Just over a month after a 27-12 start that placed Chicago atop the National League Central, the Cubs have fallen back into the cellar as offense and injuries converged. After dropping the first two games of a series in Colorado, Chicago became the earliest team by the calendar to fall to .500 after being 15 games over, according to ESPN Research; the only similar example cited was the 1996 San Diego Padres, who slid to .500 in late June after a 35-20 start.
The offense has been the clearest symptom of the slide. From Opening Day through May 8 the Cubs averaged 5.51 runs per game; since then they have scored 3.4 runs per game, a mark that ranks 29th in baseball over that span, according to ESPN. The lineup also ranks 23rd in homers since May 8, and several of last season’s primary power producers are on pace for fewer long balls.
Alex Bregman, Chicago’s biggest offseason addition, acknowledged personal struggles after posting a .686 OPS and a 16.7% strikeout rate over his first 68 games with the club. “I haven’t executed all year,” Bregman said. “Runners in scoring position, I’ve been god-awful. I need to be better.” Shortstop Dansby Swanson was benched for a couple of games this week as his offensive problems continued; among 158 qualified hitters, Swanson’s .178 average is the second lowest, behind San Diego’s Manny Machado, according to ESPN. Nico Hoerner has fallen below .200 since May 8, while Matt Shaw and Moises Ballesteros have struggled for consistency.
Injuries have hit the pitching staff after a strong early run. Veteran starter Jameson Taillon, listed as injured, said he did not sense doubt in the clubhouse but questioned what it would take to return to being “a good team.” “We all know what we’re capable of still,” Taillon said. Chicago had won consecutive games for the first time since May 28 before the recent losses.
Cubs president Jed Hoyer emphasized the reliance on position players. “The backbone of our team is our position players,” he said. With offense and the health of the rotation cited as the central issues, the team faces clear decisions about how to regain the form that produced the early surge, according to ESPN.
