The Chicago Cubs are dominating their crosstown rivals, the White Sox, in every way imaginable. On Friday, their offense erupted in a 13–3 blowout, highlighted by a six-RBI performance from Pete Crow-Armstrong. Just a day later, they showcased a completely different approach by overwhelming the White Sox with a combination of patience and speed, recording walks and stolen bases at a level not seen by the franchise since 1911.
Cubs make history with BB-SB masterclass last seen in 1911
On Saturday afternoon, the Cubs drew an impressive 11 base on balls in their contest against the White Sox while also stealing six bases. According to Stathead, the last time the franchise did this was June 13, 1911 when they stole eight bases and drew 11 walks.
Which Cubs players contributed to the 11 BB and 6 SB?
Contributing to the feat the Cubs hadn’t accomplished in over a century was:
- Kyle Tucker – three BB and two SB
- Dansby Swanson – two BB and two SB
- Nico Hoerner – two BB and one SB
- Pete Crow-Armstrong – one SB
- Michael Busch – one BB
- Moises Ballesteros one BB
- Justin Turner – one BB
- Miguel Amaya – one BB
Patience and speed has been as strength of the Cubs all year
Fueling Chicago’s offensive approach this year has been disciplined at-bats, frequent walks, and aggressive base running that consistently puts pressure on opposing defenses. As of Saturday, May 17, the Cubs 57 stolen bases on the year are the second most in the league and their 181 walks are also the second most.
So far, the team has bought into this combination of patience and speed and turned it into a winning formula. It’s proved to wear down opposing pitchers while creating constant scoring opportunities. Chicago has capitalized on a lot of these situations, evidenced by taking the league lead in runs scored at 264.
