Three up, three down: An update on the Cubs, September 12 edition

We’ve got three and a half weeks left to 2022’s baseball season.

Three up

Zach McKinstry’s numbers are so weird

McKinstry is 18-for-88 as a Cub in 28 games (24 starts). Of those 18 hits, 11 have come in four multi-hit games and he’s gone hitless in 16 of the 28 games. He’s also struck out 25 times as a Cub.

Now you tell me how that makes any sense at all. His four-hit game Sunday was good, though, and a career high. Here are those four hits [VIDEO].

Seiya Suzuki has started to hit for power

Since the last update here, Suzuki is just 6-for-23 (.261), but three of those six hits were home runs for a .696 slugging percentage over the last week. One of those home runs, the one Sunday against the Giants, went a long, long way:

Suzuki has 13 home runs in 361 at-bats. This suggests that if he’s healthy and has 550 at-bats in 2023, he could hit 20 or more. I look for big things from Suzuki for next year.

A tip o’ the cap to Drew Smyly

Smyly’s seven one-hit innings Friday against the Giants might have been his best outing of the year.

In seven starts since August 1: 2.29 ERA, 0.992 WHIP in 39⅓ innings with 39 strikeouts and a .194 opponents BA.

Three down

Christopher Morel is having a rough go of things

Morel has gone 3-for-12 (.250) since the last update here, but what’s worrisome are his numbers since the second game of the doubleheader August 23: .146/.222/.268 (6-for-41) with 18 strikeouts. The grind of the long season might be getting to him; he clearly has talent, and here’s hoping for better things in 2023.

David Bote’s time with the Cubs could be coming to an end

Since his return from the injured list: 2-for-13 with eight strikeouts. He’s played a reasonably good third base, but just hasn’t hit at all. He doesn’t seem to have a place on the 2023 Cubs, and the only possible save here might be if the team can trade him.

Erich Uelmen is out of David Ross’ circle of trust

Uelmen started his MLB career well, but over his last four appearances: eight hits, eight runs, two home runs, 27.00 ERA in 2⅔ innings. He didn’t pitch at all in the Giants series. I think Uelmen has talent, but he’ll have to do better than this to be in the mix for the 2023 bullpen.