Seriously, this has gone beyond a two or three-week slump, which is exactly how the Chicago Cubs started the 2026 season. This team’s offense has been putrid for the past 28 games, and while the starting rotation has also been horrible, at least that group has injuries to point to as an excuse. The offense? What excuse do the hitters have? None.
This is a veteran group that was always supposed to perform at a steady pace, even if there was no true star in the middle of the lineup. The front office put together a squad of high-floor players, but instead of avoiding the low valleys, these Cubs have collectively been the second-worst scoring team in MLB since May 9.
Unfortunately, to the dismay of many fans, the team can’t simply replace most of the starting lineup in one fell swoop. When things get ugly, there’s seemingly always a scapegoat. Again, bloodthirsty Cubs fans probably shouldn’t be holding their breath over a mid-season firing of manager Craig Counsell. He’s in the middle of the third year of his five-year contract, and for those looking at the front office, Jed Hoyer signed an extension last summer.
This isn’t to say that either man shouldn’t be held responsible for this mess. Ultimately, this is the roster that Hoyer put together, and the talent, despite the pitching injuries, should still be performing at a higher level under Counsell. But those conversations will likely carry more weight after the 2026 season if the Cubs fail to improve.
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In the meantime, though, doesn’t it seem like someone should be fired? Including Tuesday’s 7-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the Cubs have scored a total of 91 runs in their last 28 games. The 3.25 runs per game during the previous month’s worth of games is only ahead of the San Diego Padres, who have scored 87 runs in 28 games.
Here is where the Cubs rank in MLB since May 9.
Cubs Offensive Rankings Last 28 Games
.212 AVG: 29th
.302 OBP: 25th
.331 SLG: 30th
83 wRC+: 27th
.633 OPS: 29th
91 R: 29th
And as we know, even when the Cubs do get runners on base, they haven’t come through with many hits whatsoever. Overall in 2026, the Cubs are hitting .223 with runners in scoring position, ranked 29th in MLB. In their last 28 games, the Cubs have a .174 batting average with runners in scoring position, which is also second-worst among all teams.
Dustin Kelly is in his fourth season as the Cubs’ primary hitting coach. John Mallee was brought back into the organization in 2023 and promoted to the MLB staff for the 2024 season as an assistant hitting coach. Mallee, now in his third year in his second stint with the Cubs, previously served as the team’s hitting coach from 2015-17.
Firing coaches does not guarantee changes. We have a pretty good example of that with the Boston Red Sox this season. Sometimes, a team does turn the corner, and the Philadelphia Phillies have stormed back in the standings after manager Rob Thompson was fired following a 9-19 start.
This isn’t to say that someone absolutely needs to be let go, but doesn’t it seem like the Cubs should make a change of some consequence? The Cubs have played 67 games, and it is unbelievable how volatile they have been.
Cubs First 10 Games: 81 wRC+, 41 R (16th in MLB)
Cubs Next 29 Games: 135 wRC+, 174 R (1st in MLB)
Cubs Last 28 Games: 83 wRC+, 91 R (29th in MLB)
The blame should ultimately be put on the players. The expectations for this group have fallen well short, but in sports, the guys who first get punished are the coaches. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, but it wouldn’t be surprising if there is a firing soon if things don’t get fixed.
