Cubs: 3 scapegoats for disappointing season not named Jed Hoyer

Cubs GM Carter Hawkins

This was Carter Hawkins’ first offseason on the job as the GM of the Chicago Cubs and he had to deal with a lockout when he literally could not make any signings or trades.

But when the lockout ended in early March, Hawkins needed to sign more pitching.

Through the club’s first 88 games, they have actually been league average offensively (100 OPS+ among non-pitchers, which is 15th in baseball). Their pitchers, though, have been the exact opposite.

Their starting pitchers have an ERA of 4.85, which is 26th in the sport. He signed the aforementioned Marcus Stroman right before the lockout but he has been a disappointment and injured as well. He has a 4.91 ERA in 10 starts.

Their relievers have an ERA of 4.45, which is also 26th in the sport.

With 12 teams making the playoffs this year, they still could use some offensive upgrades but it is the pitching that has let the time down the most.

Shortly after Opening Day, he also traded reliever Jesse Chavez to Atlanta for Sean Newcomb. Newcomb was awful in the majors for the Cubs and they DFA’d him shortly thereafter. He hasn’t pitched well in Triple-A either.

Meanwhile, Chavez has been one of Atlanta’s best relievers. With them this year, he has a 2.41 ERA. The Cubs signed him to a modest one-year, $700,000 deal and got three appearances out of him and a pitcher that has a 5.54 ERA in Triple-A and a 16.62 ERA with the Cubs in the majors.