CHICAGO — The timing could not have been better for the Chicago Cubs to once again find their mojo this weekend against the Colorado Rockies.
With the sweep of the Rockies over the weekend, Chicago not only ensured it would stay in possession of a National League Wild Card spot heading into Tuesday's series opener in Atlanta against the Braves, but also shook off some recent doldrums. Prior to the sweep, Chicago had not won a series since sweeping the San Francisco Giants from September 4-6.
Those troubles prompted manager David Ross to take his team to task publicly after Thursday's home loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs responded to those comments with some of their best overall baseball in recent days.
Chicago Cubs: David Ross getting contributions from young players
Among the key contributors for Chicago in the weekend sweep were young players such as Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jordan Wicks and Javier Assad, all of whom will likely be counted on not only for the Cubs to grab a postseason spot, but also push the Cubs into what the franchise hopes will be a deep postseason run.
What the Cubs are building now in an effort to get to the postseason is laying the foundation for the future, Ross said.
"Probably some of the favorite parts of the year is watching us grow as a team and be able to insert young players who have been on the radar for a little bit and help us," Ross said. "I think this winning environment and being on this playoff push here down the stretch is going to really carry over and create this long-term expectation here, not just from the guys who are in that locker room, but also the young men coming up."
Chicago Cubs: Patrick Wisdom contributing when he can
Much like he did when he first arrived with the Cubs in 2021, Wisdom is serving in a variety of roles for Ross, mostly coming off the bench and being a role player. The change hasn't impacted Wisdom's work habits (for which he gets praise from not only teammates but Ross as well) or his numbers as Wisdom now has three consecutive seasons with 20 or more home runs.
Wisdom had only four at-bats in the previous five games of the homestand before getting the start at third base on Sunday. He rewarded Ross for that choice, hitting a two-run blast in the bottom of the sixth that gave the Cubs the lead they would never relinquish.
"I just had to go all in," Wisdom said of his current role with the team. "I couldn't be questioning it. I just had to accept it and keep going. I had to trust in my abilities that when my name is called, I'm ready."
Wisdom was certainly ready on Sunday when the Cubs needed him to come through with one out in the sixth inning.
Chicago Cubs: Marcus Stroman wants to stay in the rotation
Stroman was a surprise starter on Saturday, with Ross catching reporters off guard at the end of his Friday conference by announcing Stroman would start as he left the podium.
The 32-year-old right-hander went just 3.0 innings against Colorado, allowing five hits and three runs as part of his 64-pitch outing. While it was the first start for Stroman since July 31 and followed a couple of relief appearances after he returned from battling hip inflammation, Stroman insisted he would be a part of the rotation moving forward.
"I think anyone who has pitched as a starter for as long as I have, you develop a routine," Stroman said. "Anything else becomes hard to prepare for. I still wasn't necessarily on a routine going into the start (against Colorado), but going into my next start, I will be."
Stroman could well get the start on Thursday in the series finale in Atlanta, and it's something that Stroman says he is already preparing to do.
"It became difficult to get hot and cold and hot and cold in the bullpen," Stroman said. "I feel like the best decision from the top down was just to go out there and start."
