The Chicago Cubs are coming off back-to-back losing season, but the team has made several moves in the offseason to turn that situation around.
While they bear little resemblance to the team that won the 2016 World Series, general manager Jed Hoyer has legitimate hope that the Cubs can become a winning team once again and make a legitimate run at a postseason berth.
Some of the moves the Cubs have made include signing Dansby Swanson, Trey Mancini, Cody Bellinger, Eric Hosmer, Tucker Barnhart and Jameson Taillon.
Hoyer is hoping all those moves can help the Cubs become a force in the National League Central Division. The Cubs are going to need to see improvement from Bellinger, Hosmer and pitcher Marcus Stroman if Chicago is going to play winning baseball in 2023.
Cody Bellinger, Centerfield
The Cubs signed Bellinger to a one-year, $17.5 million contract, and the move could turn out to be one of the best transactions of the offseason if Bellinger can bounce back to the form he had earlier in his career.
Bellinger was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the Most Valuable Player in 2019. He appeared to be a superstar who would patrol centerfield at Dodger Stadium for more than a decade because of his athletic ability and power.
But while Bellinger was on a sensational track for the first 3 years of his career, he has fallen dramatically in the following three seasons.
The Cubs are clearly hoping that a new start at Wrigley Field will allow Bellinger to regain his top form. Bellinger slashed .210/265/.389 with 19 home runs and 68 runs batted in last year. A look back at his MVP season shows that Bellinger is capable of dominating. He slashed .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs and 115 RBI.
Bellinger was hurt by nagging injuries in 2021 and a fractured fibula in 2022. He is healthy now, and seemingly happy to be with his new team.
However, he may have to make a serious adjustment to his approach at the plate. Nearly all hitting coaches want their hitters to be short and quick to the baseball, and that's a swing that former Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber exemplifies (now with the Phillies).
Bellinger is not short and quick to the ball. He has a tall upright stance and he crowds the plate. He has a long and powerful swing, and when he was at the peak of his athletic ability, he was able to get to most pitches without a problem.
Changing his approach so that he is quicker to the ball could be beneficial to his production.
Eric Hosmer, 1st Base
The San Diego Padres basically gave Hosmer to the Red Sox at the trade deadline, and the Red Sox did not want him.
Hosmer, 33, was a key part of the Kansas City Royals lineup when they won the World Series in 2015, and he has largely been a productive offensive player since then.
He is also a solid defensive first baseman, and that's a necessity for a Cubs team that wants to play improved defense in 2023.
Hosmer slashed .268/.334/.382 last year with 8 home runs and 44 RBI. That lack of power was a big reason that the Red Sox did not consider keeping him for the 2023 season, and that's where Hosmer is going to have to show improvement with the Cubs.
While Hosmer is not a young player, there is no reason that he can't approach 20 home runs and 80 RBI. If he can come close to those numbers, the Cubs will be happy they signed Hosmer as a free agent.
Marcus Stroman, Pitcher
Stroman signed a free-agent contract with the Cubs after the 2021 season, and his first season in Chicago was rather ordinary.
He started 25 games for the Cubs a year ago and had a 3.50 earned-run average in his 25 starts. He compiled a 6-7 record with 119 strikeouts in 138.2 innings.
The Cubs need Stroman to take a step forward and become the ace of their staff. Veteran Kyle Hendricks has been the leader of the Chicago pitching staff for years, but it may be hard for him to bounce back from a season that saw him have a 4.80 ERA in just 84.1 innings.
Other likely starters include Drew Smyly, Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele. If Stroman can take a step up, a winning record and contention for a playoff spot seem like a legitimate possibility.
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