Is There Reason To Believe In Rowan Wick For 2023?

Chicago Cubs fans might know relief pitcher Rowan Wick pretty well by now.

The 30-year-old reliever has been with the Cubs since 2019, but had two rough seasons in 2021 and 2022.

While these seasons saw him having disappointing numbers, the Cubs now give him a shot in 2023.

They give him a chance to be in a position with the Cubs and their bullpen for the upcoming season.

However, is there reason to believe in him after his previous season of bad numbers?

Bryan Smith on Twitter broke down some numbers with Wick in 2022, showing the good, bad, and ugly with him.

Wick’s 2022 season overall: 64 IP, 4.22 ERA / 4.19 FIP / 3.70 xFIP / 5.35 xERA. 1.69 WHIP (🤢).

23.5 K% / 9.9 BB%
15.5 HR/FB%, 40.0 HardHit%
.299 BAA / .376 BABIP pic.twitter.com/EHpXNQ7EKt

— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) November 20, 2022

Nearly every number for Wick in 2022 gives fans a reason to pray he doesn’t make the main roster.

His 4.22 ERA and nearly 10% walk rate, along with his 1.69 WHIP, are all bad numbers for him.

However, the deeper numbers might give fans hope if Wick pays attention to Smith’s Twitter thread.

Smith goes into the numbers with the relief pitcher’s cutter, which saw batters killing the ball.

Wait wait wait did you see the results on Wick’s cutter in the last graphic?! His third pitch yielded a .568 batting average, .811 slugging percentage and .595 wOBA on a pitch he threw 17% of the time is pretty unfathomable. It was a bottom 30 pitch in baseball. Unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/4V5AoGFIGQ

— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) November 20, 2022

Their .568 batting average and .811 slugging percentage saw them lighting Wick up.

However, Smith points out how Wick used the cutter 17% of the time during his 2022 season.

Wisdom shows that if opponents are sitting on his cutter, he needs to eliminate the pitch from his arsenal.

If he can eliminate the pitch, or improve it, then maybe he has a better season in 2023.

But until he shows improvement with his pitch selection during Spring Training, fans won’t believe in Wick for 2023.