Cubs have a big 3.5 fWAR pitching problem that could sink postseason chances

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the more fun teams in Major League Baseball at times this season, as they've completely put their agonizing losing streak behind them and look like legitimate postseason contenders.

But that doesn't mean they're perfect. In fact, they have a massive problem that could wind up sinking them come the MLB postseason this October.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report highlighted how the Cubs' pitching staff has 3.5 fWAR this season, which is 28th in baseball, and could be the thing that keeps this elite offense and defense from making a deep postseason run.

Cubs have a major pitching problem amid 3.5 fWAR stat

"Chicago Cubs (72-53): 27.5 fWAR on offense (best in MLB); 3.5 fWAR among pitchers (28th in MLB)," Miller writes.

This is a massive difference for the Cubs, as their offensive production is the best in baseball, while their pitching is the third-worst in the league.

To put that 3.5 fWAR figure into perspective, Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune noted that Pete Crow-Armstrong posted 0.5 fWAR in his Monday night game against the Chicago White Sox on August 17.

In one game, PCA had one-seventh of the value that the Cubs' entire pitching staff has put together this season. That's how bad the Cubs' pitchers have been this season.

They did add Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, and Ryan Zeferjahn at the MLB trade deadline in hopes of getting some better production from the rotation and bullpen.

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But the overall pitching staff just hasn't been good enough. Ben Brown has 2.0 fWAR, Shota Imanaga has 1.4 fWAR, but that's it for players with a positive 1.0 or better fWAR this season for the Cubs.

Jameson Taillon, whom the Cubs traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, posted -1.1 fWAR, while Caleb Thielbar is at -0.5, Phil Maton has -0.4, and Drew Pomeranz and Javier Assad are at -0.3.

Hunter Harvey, Zeferjahn, Ethan Roberts, and Corbin Martin all have -0.2 fWAR for the Cubs so far, while Jayden Murray, Gavin Hollowell, Bryse Wilson, Trent Thornton, Luke Little, and Hoby Milner are all at -0.1 fWAR.

It's been a rough year for the Cubs pitching staff, and if there were to be one thing that holds this team back from a deep postseason run, it's going to be their pitchers.

They could turn things around come October, but for now, it's going to be hard not to have some major concerns about the rotation until they prove Cubs fans should believe otherwise.

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