Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
How many people thought that Scott Feldman would be the best pitcher on the Chicago Cubs‘ pitching rotation at the beginning of the season? Probably not many.
During his past two starts, Feldman has gained a lot of attention for his impressive pitching thanks to his first complete game against the San Diego Padres and seven scoreless innings against his former team, the Texas Rangers.
Feldman proved on Monday night against the Rangers that he’s not just good at pitching, but he knows how to swing the bat as well, adding an RBI single to the Cubs’ lead. Who says pitchers can’t hit?
Where did this guy come from and how can the Cubs keep him pitching like this? I don’t know, but whatever he’s doing is certainly working.
Cubs’ catcher Wellington Castillo praised the pitcher after Monday night’s outing, telling MLB.com, “He was commanding every pitch … He executed the pitches and he got out of the innings. He made the pitches when he needed to make them.”
Granted, Feldman has only had two starts that have stuck out since the beginning of the season, but does that mean we should get our hopes up about him? It couldn’t hurt. Look at two of the other starting pitchers that were supposed to be promising for the Cubs: Jeff Samardzija and Edwin Jackson.
Samardzija, the ace of the rotation, has had some decent games, but has had trouble securing a win for his team lately. And Jackson, the former Washington Nationals pitcher that was supposed to be filled with promise, is still looking for his first win as a Cub.
Things don’t always turn out the way we expect. Maybe Feldman will be the team’s pitcher to guarantee a win. Maybe he can bring some much-needed help to this miserable Cubs’ pitching staff.
