He Chicago Cubs They currently reside in last place in the National League Central and have some big decisions left as July approaches, but one MLB expert didn’t mince words when it comes to the North Siders’ performance this season.
In the middle of the season awards column for USA Today, Bob Nightengale He handed out plenty of awards and gave the Cubs one award they would have loved to avoid: the title of “Biggest Disappointment” in the National League.
“The Cubs spent money and got tremendous value from their rookie sensation. Shota Imanagaand somehow they find themselves in last place,” he said. “The only category this team leads is players ejected for stealing: 35 and counting.”
The Cubs crossed the halfway point of their season this week, and after Saturday’s win over the Milwaukee Brewers they find themselves in last place in the division, 10.5 games out of first place and six games below the .500 mark. While the club is just four games out of the third wild-card spot in the National League, currently held by the St. Louis Cardinals, they would have to get past seven teams to get there, which goes to show how tight the Senior Circuit is this season.
The team’s anemic offense has largely fueled its struggles, with only two qualified players currently hitting above .250 on the season. Your leading home run hitter, Christopher MorelHe’s only hitting .200 on the season.
His high-priced free agent signing for the 2023 offseason also continues to have issues, as Dansby Swanson He is batting .220 with eight home runs and 74 strikeouts.
Justin Steele He has started 12 games this season for the Cubs and, despite a 3.20 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 70 innings, has yet to be credited with a win. Hector Neris, tied for the team lead with seven wins, has a 4.25 ERA and has blown four saves in 15 opportunities for the North Siders.
Despite all of this, there are some signs of hope as the team enters the second half of its season. Ian happy He has a .900 OPS and has hit five home runs and driven in 20 runs while walking 16 times in the month of June. michael busch He has just two homers in the month, but he has drawn 12 walks and posted a sparkling .310/.410/.465 line after struggling for much of May.
Perhaps most surprising of all is that Kyle Hendricks He has allowed just three earned runs in 21 1/3 innings this month, striking out 12 batters, walking two and allowing zero home runs in two starts since returning to the rotation on June 19.
The team, decimated by injuries, also hopes to recover some key pieces, including Ben Brown, Mark Leiter Jr. and Jordan Wicks, who are expected to return to the club in July, according to MLB’s Jordan Bastian.
The Cubs will try to get a series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday at American Family Field, with Hendricks taking the ball against Freddy Peralta.