Kris Bryant has been a saving grace for the Cubs this season. The 2016 NL MVP is batting .298/.406/.571 with 10 home runs and 22 RBI. The lack of production from the rest of the lineup is troubling. At what point do the Cubs have serious discussions about optioning Kyle Schwarber? The left fielder is now batting .186 and has 51 strikeouts in 156 at-bats.
While the offense has been a problem for the Cubs, the bullpen has not. Wade Davis was the last pitcher in baseball with a 0.00 ERA on the year. Davis has allowed only six hits in 17.1 innings and has 22 strikeouts. Carl Edwards has been just as good and has also allowed only six hits. Edwards has 24 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.
The big offseason signing for the Indians, Edwin Encarnacion, is finally beginning to show signs of life. The first baseman/DH delivered his first multi-homer game for the Tribe on Tuesday and is slugging .815 over his past seven games.
That grin is the real deal!@Encadwin is feeling "better every single day that's going by, thank God!" #RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/0iiCRYLiKu
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) May 24, 2017
When we think about MLB stars, we think of them as perfectly-programmed baseball robots. In reality, they are human beings who deal with the same difficulties that come with starting a new job and moving to a new city. Throw on the added pressure of a new $60-million contract, and you have all the ingredients for a prolonged slump to start the year. Encarnacion’s swing still looks good when he drives the ball, and the numbers will continue their upward trend.