Call it the Matt Duffy Effect. Since the Cubs began inserting the veteran infielder with a contact-based approach into their lineup on a regular basis, there has seemingly been a trickle-down impact throughout the offense.

"Mixing in guys with really professional ABs like a Matt Duffy is just huge for this team," Cubs star Kris Bryant said earlier this weekend. "We all kind of feed off that. Hopefully, we can keep doing that."

One of the trouble areas for the Cubs' lineup in recent years has been contact rate, and that issue was present in a glaring way out of the gates this season. Chicago has steadily seen improvement in that department, and it can be traced to Duffy's increase in playing time.

Partially out of necessity amid injury setbacks, manager David Ross started working Duffy into the mix more often on April 21. Entering Sunday, Chicago had hit .256 with a .755 OPS as a team from that point on, compared to .189 (.652 OPS) in the 16 previous games.

Specifically to Duffy's skill set, the Cubs' team contact rate going back to April 21 was 76.6 percent (with a 10.8 percent swinging-strike rate). In the 16 games before that stretch, the North Siders had a 71.4 percent contact rate (with a 12.5 percent swinging-strike rate).

"The contact just went through the roof in general since Duff's been in the lineup," Ross said. "The singles have played a lot more into driving guys in and having success. ... His approach, his professionalism in the box is contagious for our group. There's no doubt about that."

Duffy is hardly the only reason for the Cubs' offensive turnaround over the past month. Bryant, for one, has been playing at an MVP-caliber level. Joc Pederson entered Sunday with a 1.003 OPS in nine games since coming off the injured list. There are other factors, too.

Still, Duffy appreciated someone like Bryant crediting him with helping ignite Chicago's offensive resurgence.

"It means a lot," Duffy said. "These are dudes that I've played against for years and I've always looked up to, always admired their games. For him to say that, it feels good. I think everybody feeds off each other, really."

Mills lands on IL
Prior to Sunday's game in Detroit, the Cubs placed right-hander Alec Mills on the 10-day IL with a lower back strain. Chicago selected the contract of righty Tommy Nance from Triple-A Iowa to take Mills' place in the bullpen.

In three appearances for Iowa since moving from the Cubs' alternate training site, the 30-year-old Nance has amassed 10 strikeouts with one walk and one hit and one run allowed (via a solo homer) in six innings.

"He's been probably been throwing as good as anybody down there," Ross said. "Saw him in Spring Training, liked what we saw. It's an exciting arm. The velocity's up-ticked in the time off, and he's started off the season really well. He's somebody that can really get significant outs for us."

Worth noting
• Ross said he had a follow-up conversation on Sunday morning with starter Trevor Williams, who was pulled after just two innings in Saturday's 9-8 loss in Detroit. Williams (11 runs allowed in 8 2/3 innings in his last three turns) is lined up to start again Thursday against the Nationals.

"I've got a ton of respect for Trevor," Ross said. "We talked through some of where he's frustrated and being able to execute the stuff he wants to do. So, we talked through that. I gave him some managerial thoughts. I gave him some former catcher thoughts and we had a really good conversation."

• Both right-hander Keegan Thompson (no earned runs in 10 1/3 innings) and lefty Justin Steele (2.38 ERA in nine relief outings) have backgrounds as starting pitchers. While starting might still be in their respective futures, Ross loves what the pair of rookies have added to the bullpen right now.

"We have a lot of confidence in those two guys," Ross said. "I'm definitely not ruling anything out for either one of them, but right now, we're going to continue to ride them out of the bullpen."

Quotable
"When we were in Cincinnati, his parents were screaming, 'War Eagle!' from Auburn at me. It's the first time I've heard that in a while in a Major League stadium."
-- Ross, on Thompson also having played collegiate baseball at Auburn