2024 Cubs

[Butcher]

Yeah, I'm with you, Sheps. Out of curiosity, I wondered if strikeouts had a lot to do with the calculations. Shota's strikeout numbers are respectable -- he's basically averaging a strikeout an inning. After yesterday's start, his WAR is 3.2. Chris Sale's WAR is 6.4 and he leads the NL in strikeouts. So maybe it factors in defense-independent outs recorded? Cease, who strikes out a lot of batters, too, is at 4.2 WAR. I don't know. But, to me, Shota has been our most valuable player. Far more valuable than Hoerner. Maybe WAR isn't the best measurement for pitchers?

Totally agree, and that makes a lot of sense re: Ks, that might explain part of it, since Ks are independent of defense. But one other way to put it... Hendricks is essentially a zero WAR on FanGraphs. (Interestingly, Baseball Reference says -1.8.) But according to fWAR, if we cloned Kyle this season and Kyle2 made all TWENTY NINE of Shota's starts, the Cubs would have 76 wins instead of 79. There's no way.

Yeah, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.