As the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
That couldn’t be more true for the Chicago Cubs, who started the 2024 season the same way they ended the 2023 season: with a heartbreaking loss. At least the Opening Day heartbreaker was a 4-3 loss to the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers. The fact that the Cubs were able to keep the game close and force it into extra innings was surprising since many didn’t give them a chance in this game.
After opening day, plenty was learned and confirmed about what the 2024 Cubs can be. Here are three of the major takeaways.
Third basemen Christopher Moral started off the season making great contact with the ball. His first at-bat of the season was a triple that became the Cubs’ first run of the season when Dansby Swanson hit a sacrifice fly to bring him in. In Morel’s next plate appearance, he reached base after hitting a single.
Morel’s other three at-bats ended in a ground out, strike out, and a fly out. While it’s not ideal for hitters not to reach base, Morel at least made contact and put the ball in play in four of his first five plate appearances. The consistent contact he made at the plate against the Rangers seems to have carried over from the end of last season. Morel’s consistent contact should help the Cubs’ offense find more success early in the season.
2. Amazing Infield Play
The Cubs infield consists of two 2023 Gold Glovers in shortstop Dansby Swanson and second basemen Nico Hoerner. So it should be no surprise when great defense happens in the Cubs’ infield. Yet, two amazing plays were made in the season opener that left people’s jaws dropped.
Hoerner made an outstanding diving stop on a Corey Seager ground ball with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
NICO SAVES US A COUPLE RUNS!
WHAT A PLAY!
1-1 after 5 😎 pic.twitter.com/6I3kG1EP8A
— Just Another Year Chicago: Cubs (@JAYChiCubs) March 29, 2024
Without Horner patrolling the space between first and second, Segar would have likely gotten at least a single and driven in a run with that hit. If that had happened, all the momentum would have shifted to the Rangers, especially after losing starting pitcher Justin Steele earlier in the inning. Thankfully Hoerner was there to make the play and keep momentum even.
An inning after Horner’s great play, Swanson made an incredible leaping catch.
While this play may look routine, it isn’t. If you watch Swanson closely, you’ll see how he has to switch his feet in mid-air so he can land correctly and make the catch. Not every shortstop is able to do that, and that’s why when the Cubs added Swanson it was considered a great move.
These are just the first of many highlights the Cubs infield will produce this season.
3. Bullpen Might Still Be An Issue
Heading into this season, the Cubs bullpen was the area that needed to improve the most from last season. In 2023, the Cubs’ bullpen cost them games, especially in the final month of the season. However, they didn’t add many arms in the bullpen through free agency, which shows they believe in the guys on the team.
All the belief the Cubs might have had in their bullpen going into the season could already be gone after their poor performance on opening day. The Cubs had to use six relievers across five innings since Justin Steele left the game with a hamstring injury after 4 2/3 innings. The six relievers combined to give up three runs, five hits, two home runs, and five walks. An outing like that is definitely worrying for a Cubs bullpen that wanted to start their season strong after last year’s terrible finish.
If the bullpen doesn’t improve fast then the Cubs will end up missing the playoffs like they did last season.
