Chicago Cubs’ failed offense needs major retooling

The Chicago Cubs have put themselves into a deep, and possibly inescapable, hole with their 7-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday at American Family Field. Down 0-2 in the best-of-five NLDS, they now face elimination at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.

It’s easy to lay the blame for the Cubs’ woes on the starting pitching, which has been horrendous this series and has been unable to make it past three innings in either game. But everyone knew that the Cubs’ pitching would be a huge question mark coming into the postseason.

The real fail of this NLDS so far has centered around the team’s offense, which was once considered their strength and actually helped propel them to a stellar first-half that all but clinched a playoff spot as early as the All-Star break.

After the break, however, the Cubs’ powerful offense turned pedestrian. And that shrinking output has extended into the playoffs.

The Chicago Cubs’ flat-lining offense

In the postseason this year, the Cubs have managed just 12 runs in 5 games, and 9 of those runs have come via home run (6 solo homers and Seiya Suzuki’s 3-run shot on Monday). At this point, the offense gives off the vibe of having no plan other than the hope of an occasional pitcher’s mistake resulting in a home run.

Sam Olbur of the Locked on Cubs podcast had the same observation:

“This is now 12 consecutive postseason games of three runs or less for the Chicago Cubs…It just looks like we’re hoping to hit a home run… ‘Maybe PCA will get into one. Hey, maybe Happ…’”

Actually, according to Talkin’ Baseball, the Cubs have now set the MLB mark for the longest streak of postseason offensive impotence, with 13 straight playoff games of 3 or fewer runs scored.

The problem right now, though, is in the present tense against a Brewers team that is actually playing like a cohesive unit, capable of straining opposition pitching with tenacious at-bats and a smart, efficient mindset.

At one point, early in the season, the Cubs carried that same reputation. That’s most definitely not the case anymore.

Feeble numbers

Over the five games of this postseason: Kyle Tucker is hitting .176 with no home runs and no RBIs, Pete Crow-Armstrong is hitting .222 with no home runs and one RBI, Ian Happ is hitting .105 with one home run and one RBI, Dansby Swanson is hitting .176 with no home runs and one RBI, and Matt Shaw has yet to even get a hit.

“We as an offense have to find a way to put up a few more and help out pitchers a little more,” Ian Happ told the media after Monday’s loss. “That’s the one thing going into Wednesday, we’ve won a few games here in the playoffs, but haven’t scored a bunch of runs. Hanging up a few crooked numbers will help a lot.”

Fixing the holes

The problem is how to put up those “crooked numbers” when so few Cubs are actually getting on base. And even when they do somehow manage to get on base, the other Cubs aren’t driving them in. In the five postseason games this year, Chicago is 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position.

“The first two innings we did a nice job,” manager Craig Counsell said after Monday’s game. “We had two at-bats with runners in scoring position today. That’s a pretty good sign that we’re not creating enough pressure. That’s gonna add up to a lot of zeroes.”

Part of the Cubs’ problem has to do with facing amped-up postseason elite-level pitching, of course. But these recent failings in the playoffs extend deep into the regular season as well.

There’s just no ready-made answer for what’s ailing the Cubs’ offense, and certainly nothing overly impactful that could be employed with, possibly, only one game left in their season.

Maybe the best Chicago can hope for is some more patience from their hitters, a greater focus on small ball, and some slippage from the mostly outstanding Brewers pitching.

The Cubs brain trust will then have to spend the offseason figuring out how to fix an offense that suddenly and inexplicably disappears when needed most.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-offense-nlds-tucker-pca