The Chicago Cubs: A Cold Stretch, Not a Collapse
The Chicago Cubs were able to rattle off two separate ten-game winning streaks in their first thirty-nine games of the 2026 season.
What began as a historically successful season has recently taken a turn for the worse, with the team winning only two of its last 14 games.
Some losing streaks are caused by pitching, others by hitting, or maybe even a combination of both. This rough stretch is largely due to the offense. There have been some nice starts by the Cubs’ rotation during this period, but with the injuries to their pitchers, the offense is held to a higher standard. That won’t be the situation for the rest of the season. Matthew Boyd and Justin Steele are expected to return later in the year, and the trade deadline also presents an interesting opportunity for this club, given the prospects in their system.
But for right now, while there may be some great performances from the healthy pitchers on the roster, the offense thriving will most likely be a focal point for their success in the near future.
When things were going well for this team, the offense was one of the best in the league.
In numerous statistical categories, the Chicago offense was near the top of the Majors. Now they are near the middle of the league in home runs, batting average, and slugging percentage. The current rough patch, which began while the Cubs were in Texas, has now led to them scoring about 3 runs per game. That is the main reason for the losses; the offense has been slowing down. While it has led to this club losing many games, this is a hurdle they can clear.
This Cubs roster is loaded with talent. Many of the players have had very long, successful careers. In the field, there are four former All-Stars who take the field for the Cubbies every day. Two of them, Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson, have been selected to the All-Star game multiple times in their careers. On top of that, the starters that haven’t been All-Stars can flat out hit. For example, Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki each hit over thirty home runs last year. The Cubs’ lineup is filled with high-quality hitters, and they won’t be held down forever. This is why the offense slowing down will just be a bump in the road. Water will find its level, and the Cubs will return to the brand of baseball that produced two separate 10-game winning streaks.
The team’s slowing down offensively isn’t an indication of what the 2026 Cubs will be for the rest of the year. Have they not hit well recently? Yes.
But for the majority of this year, the offense and the team as a whole have been excellent.
Baseball seasons are quite long; a rough stretch is expected.
Stretches like this are part of the sport; the Cubs will get back to their winning ways.
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Categorized:Cubs