Run Differential Suggests Cubs Should Have 7 More Wins, 11 More Than Brewers

Decades from now, we’ll still look back at the 2019 season as one of the most miserable and puzzling in Cubs history. If we define the 2004 season by its implosion, then this campaign should be defined by a exponentially stronger nuclear reaction.

I honestly don’t know how the Cubs have scored this many runs while winning so few games.

This weird squad has a +111 run differential, which is nine runs better than the first-place St. Louis Cardinals and 113 runs better than the second place Brewers. Can we just pause and recognize how insane it is that the Cubs have outpaced the Brewers by triple-digit runs?

A differential of 111 runs suggests the Cubs should have 89 wins, not 82. I can probably name you the seven games the 82-74 Cubs should’ve won, too. Over half of them occurred last week.

The Cardinals’ run differential of +102 suggests they shouldn’t be ahead of the Cubs by seven games but rather tied with the 2016 World Series champions. Un-freakin-believable.

Let’s keep maximizing the pain since you’re still reading. According to their abysmal -2 run differential, the Christian Yelich-less Brewers should be 11 games worse than the Cubs. I mean…what?

I’ll always remember 2019 as the season straight from hell.