The Cubs started the three-game series against the Marlins with a win behind a brilliant performance from Kyle Hendricks, outstanding defense and an offense that showed signs of the one that created headlines early in the season.
Anthony Rizzo had another big night at the plate. Rizzo reached base all five times (3-for-3 with a double, a triple, a walk, a HBP and two runs scored) he stepped in the box. A player having a perfect night at the dish is not rare and is done rather frequently. What Rizzo did Monday, even though he was a home run short of a cycle, was pretty special.
Rizzo reached base in five different ways. Rizzo had three hits (single, double, triple), walked and he was hit by a pitch.
According to Christopher Kamka, Rizzo became the only Cubs’ player from 1913-present to reach base five times in five different ways in the same game.
Anthony Rizzo is batting .289/.396/.578 with 30 doubles, three triples and 24 home runs for a .973 OPS. Not bad numbers from the leader of the team with the best record in baseball.
Kyle Hendricks
Kyle Hendricks was simply outstanding Monday night. Hendricks tossed his first complete game shutout of the season with a gem over the Marlins. The Cubs won 5-0, improved to 5-1 on the homestand and started August with an impressive win against a contending team.
Hendricks allowed seven hits, issued three walks and one was intentionally. Hendricks struck out five on a career-high 123 pitches. Hendricks found a rhythm early with Willson Contreras. Hendricks said after the game that he and Willy got on the same page and he did not shake him off after the fifth inning.
Joe Maddon said after the game that he feels that Hendricks is “one of the best pitchers in the National League, period.”
Kyle Hendricks shrugged off the first question he’s received about being a Cy Young candidate in the NL.
“That’s something that’s just an accolade. We have a long way to go. Our sights are a lot more than individual honors.”
Hendricks has exceeded expectations this season.
Hendricks appears to be gaining confidence each time out. Hendricks is 10-7 on the season with a 2.22 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Since the break, Hendricks is 3-1 in four starts with a 1.00 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. And at Wrigley this season, Hendricks is 8-1 in 12 games, 11 starts, with a 1.19 ERA and 0.89 WHIP.
- ESPN Chicago – Kyle Hendricks emerging as a star for the Cubs
- The Sun-Times – Cy of relief? Hendricks saves pen with a shutout of Marlins
- Comcast SportsNet – When Kyle Hendricks pitches at Cy Young level, Joe Maddon doesn’t care what the rest of the NL does at the trade deadline
- Bruce Levine – Cy Young candidate? Kyle Hendricks keeps improving
Jed Hoyer and the Trade Deadline
The Cubs addressed one of three areas of the roster the front office was believed to be working on during the non-waiver trading period.
The Cubs made three additions to the bullpen prior to the trade deadline by acquiring Mike Montgomery from the Mariners, Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees and Joe Smith from the Angels. Most in the game like the way the front office addressed the Cubs needs in the pen especially with Joe Nathan now with the team.
Jed Hoyer met with the beat writers prior to Monday’s game with the Marlins. Hoyer discussed the moves the Cubs made and did not make.
The Cubs would have liked to have acquired starting pitching before the deadline. The front office focused on that area and tried but was not able to make a deal. Hoyer said “getting young starting pitching is easier if you’re a seller, not a buyer.”
Hoyer explained the price was “too high and two teams selling in the division and one other in the city made it tougher.” Hoyer was asked specifically about trading with the White Sox. Hoyer said, “It’s hard. I wouldn’t say never. There might be a deal that makes sense someday. But it’s certainly not a team we look at as a likely trade partner.”
The Cubs looked at acquiring a left-handed bat. The cost was high and with Javier Baez producing at the plate, especially against right-handed pitchers which hasn’t been the case all season, the Cubs felt the need wasn’t as big as it was earlier in the season.
The front office will explore trades to add pitching and possibly a left-handed bat but acquiring those players will be more difficult during August.
- Comcast SportsNet – Why the Cubs swung and missed on a starting pitcher at the trade deadline
- The Tribune – Cubs find price of young starting pitching too costly at trade deadline
- Bruce Levine – Staying active in trade market, Cubs add bullpen arm on deadline day
- ESPN Chicago – Cubs keep status quo in the field and rotation as trade deadline passes
- Jayson Stark – How the trade deadline was turned upside down
Joe Smith
The Cubs added a right-hander to the bullpen before Monday’s deadline with the acquisition of Joe Smith from the Angels for minor league right-hander Jesus Castillo.
Joe Maddon was happy the Cubs added a different look to the pen that now features a backend of Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon and Aroldis Chapman.
“Love funk. Funk in the bullpen is always a good thing,” Maddon said. “No hitter likes to see funk come out of the bullpen.”
The addition of Smith gives the Cubs a right-hander that can get a groundball late in games when the team needs a double play to get out of a jam.
- ESPN Chicago – How Joe Smith fits in with the Cubs’ bullpen
- FanGraphs – Cubs Complete Bullpen Makeover with Joe Smith
- Comcast SportsNet – Cubs add ‘funk’ to bullpen with Joe Smith but otherwise stay quiet at trade deadline
- Cubs.com – Cubs add ‘funk’ to bullpen, acquire Joe Smith from Angels
- The Sun-Times – Cubs add RHP Joe Smith, another bullpen arm, at deadline
- Baseball America – Cubs continue bullpen revamp with addition of Joe Smith
- The Tribune – No average Joe Smith: Five things to know
Non-Waiver Trade Deadline Moves
Monday was an incredibly busy day throughout the game. There were 18 trades completed, the most deadline-day trades dating back to at least 1995. And teams combined to make 48 trades from June 1 through the trading deadline, the most in at least 20 years.
