Inside The Cubs

Veteran Castoff Having Shocking Resurgence With Chicago Cubs

Is Christian Bethancourt really going to save the Chicago Cubs' season?

Tyler Maher

Aug 2, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt rounds the bases after hitting a home run.
Aug 2, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt rounds the bases after hitting a home run. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

When the Chicago Cubs picked up Christian Bethancourt in early July, it hardly seemed like the type of move that would make a difference.

The Cubs were toast, and so was Bethancourt. They were in last place, well below .500 and coming off two months of horrendous baseball. Not surprisingly, the front office was already preparing to sell at the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, Bethancourt had just been released by the Miami Marlins, and it's usually not a good sign for a player when he gets cut by one of the worst teams in his sport. The 32-year-old backstop had slashed .159/.298/.268 for the Marlins, which was too weak even for their lackluster lineup.

Chicago took a flier on him and, against all odds, it's actually paying off.

Bethancourt almost single-handedly led the Cubs to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, crushing a three-run homer and throwing out a would-be base-stealer.

The eight-year MLB veteran has been sensational since making his Chicago debut on July 28, going 4-for-11 with three runs, two extra-base hits and four RBI. More importantly, the Cubs are 4-0 in his appearances, including 3-0 in his starts.

Bethancourt's provided a spark for his new team, helping Chicago win five of its last seven to keep its faint playoff hopes alive. He also appears rejuvenated after spending the first half on a listless Marlins team, and manager Craig Counsell has noticed.

"You're a player, you get an opportunity and you make the most of it, and that's what he's doing," Counsell told reporters after Friday's win. "The offense he's provided in the three games he's started, he's contributed to wins, no question about it."

Contributing to wins wasn't something many Cubs fans were expecting from Bethancourt, but fortunately he keeps finding ways to exceed expectations.

Published
Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

Home/News