Another Big-Game Performance from Cubs Rookie

Jordan Wicks had a dazzling MLB debut last week, striking out nine and retiring 15 batters in a row against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. The 2021 first-round pick made his second start for the Chicago Cubs in game one of their Friday doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds and he once again set a positive tone on the mound. Wicks allowed one run in five innings and earned his second win in the majors, as the Cubs defeated the Reds 6-2.

Cincinnati is now four games back of the Cubs in the standings.

The Reds didn't make it easy on Wicks, who did walk three batters and allowed five hits in his five innings of work at the Great American Ballpark, but the lefty remained composed and limited the damage throughout his outing. More importantly, Wicks simply did not give up any big hits, surrendering just five singles.

I know his debut against the Pirates was great, but Friday's start was even better from my perspective. Early in the season, there were a few occasions when Wicks would walk a batter or two or there was an error made behind him that would eventually snowball into a big inning.

There were a few times against the Reds when things weren't going smoothly, he was falling behind hitters and they just weren't chasing his change up. However, Wicks didn't cave under the pressure and kept the Cubs in the game without imploding on the mound.

Wicks only finished with three strikeouts, but two of them came with runners in scoring position and two outs.

After Drew Smyly allowed 19 earned runs in his previous three starts, Wicks has come up from Triple-A to take over the rotation spot and has surrendered a total of two runs in 10 innings on 7 hits and 4 walks, while striking out 12 batters.

Back in spring training, I kept lauding the Cubs pitching depth up and down their organization. It hasn't looked pretty in the second half, but Wicks was one of the prospects who was seen as an option to come up and help at the of the season. On his 24th birthday, Wicks proved that he can be much more than just a depth option with the Cubs, coming up big against a division rival in a difficult park to pitch in.

In his second MLB start, Wicks threw 90 pitches, the most he's thrown in any game since he was drafted.

The Cubs will have veteran pitcher Shane Greene start the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Reds. Greene, 34, is most known for his days as an All-Star reliever with the Detroit Tigers, but after a successful showing in Triple-A, Greene will make his first start in the majors since 2016.