After the Chicago Cubs won a team Gold Glove Award last season, a look at 4 reasons why their defense still is working to get back to elite form

Coming off a team Gold Glove Award last season, it isn’t unreasonable to expect the Chicago Cubs to again feature another strong defensive unit.

The Cubs returned almost their entire starting lineup, with the addition of outfielder Joc Pederson as the most notable change. Yet their defense hasn’t been the stalwart it was in 2020. Traditional statistics don’t rate the Cubs too unfavorably. Their .985 fielding percentage is tied with four teams for sixth-best in the majors, and their 20 errors are tied for 18th.

Advanced defensive metrics provide a harsher critique of the Cubs’ defensive performances six weeks into the season. Their minus-6 Defensive Runs Saved rank 25th while they also fall in the bottom third of the league in Ultimate Zone Rating (-3.8, 22nd), Revised Zone Rating (.792, 23rd) and Defense Runs Above Average (-4.8, t-24th). These statistics help build a more complete picture of the Cubs defense, thoughdefensive sabermetrics always come with the caveat regarding sample size.

Cubs manager David Ross expects the defense to get back to the level they were at last season.

“I still think we have a quality defensive group that we’re going to need to play quality defense with our starters and that group,” Ross said. “The guys are working really hard, and we’re definitely on top of that, trying to try to find a solution to be better.”

As the Cubs (17-19) try to get return to .500 this weekend in Detroit, it’s worth delving into a few factors Ross identified this week that he believes have affected the team’s defensive performance.

1. Injuries and lineup construction have forced players to move around.

Versatility has been an asset for Ross in constructing the lineup and working around injuries. Four players are on the injured list, with Nico Hoerner (left forearm strain) likely to be activated before Friday’s series opener against the Tigers. But that doesn’t include shortstop Javier Báez missing five games because of ailments or Kris Bryant sitting a game in Atlanta with a sore throwing elbow or missing most of the two games in Cleveland with sinus and breathing issues.

Ross has been forced to move players around. The Cubs have used 24 lineups, including their opening-day lineup only six times in 36 games. The last time occurred April 18 in Game 15 versus the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field. Bryant nearly predominately has played in the outfield over the last three weeks. Even Joc Pederson saw action in an old position, shifting to center field during their two games against the Indians when Bryant was sidelined.

Wednesday represented Pederson’s first start in center field since 2018 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I’m just having fun with it,” Pederson said. “I didn’t get to play a lot of center for about three, four years, but it’s definitely natural out there, so it’s all good.”

The flexibility Ross has in being able to play multiple players in different spots in the infield and outfield has its advantages in how he maximizes a lineup. It also can make it tough at times for defensive cohesion.

2. Javier Báez is not yet in top defensive form

Báez is a magician at shortstop. He can make the most challenging plays look routine.

But too often in the first six weeks of the season Báez’s defense has been off. Plays he typical makes result in errors. His nine errors already surpass last year’s total (eight) in 210⅔ fewer innings. His advanced defensive metrics are down, too, though those are more volatile in small sample sizes.

“He’s dealing with a lot of stuff, right?” Ross said. “It’s just now rearing its head for you guys, but there’s stuff that he’s been dealing with all year. That has just slowed him a little bit. I think he’ll get back to being the version of himself we’re used to. Hopefully the warmer weather will help out a little bit.”

A hamstring issue sidelined Báez for three games in late April, and he didn’t start in the two-game series in Cleveland because of lower-back tightness. Báez’s energy and skill at shortstop boost the entire defense, especially in the infield. As he goes, so often does the Cubs defense.

3. Long games result in more time on their feet defensively

Ideally, a pitcher is in a good rhythm, working at a steady pace that keeps the game moving aided by shutout innings and limiting the number of run-scoring opportunities for the opponent.

When that doesn’t happen, innings can become a slog. The Cubs have experienced that often this season, whether because of their offense putting up double-digit runs or their pitching not holding up. The Cubs’ average time of game is the second-longest in Major League Baseball at 3 hours, 19 minutes, trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers (3:21); the league average is 3:09.

Inconsistency from the rotation hasn’t helped the Cubs defense get off the field either. The rotation is averaging only 4.8 innings per start through 36 games. Only four teams are getting fewer innings from their starting pitchers. Relying on the bullpen means more pitching changes too. If the Cubs can get a better collective performance from the rotation, improved defensive results should follow.

4. Frequency of hard-hit balls creates tougher plays while poorly executed pitches expose defensive positioning

A rotation built around command and soft-contact-inducing pitchers can be a good formula, but part of that equation involves limiting the frequency of barreled balls.

It becomes tough on defenders when they routinely are trying to field rockets off the bat. The Cubs bullpen has done a good job of missing bats: Their 27.8% K% is second-best in baseball. And the rotation has started to trend in the right direction in generating softer contact, particularly in the last two starts for right-handers Kyle Hendricks and Zach Davies.

“You have to have the confidence in them that anytime you do have a hitter put the ball in play, the play is going to be made,” Davies said after Wednesday’s start. “I’m not a huge strikeout guy. There are times where I’m able to, but for the most part, I’m limiting hard contact. Hopefully that’s the most successful way for the defense to play.”

While the Cubs have seen better stuff from Hendricks and Davies recently, the defense has had to contend with a lot of hard-hit balls. Hitters’ 89.5-mph average exit velocity off Cubs starters is tied for eighth highest in the majors. It coincides with a 41.4% HardHit% (seventh) and 10% Barrel% (tied for second).

It’s asking a lot of a defense to consistently convert playable balls with high exit velocities. And when pitchers aren’t locating their stuff well, it can expose the defense if the ball is put in play where the Cubs aren’t anticipating.

“The harder they’re going to hit it, the more it’s going to ride,” Ross said. “It’s going to be harder to defend or the range is going to play a factor. ... Our defensive models are set up for our contact guys to execute pitches, which they were not that versions of themselves early on.”

• Sign up for alerts on your phone, desktop and inbox to stay current with the latest news

• Sign up for our sports newsletter, delivered daily each morning