill Felber
Chicago Cubs: Reliable Pitchers
Yu Darvish, Grade: B. Following a disappointing 2018 debut, Darvish matured into something approaching what the Chicago Cubs thought they were getting when they signed him to a high-dollar, ace-level deal. Still, his 6-8 record with a 3.98 hardly threatened the National League’s All-Star pitchers.
The best news was that Darvish held up all season, delivering 31 starts and 179 innings of work, far better than his injury-abbreviated 40 innings of one season earlier. His 1.097 WHIP was a personal best since 2013, and his 112 ERA+ was, if well short of dominant, at least above the league average.
Kyle Hendricks, Grade: B. Hendricks continued to illustrate that stuff isn’t everything in the modern pitching game. Never throwing a 90 mph fastball, he still produced an 11-10 record and staff-best 3.46 ERA in 30 starts. Hendricks isn’t an ace but he’s a solid number two. His 129 ERA+ was best among the team’s most-frequently-used starters.
Steve Cishek, Grade: B. Operating mostly in a setup role, the sidearming Cishek posted a 2.95 ERA in 70 appearances encompassing 64 innings. His 29 walks were a liability, but his 151 ERA+ testifies to his generally strong performance.
Brandon Kintzler, Grade: B. The Cubs never envisioned Kintzler as more than a supplementary player in their pen, but when the major parts – Morrow, Edwards, Strop – fell apart he stepped up. His 2.68 ERA in 57 innings made him day in and day out the most reliable pen option, and he fails to merit an A only because of his comparatively light workload in a less-than-pressurized assignment…Kintzler had only one save all season.