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This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CHICAGO — The goal for the Cubs coming out of two years of rebuilding was to field a team that could compete for a spot on the October stage. The ballclub accomplished that objective, but the team’s dramatic slide down the standings in September was a frustrating conclusion.
“I don’t think that we want to start calling seasons we don’t make the playoffs good seasons,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said on the regular season’s final day. “I think that’s a consolation prize and we don’t play for consolation prizes.
“That said, there were some great moments, some great performances. There was a lot of excitement and the organizational health is as strong as it’s been in a long, long time. So, with all the disappointment that we have, there’s a lot of optimism as well.”
On July 28, Cubs center fielder Mike Tauchman reached over the wall at Busch Stadium to pull back a would-be homer off the bat of Alec Burleson. Instead of a walk-off blast, it was a walk-off catch, sealing a seventh straight win for the Cubs and pushing the club over the .500 (52-51) mark.
It was not only one of the plays of the year for the Cubs, but it was a moment that helped convince the front office to shift into buy mode at the Trade Deadline a few days later. That was the desired outcome for the players, who wanted the chance to push for the playoffs rather than dealing with a selloff for a third year in a row.
The Cubs and their fans learned that a season that was undoubtedly a step forward in the big picture can still carry a devastating sting of missed opportunity. This was a playoff-caliber roster that faded badly over the final three weeks (7-15 after Sept. 6), leaving a sour taste that made it hard to focus on the positives. The task now is to use ‘23 as a true springboard to a sustained run of contention in the coming seasons.
Lefty Justin Steele emerged as an ace-level pitcher for the Cubs’ rotation. Over 30 starts, the 28-year-old Steele went 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA, 176 strikeouts and 36 walks in 173 1/3 innings. He made his first All-Star team and should earn some support in National League Cy Young Award voting. Looking ahead, Steele’s progress gives the Cubs an arm to build around as they plot out plans for the rotation in ‘24 and beyond.
Injuries hindered the bullpen at key times — most notably in September — but that also exposed a lack of depth behind the main group of trusted relievers. The Cubs hoped to have the farm system feeding capable options to the MLB corps throughout the summer, but that did not pan out nearly as well as planned. The front office needs to examine what went wrong and strengthen the depth for ‘24. That said, Adbert Alzolay’s emergence as the Cubs’ closer was one of the stories of the year.
Christopher Morel’s energetic personality has made him an instant favorite for Cubs fans. The 24-year-old’s tape-measure homers and wild celebrations have helped, too. Morel provided one of the moments of the season on Aug. 16, when he launched a walk-off blast against the White Sox, ripping his jersey off as he bounded around the bases. Morel hit 26 homers overall (one every 14.9 at-bats), while often serving as the designated hitter. The next step is to continue to improve his plate discipline, and to shore up his defense to become a more reliable and trusted option.
Cody Bellinger provided a legit middle-of-the-order threat for the Cubs, while moving between center field and first base throughout the season. A midseason knee setback cost him some time, but Bellinger looked rejuvenated in Chicago otherwise, hitting .307 with 26 homers, 29 doubles, 97 RBIs, 95 runs scored and 20 steals. He did all that while on a one-year deal (worth $17.5 million guaranteed), setting Bellinger up for what will be an intriguing free-agent case this offseason.