Chicago Cubs character shines through bad luck run of pitching injuries

This Chicago Cubs team is a talented bunch and there’s a lot of depth and versatility throughout the 26-man roster, but the defining feature of this team seems to be pretty clear at this point—character.

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Offseason predictions had the Cubs as almost a unanimous picks to win the NL Central Division, with some even buzzing about World Series possibilities. On paper, those expectations seemed pretty justifiable as the team was packed with quality positions players and deep pitching depth, especially in the rotation.

But when the season actually started, hope fizzled a bit as the team looked flat and the pitching staff suffered through an unbelievable run of injury and misfortune.

Bad luck hasn’t beaten the Cubs

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Over the course of about three weeks, the Cubs lost emerging ace Cade Horton to an elbow injury that required season-ending surgery. Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd went on the IL with a left biceps strain. Then there was Phil Maton (right knee tendonitis), Hunter Harvey (right triceps inflammation), Ethan Roberts (finger laceration), and Daniel Palencia (lat strain). Down in Iowa, reliever Porter Hodge was lost for the season after UCL surgery and even top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins was put on the IL with right elbow inflammation.

Now, lefty bullpen asset Caleb Thielbar may possibly join the list of shelved Cubs pitchers as he suffered what appeared to be a hamstring strain in the ninth inning of yesterday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Through it all, though, the Cubs keep winning.

They’ve now won nine in a row despite the seemingly non-stop loss of quality pitching, moving from last place in the division to a tie for first.

And you can probably chalk much of this win-despite-everything energy to team character.

Character matters

“This is the best team that I’ve been a part of,” pitcher (and new Cub) Edward Cabrera told media via translator in the post-game press conference. “Everyone is on the same page—the pitching, the hitters, everybody—just everybody’s on the same page…I haven’t been on a team like this before.”

“Unbelievable team win today, just being able to continue to battle against them coming back…Just a great team win…a special moment,” shortstop Dansby Swanson told Marquee Sports Network in the moments right after his walk-off tenth-inning hit that gave Chicago an 8-7 victory. “It’s a special group and fun to be a part of…We have so much belief in whoever comes in, doesn’t matter who it is, how long they’ve been here. We got a group full of professionals, a group full of guys that care, who compete…We’re just gonna keep going.”

This team character didn’t come along by happenstance, either. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and the front office seem to focus as much on intangibles as ability when it comes to roster construction. The addition of the well-regarded clubhouse-friendly free agent Alex Bregman was an indication of how much the team values having good guys who are also good players.

Nobody knows for sure what’s in store for the Cubs the rest of the way, but the team, given its depth of character and professionalism, won’t be easy to keep down.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-character-bregman-cabrera-swnanson-hoyer-pitching-injuries/