Here are all the deals that went down Monday:
- The Blue Jays acquired Francisco Liriano, Reese McGuire and Harold Ramirez from the Pirates for Drew Hutchison.
- The Rangers acquired C Jonathan Lucroy and RHP Jeremy Jeffress from the Brewers for Lewis Brinson, Luis Ortiz and PTBNL.
- The Dodgers acquired RHP Josh Fields from the Astros for 1B Yordan Alvarez.
- The Cubs acquired RHP Joe Smith from Angels for RHP Jesus Castillo.
- The Pirates acquired RHP Ivan Nova from the Yankees for two PTBNL.
- The Giants acquired LHP Matt Moore from the Rays for INF Matt Duffy, SS Lucius Fox and RHP Michael Santos.
- The Orioles acquired INF/OF Steve Pearce from the Rays for minor league catcher Jonah Heim.
- The Twins acquired LHP Hector Santiago and RHP Alan Busenitz from the Angels for RHP Ricky Nolasco, RHP Alex Meyer and cash considerations.
- The Mets acquired LHP Jonathon Niese from the Pirates for LHP Antonio Bastardo and cash considerations.
- The Mets acquired OF Jay Bruce from the Reds for INF Dilson Herrera and LHP Max Wotell.
- The Blue Jays acquired RHP Scott Feldman from the Astros for Minor League RHP Lupe Chavez.
- The Dodgers acquired RHP Jesse Chavez and cash considerations from the Blue Jays for RHP Mike Bolsinger.
- The Rangers acquired Carlos Beltran and cash considerations from the Yankees for RHP Dillon Tate, RHP Nick Green and RHP Erik Swanson.
- The Giants acquired LHP Will Smith from the Brewers for RHP prospect Phil Bickford and C Andrew Susac.
- The Indians acquired OF Brandon Guyer from the Rays for OF Nathan Lukes and RHP Jhonleider Salinas.
- The Athletics acquired RHP Grant Holmes, RHP Frankie Montas and RHP Jharel Cotton from Dodgers for LHP Rich Hill and OF Josh Reddick.
- The Padres reacquired RHP Colin Rea, currently on 15-day DL with right elbow sprain, from the Marlins for RHP Luis Castillo as part of July 29 trade.
- The Red Sox acquires LHP Fernando Abad from the Twins for RHP Pat Light.
News and Notes
• Willson Contreras called and caught the first complete game shutout of his career Monday night. And according to ESPN Chicago, Contreras is building his case behind the plate.
• ESPN Chicago reported Joe Maddon must make most of Cubs’ new bullpen trifecta. “Maddon wasn’t aware Aroldis Chapman doesn’t necessarily like coming in for four outs,” according to Jesse Rogers. Comcast SportsNet reported Joe Maddon is figuring out how to deploy Aroldis Chapman.
• RHP Justin Grimm reported to Triple-A Iowa on Monday. Grimm pitched the ninth inning of the I-Cubs 13-0 blowout win over Omaha. Grimm struck out three (Iowa had 17 strikeouts Monday) and gave up a hit in his inning of work on 19 pitches, 11 for strikes.
• Addison Russell drove in 22 runs in July … the most RBI in a month by a Cubs’ shortstop since Ernie Banks had 24 RBI in August 1960.
• The Marlins had to send recently acquired and injured Colin Rea back to the Padres.
• According to FanGraphs, the Giants paid a steep price for Brewers’ reliever LHP Will Smith.
• The Cardinals will place SS Aledmys Diaz on the DL on Tuesday with a hairline fracture in his right thumb.
• RHP Trevor Cahill is scheduled to start Tuesday for Triple-A Iowa.
And last, but not least, the Rays asked for Javier Baez and two top minor league prospects for Matt Moore according to Bruce Levine.
This Day in Cubstory
2011 – Cubs hit six home runs in an 11-6 victory over the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Alfonso Soriano (2), Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, Marlon Byrd and Tyler Colvin hit the dingers.
2003 – Cubs signed free agent Rudy Seanez
2003 – Cubs released Lenny Harris
1988 – Brett Jackson, born
1982 – Cubs traded Bill Caudill and Jay Howell to the Yankees for Pat Tabler
1978 – Matt Guerrier, born
1955 – Ernie Banks hit his fourth grand slam of the season in a 12-4 victory over the Pirates at Wrigley Field
1950 – Andy Pafko hit three home runs and drove in five runs in the second game of a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. The Cubs lost both games, 11-1 and 8-6
1932 – Bill Veeck Sr. announced Charlie Grimm as the replacement for Rogers Hornsby. ‘Jolly Cholly’ led the Cubs to 20 wins in the next 25 games as the Cubs’ player-manager and to the National League pennant.
1911 – A Jimmy Archer homer in the bottom of the 10th and gave the Cubs a 1-0 victory over the Dodgers at West Side Grounds. King Cole pitched a two-hitter for the Cubs.