Who needs a DH? Cubs pitchers make noise with bats, too

ST. LOUIS – When Jon Lester said during spring training that the Cubs lineup seemed like an American League lineup, he didn’t mean he expected the Cubs’ pitchers to go toe-to-toe with most of the American League’s designated hitters.

Probably.

But two weeks into the season, that’s exactly how it has played out. Cub pitchers have been significant forces in the lineup, including the starters driving in more runs than they allowed in victories over the Cardinals both Monday and Tuesday nights (and three of six starts through Tuesday).

“You take a little pride in it,” said Jason Hammel, who drove in both Cub runs in Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory and drove in another his previous start, to go with six scoreless innings. “We can help ourselves out.”

Cubs pitchers lead major league staffs with seven RBIs – more than twice as many as the next staff.

Every starter on the staff has at least one hit; three have at least two RBIs; and over their last two full turns through the rotation, through Tuesday, that group was 7-for-24 (.292) with two walks, two doubles and a homer.

“They’ve picked it up a lot,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You can’t necessarily expect that to continue – although, I’m telling you, technically, we’ve got some guys that have good swings. If you watch them all, you break them all down, they go up to the plate and do things right.”

Who needs a DH?

Through Tuesday, Arrieta (one) had out-homered Detroit’s DH’s by himself. Hammel had as many RBIs (three) as Houston’s and Tampa Bay’s DH’s combined. And the staff’s RBI total matched or exceeded the DH totals of nine AL teams.

“I just think we have fun with it,” Hammel said.

Assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske works some with the staff, but the majority of the work is batting practice against pitching coach Chris Bosio’s steady diet of low-to-mid-velocity cutters.

“We don’t necessarily work on it more. I’m sure other staffs are hitting just as much as us,” Hammel said. “But we do hit in there for a while. It’s not like it’s taking one round and get out of there.”

Notes: Javy Baez said he was fine the morning after being hit on the wrist by a pitch that clipped the knob of his bat first. He started at shortstop. … When Kyle Hendricks was replaced Wednesday with one out and two on in the sixth inning, it ended the Cubs’ season-opening streak of 14 consecutive games in which the starter pitched at least six innings. The last time the Cubs did that was 1910. … When the Cubs successfully had a play at first reviewed in the second inning – resulting in an inning-ending double play – they improved to 3-for-4 on replay challenges this season. … The first time through the batting order Cardinals hitters were 5-for-9 with two doubles, a homer and four runs against Hendricks. The next 12 batters: 1-for-11 with a single and walk.