You keep thinking to yourself that this game or that series is rock bottom, then it keeps getting worse. The Chicago Cubs are 11-24 dating back to May 9, when they were shut out by the Texas Rangers, and that 6-0 loss was the start of what’s been nearly impossible to fathom.
At the time, the Cubs had the best record in baseball (27-12), had won 10 straight games (20 of 23), and had the No. 1 offense in MLB. Since then, the team has been bad all around, with the starting rotation taking a major step back. Yet at least there’s the injury excuse for the pitching staff and its shortcomings. When it comes to the offense, this is a veteran group that has miserably failed to resemble anything close to a professional one.
Hitting with runners in scoring position has been the main talking point surrounding the team this entire season, and you can pinpoint exactly when shit hit the fan. In that 6-0 loss to the Rangers on May 9, the Cubs had plenty of opportunities with runners on. That’s pretty much been the team’s demise since. But as much as it’s looked or felt bad watching the Cubs try to hit in clutch situations for the past six weeks, it is a lot worse when you actually dive into the numbers.
It began with a 0-for-13 performance against the Rangers. Insane, yet that’s pretty much become the norm for the Cubs offense. In their past 35 games, the Cubs have ended a game without a single hit with runners in scoring position 14 times. That accounts for 40% of their games since May 9.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
In Tuesday night’s 5-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the Cubs stranded nine men on base and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. As a team, the Cubs are hitting .168 with runners in scoring position in the last 35 games, tied with the Detroit Tigers for the worst mark in MLB.
What began as a fluke is now what the Cubs are. A team that has no semblance of a plan when they go up to the plate, and there are men in scoring position. We’re not talking about a team filled with rookies, learning on the fly, inexperience playing a factor. No. Alex Bregman, 11th year in the league. Ian Happ, 10th year in the league. Dansby Swanson, 11th year in the league. Nico Hoerner came up in 2019; he’s been an everyday starter since 2022. Seiya Suzuki is in his fifth MLB season, preceded by four years in Japan.
The worst-hitting team with runners in scoring position. An entire team at .168 over 35 games. A group of players that were expected to lead the Cubs to a division title. The faces of these struggles are Happ and Bregman, who are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the most runners left on base in MLB.
Pathetic.
Half the team isn’t going to be benched, so it remains stunning that there haven’t been any rumors whatsoever indicating that the hitting coach is on the hot seat. Who knows, a second series loss within a week against the worst team in baseball might change that? You’d think someone would get fired over this by now.
It’s a one-man show for the Cubs right now and thank god because there wouldn’t be any joy watching the Cubs without Pete Crow-Armstrong in 2026.
