Yes, it's only been one game so far, but on Opening Night, the Chicago Cubs illustrated exactly why fans are so excited for this season, firing on all cylinders and defeating the Angels 9-0.
First, consider the fact that Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, and Addison Russell combined to go 0-for-10 with five stikeouts, and the offense still posted NINE runs. In fact, even without a hit, Bryant walked twice, scored twice, and drove in a run.
More importantly, this lineup is so strong, particularly when using the DH in an American League park, that Miguel Montero hits EIGHTH. It's not a surprise that he was the offensive hero in the opener, hitting a home run and driving in three runs. Montero is more of a cleanup hitter than anything else, with more than 1,000 career at-bats hitting fourth in the lineup, more than any other lineup position. Having him at the bottom of the order is just another strength of this Cubs team.
And just yesterday I mentioned that I hoped Matt Szczur would get a chance to contribute before Javier Baez returns from the DL, and of course Szczur knocked in three runs on his only at-bat in the opener.
The Cubs scored nine runs against a good team on a night when one run would've been enough, thanks to Jake Arrieta's dominance. This lineup is intimidating, to say the least. Obviously, teams will beat the Cubs this year. But it won't be easy.
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