Closing out video games is a matter the Chicago Cubs want to repair going into their 2023 season.
Whereas final season noticed the staff having a tricky time sustaining leads, this season will be completely different.
They spent some cash to enhance their defensive alignment, which ought to assist the pitching rotation.
Nonetheless, the staff nonetheless wants a more in-depth to assist the Cubs preserve the leads they’re anticipating to have in 2023.
However who can the staff look to as their closing pitcher in 2023?
Followers have been hoping the staff will get one of many free agent closers that had been left in the marketplace.
Whereas there may be expertise nonetheless in the marketplace, the Cubs would possibly have already got their nearer within the bullpen.
This pitcher who would possibly work nicely as a more in-depth is Adbert Alzolay.
Nonetheless, followers would possibly disagree based mostly on his profession numbers as a pitcher.
Whereas his general numbers aren’t nice, his numbers as a reliever inform a unique story.
Alzolay started as a beginning pitcher for the Cubs in 2019, one thing which didn’t work out nicely.
Nonetheless, when the Cubs put him within the bullpen in 2021, he was a star.
Adbert Alzolay was an efficient weapon out of the Cubs bullpen final season: pic.twitter.com/yq3vPOSTfx
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) September 21, 2022
In eight video games as a reliever in 2021, he held a 1.40 ERA over 19.1 innings.
In 2022, his six appearances noticed him pitching 13.1 innings whereas having a 3.38 ERA and 0.83 WHIP.
Whereas the ERA wasn’t good, his WHIP was spectacular.
One other spectacular stat is how he held opponents to a .184 batting common in 2022.
Nonetheless, he must cease permitting the house run ball.
With 60% of his ERA from 2022 coming from runs scored on residence runs, it’s his solely downfall.
If he fixes this, he is usually a nice nearer in 2023.