Yikes. There are slumps, and then there’s whatever the hell is happening with the 2026 Chicago Cubs. This team can’t buy a hit with runners in scoring position for the past two weeks, and although that should even out, it hasn’t yet. The offense hasn’t been doing jack shit in any other spots either. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s two-run home run was the only damage in the Cubs’ sixth straight loss, a 4-2 defeat in Friday’s series opener against the Houston Astros.
The Cubs’ offense left 11 men on base as the team finished 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. It was a nightmare in the third inning, when Houston starter Spencer Arrighetti momentarily lost command, walking Nico Hoerner to start the frame and then hitting back-to-back hitters to load the bases with no one out. Sadly, the middle of the lineup once again came up empty, as Ian Happ struck out, Seiya Suzuki hit a pop in the infield, and Michael Conforto grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.
Oh, and the Cubs left the bases loaded again in the eighth inning, when Hoerner came up after an error allowed Dansby Swanson to reach safely to extend the inning. Hoerner, who has been the guy you want with runners in scoring position, hasn’t come through in a while, and once again, he failed to provide a much-needed hit, grounding out to third base.
After winning 20 of 23 games to take over the best record in MLB, the Cubs have lost 10 of their last 12 games. This stretch includes scoring three runs or fewer in 10 games, including three shutout losses.
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So, I guess the two-week stretch of awful baseball was the limit for manager Craig Counsell. After Friday’s loss he finally admitted that it’s time to make a change.
This is the second time that Counsell will hopefully make a substantial change. The first came in April, when Michael Busch was moved out of the leadoff spot, following his awful start to the season. Still guys have to produce no matter where they’re hitting, but there’s no doubt that the team could use something to boost them.
Shaking things up will hopefully provide better results for the offense that isn’t just a one or two player problem, the entire lineup has been awful since the second game of their series against the Texas Rangers.
It probably seems like an eternity, but better late than never, right? We’ll see what Counsell has up his sleeve for Saturday’s game against the Astros.
