Marcus Stroman’s best start as a Cub ‘by far’ goes to waste as the right-hander closes out an impressive month

In the back of Marcus Stroman’s mind, he prepared to go to third base.

Stroman did not hesitate during the sixth inning of a scoreless game Sunday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs pitcher aggressively fielded his position on Danny Mendick’s sacrifice bunt attempt with nobody out — charging off the mound, barehanding the ball and firing a strike to third baseman Patrick Wisdom, who tagged out Josh Harrison.

“I‘m usually off the mound pretty quick,” Stroman said, “so if it’s not a perfect bunt, I usually feel like I have an opportunity to get the guy at third. And I kind of peeked real quick while I was running over there and I knew I had a chance, and Wizzy made a great play.”

The sequence was part of a stellar performance from Stroman that featured seven shutout innings — which the Cubs wasted in a 5-4 loss in 12 innings at Guaranteed Rate Field.

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Holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh thanks to sloppy Sox defense, Stroman successfully navigated a bases-loaded, one-out spot. He attacked Sox catcher Reese McGuire and got him to whiff on three pitches out of the zone. Two pitches later, Harrison lined out to second to end the threat.

An amped Stroman slapped his mitt walking off the field.

“We had a really good mix of pitches going on, keeping them very off balance, getting weak contact,” Stroman said. “Defense was amazing as well. So just being aggressive and taking that same mentality into each start.”

Manager David Ross called Stroman’s start “by far” his best outing with the Cubs. For most of the afternoon, Stroman pounded the zone and took advantage of the Sox’s aggressiveness. He recorded 17 outs on three pitches or fewer.

“He mixes well and changes his timing and stuff,” Sox third baseman Jake Burger said. “It was keep the same process going, look for something over the middle of the plate. He threw well, though, I’ve got to give him credit for that.”

The Cubs, however, didn’t capitalize on Stroman’s start. Catcher P.J. Higgins didn’t block a swinging strike that David Robertson induced in the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Sox to tie the game. And the Sox tallied two runs apiece off Scott Effross and Robert Gsellman in extra innings to prevent the Cubs from a two-game sweep.

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Playing three extra innings was not ideal for the Cubs ahead of nine games in the next seven days, including a doubleheader Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs will call up right-hander Michael Swarmer from Triple-A Iowa to start Game 1. Left-hander Drew Smyly will get the ball for Game 2.

Swarmer, a 19th-round pick in 2016, has pitched well for Iowa. In nine games (five starts), the 28-year-old has a 2.08 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 14 walks in 39 innings.

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Stroman still is looking to get in a rhythm and isn’t where he wants to be mechanically. Despite that, he finished May with a 1.50 ERA (four earned runs in 24 innings) in four starts while also being sidelined by COVID-19 during the month.

It’s encouraging Stroman is able to put the Cubs in position to win while not being at his best. The Cubs will be relying more on their veteran starters with Wade Miley on the 15-day injured list.

The bullpen has been reliable two months in, but the group will wear down quickly if the Cubs don’t get consistent innings from the rotation.

“I feel like I’m someone who’s always going to go out there and compete regardless of how I feel,” Stroman said. “I’m always going to throw myself out there every fifth day regardless of anything and do my best to put everything aside and to compete.

“I just know I can be better. So that’s what’s frustrating is that I know that I can be better each and every time out. I’m just trying to get to that point.”