Wesneski Makes Admission About Early Season Struggles

Chicago Cubs starter Hayden Wesneski has struggled mightily to start the season. In four starts this season Wesneski has thrown 17.1 innings and given up 12 earned runs. His WHIP sits at an unsightly 1.673. 

This is not the version of Wesneski the Cubs hoped to receive when he broke camp as the team's fifth starter. 

So, what gives?

Admittedly, Wesneski has had some tough matchups, namely against the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those are two tough lineups, especially for a young pitcher trying to find himself in the MLB. 

But speaking with the Chicago Tribune, Wesneski admits it may be something mental that is holding him back. 

“Maybe I need to have better preparation going into a start and do something a little differently," said Wesneski. "Probably mentally I’m not ready to get going. There’s little things you can change. … I’m going to look into it a little bit more and see if we need to change anything and talk to (pitching coach) Tommy (Hottovy) about it.” 

Preparation is key, especially for starting pitchers who are religious about their routines, especially the day before and of a start. 

Perhaps any little tinker that can occur would go miles in Wesneski's performance. As of right now, he is a liability when he takes the mound. A fifth starter is supposed to give your team a chance to win the ball game. 

The only outing showcasing his potential was when he faced the four-win Oakland Athletics and pitched 7.0 innings while giving up just one run. 

But not every lineup will feature Quadruple-A player like the Athletics.

Wesneski is going to have to make adjustments in order to stick at this level. He has the talent to do it though and an entire team and staff at his disposal.