Chicago Cubs slugger Patrick Wisdom went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in Monday’s win over the Oakland Athletics.
Those were his seventh and eighth home runs of the season.
We already knew Wisdom had some impressive power, but the extent of his hot streak has raised eyebrows in the baseball universe.
He is even flirting with franchise records with his homer pace.
“Most HR in team’s 1st 15 games of season, Cubs history: 1958 Lee Walls: 9; 1954 Hank Sauer: 9; 2023 Patrick Wisdom: 8; 1925 Gabby Hartnett: 8,” MLB stats expert Sarah Langs tweeted.
most HR in team’s 1st 15 games of season, Cubs history:
1958 Lee Walls: 9
1954 Hank Sauer: 9
2023 Patrick Wisdom: 8
1925 Gabby Hartnett: 8— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 18, 2023
Not even Sammy Sosa had a more torrid power streak in a season’s first 15 games than Wisdom.
What he is doing is nothing short of amazing.
He already hit 28 home runs in 375 plate appearances in 2021, but that came with a 40.8 percent strikeout rate.
Then, last year, he had 25 more bombs, with a 34.3 percent strikeout rate in 534 trips to the plate.
That’s sizable improvement right there.
In the early going of the 2023 campaign, the infielder is slashing an impressive .288/.351/.788 with the eight homers in 57 plate appearances.
His strikeout rate this year?
31.6 percent!
He still strikes out a lot but has managed to trim his rate to more manageable levels while maintaining his power.
The challenge, for him, is whether he can keep his strikeout rate around 30 for a whole season.
If he can, he will be a mainstay in the Cubs lineup.
Even if he can’t, he should be a valuable contributor to the team like he has been in the past two years.
NEXT:
Cubs Star Has Been Swinging A Hot Bat
