Keep stacking. One after another, the Cubs have been able to keep stacking wins. 10 straight home wins now. This is getting into some pretty rare air. I feel like a broken record. This is not an all-time great Cub team. But somehow, some way they just keep on winning. If anything, that’s the best time to get hot and go on a tear. Baseball seasons are long. Somewhere along the way, the struggles will come. Just keep stacking while things are good.
On Saturday afternoon, two men largely led the Cubs
to victory. This will be one of the easiest three positives of all time. The offense generally sputtered. But, Ian Happ had two big hits and scored both of the Cub runs. Shōta Imanaga had one of his best starts as a Cub. Ben Brown shut it down. Game and Set.
It’s a fun triumvirate of Cub stars. Ian Happ is a guy who a lot of Cubs fans have wanted to move on from. Shōta Imanaga is a guy some Cub fans wish hadn’t re-signed. Ben Brown is a guy a lot of Cub fans had written off or given up on. This is not a group of guys Cub fans have historically thought a whole lot of positive thoughts of. So far, Imanaga has arguably been the Cubs’ best (or second best) starter. Brown has been the most consistent reliever. And Ian Happ is hitting for power and producing a ton of runs.
This is a fun thing about baseball. We have so much analytical information. So much data. But data and analytics still isn’t everything. Those three guys. they are still growing and learning and busting their butts trying to be better. Happ looks like he could have his best season in terms of homers and overall slugging percentage. The only season he slugged higher than the .517 he has right now was 2019 when he had only 156 plate appearances for the big league team.
Imanaga has a FIP almost a point better than his first with the Cubs (2.73 vs. 3.72). His strikeouts are up and his homers are down. It’s very early, but so many of his numbers are improved. His left on base percentage is 79.7 percent for his career but down to just 74.7 for the season and still, his overall numbers are the best that they have been.
Ben Brown is perhaps the most interesting one. His strikeouts per nine is actually at his lowest point. But his walks are steady, his homers allowed are improved, his batting average on balls in play is improved, his left on base is improved, his ground ball rate is improved and all of that has led to a much improved ERA. That follows through to his FIP and xFIP. This looks like a talented pitcher finally arriving.
It’s only 33 games. But it feels like everything has come together. So far anyway. Look, I don’t think this team is headed for 105 wins or whatever. But we have two choices. Wait for the bottom to drop out… or just enjoy the ride. I’m here to enjoy the ride. Win, lose or bust. Join me.
Three Positives:
- Who doesn’t love seven shutout innings? A real throwback start. Four hits, one walk and five strikeouts. He had some help from the defense, but you gotta love seven scoreless on 87 pitches. Shōta Imanaga.
- Ian Happ had basically a perfect day at the plate. Double, triple, homer, walk, scored both runs. The Diamondbacks had no answer for him and lost another one as a result.
- And the icing on this cake was six up and six down for Ben Brown. He only struck out one, but he was getting grounders, why change anything? Especially with elite defense behind him.
Game 33, May 2: Cubs 2, Diamondbacks 0 (21-12)
WPA GRAPH
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
- Superhero: Shōta Imanaga (.458). 7 IP, 26 BF, 4 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 5 K (W 3-2)
- 4th largest WPA game score by a Cub so far this season
- Hero: Ian Happ (.208). 3-3, HR, 3B, 2B, BB, RBI, R
- Sidekick: Ben Brown (.190). 2 IP, 6 BF, K (Sv 1)
THREE GOATS:
- Billy Goat: Alex Bregman (-.114). 0-4
- Goat: Moisés Ballesteros (-.091). 0-4
- Kid: Seiya Suzuki (-.091). 0-3, SF, RBI
WPA Play of the Game: Ian Happ homered leading off the second for the only run it turns out the Cubs needed. (.109)
*Diamondbacks Play of the Game: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled with one out in the seventh, the Cubs up one. (.081)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 32 Winner: Michael Busch received 95 of 170 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 3/Bottom 3)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
- Nico Hoerner +9.5
- Michael Conforto/Shōta Imanaga +7
- Pete Crow-Armstrong -8
- Matt Shaw -9
- Seiya Suzuki -10
Current Win Pace: 103
Up Next: The third and final game with the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Sunday. A duel of two formerly successful starting pitchers who have had a rough start to 2026. Matthew Boyd (1-1, 7.00, 18 IP) will make his fifth start of 2026. Boyd was so good at Wrigley in 2025. Last time out, he allowed five runs in four innings in San Diego. Merrill Kelly (1-2, 9.20, 14.2 IP) will make his fourth start of the year for the Diamondbacks. Last time out, he allowed five runs in five innings against the Brewers in Milwaukee. He had an earlier start where he allowed eight runs in just 4.1 IP against the White Sox.
Find a sweep and keep it rolling.
Go Cubs.
