The Chicago Cubs are struggling this season, currently sitting at 13th place out of 15 teams in the National League with a record of 39-46. Winning games has become a challenge for the team, making it difficult to envision a successful hot streak. The possibility of trades looms as the trade deadline approaches, with Cubs president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, acknowledging the potential for subtracting from the team.
The recent series against the Milwaukee Brewers showcased the gap between the two teams. While Craig Counsell, the former Brewers manager, remains a center of attention, the focus has shifted to how strong the Brewers are as an organization compared to the Cubs. Three years ago, Hoyer privately admitted that the Cubs had reached a point of no return with their fading core group of players. Now, with a significant deficit behind the Brewers in the division, it’s clear that the Cubs still have a long way to go to catch up.
The Cubs’ performance in July will play a crucial role in determining whether Hoyer will sell at the trade deadline. While there are no set criteria for making these decisions, factors such as the team’s performance, injuries, payroll implications, and proximity to a playoff spot all come into play. The Cubs are currently five games out of the third wild-card spot, but their inconsistent performance and offensive slump raise concerns about their ability to make a push.
In Sunday’s game against the Brewers, the Cubs started promisingly but quickly fizzled out. Nico Hoerner hit a home run in the first inning, but after that, they went 0-for-26 for the rest of the game. Kyle Hendricks, who has little margin for error at this stage of his career, struggled against a strong Brewers lineup and gave up a two-out grand slam to Brice Turang. The Cubs’ sense of urgency is present, but their inconsistent performance leaves doubts about their ability to turn things around.
As the Cubs try to figure out what went wrong, questions arise about the Brewers’ ability to fix their bullpen with castoffs, the Cubs’ lack of dynamic trades, and the discrepancy in contracts between Christian Yelich and Cubs players. The frustration is palpable among the Cubs, who are far from where they want to be.
Overall, the Cubs face significant challenges in catching up to the Brewers and turning their season around. The trade deadline looms, and their performance in July will be crucial in determining the team’s future direction.