Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly had a monster game on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In fact, he has exceeded all expectations so far this year while splitting duties with Miguel Amaya behind home plate. His recent performance prompted an earnest gesture from the Cubs faithful, which Kelly acknowledged after the game.
Carson Kelly had a big day at the plate in a wild 13-11 Chicago Cubs come from behind win over the Arizona Diamondbacks
The final three innings of the Cubs and Diamondbacks game on Friday was wild. Chicago held a 2-1 lead going into the seventh, thanks to a Carson Kelly two run homer in the second inning. In the seventh, the Cubs tacked on five more runs to make it 7-1, but then chaos ensued.
With the wind blowing out, the Diamondbacks scored 10 runs in the eighth inning and took the lead. Eugenio Suarez matched Ian Happ’s grand slam and a Lourdes Gurriel Jr three run long ball accounted for seven of the runs scored.
However, the Cubs struck back by scoring six runs in the bottom of the eighth. Kelly hit his second home run of the day, a three run shot, a Kyle Tucker two run homer put Chicago on top, and then a Seiya Suzuki solo home run padded the lead even more.
To recap Kelly’s performance, he finished the game 2-4 with three runs scored, two home runs, and five runs batted in.
Carson Kelly has been one of the leagues best offensive performers this year
Despite Kelly only appearing in 11 games this year, compared to Miguel Amaya’s 13, Kelly has been one of the league’s best offensive performers. In a sample size of 45 plate appearances, Kelly is first in batting average (.419) and OPS (1.675) of those with at least 40 plate appearances, tied for third in fWAR at 1.4, and is tied four fourth in the league with the most home runs (6).
For reference, Kelly’s 1.4 fWAR is higher than Kyle Tucker (1.3), and trails only Geraldo Perdomo (1.5), Corbin Carroll (1.6), and Aaron Judge (2.0). Additionally, Kelly has walked more times (12) than he has struck out (4).
Cubs faithful had a heartfelt gesture for Carson Kelly
At Wrigley on Friday, Cubs fans acknowledged Kelly’s performance by chanting his name. Kelly, a 30 year old veteran, told The Marquee Network that he has never had that happen before and it was special and very cool.
Carson Kelly’s hot start to the season has not only made an impact on the field, but also has resonated with the fans. His ability to be an offensive leader, despite being on a time share, has quickly made him a fan favorite in Chicago. He has definitely earned the right for more playing time and that will be a story line to follow as the season progresses.