Chicago Cubs Seek Momentum Against Giants After Rocky Start

The Chicago Cubs aimed for more than a narrow victory over the worst team in the majors at Coors Field. As they gear up for their three-game series at Oracle Park against the San Francisco Giants, the Cubs hope Thursday’s win injects needed momentum. Currently, they stand one game above .500, tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates for third place in the National League Central, and 7½ games behind the leading Milwaukee Brewers. This period has tested them, with 22 losses out of 30 games following a winning streak of 20 out of 23.

1. Pete Crow-Armstrong Shows Consistency

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong remains a bright spot for the team. Despite a sluggish beginning, he maintains focus at the plate. On the eve of the series, Crow-Armstrong is on a 15-game on-base streak, showcasing his form amidst other struggling hitters. Over his last 31 games, he boasts a .267/.363/.509 batting line and 145 wRC+ with notable hits like seven home runs, five doubles, and 16 RBIs. With an fWAR of 1.8, he matches Shohei Ohtani as a leader in the National League for the past month. Crow-Armstrong’s efforts earned him the NL player of the week honors.

Crow-Armstrong attributes his success to a clear strategy at each at-bat, which involves capitalizing on good pitches. He maintains a balanced approach evidenced by a respectable walk rate of 9.6% and a strikeout rate of 23.7%.

2. Ben Brown’s All-Star Caliber Performance

Right-hander Ben Brown unexpectedly emerged as the Cubs’ leading starter this season. He stepped up when Matthew Boyd required knee surgery, joining the rotation on May 8. Brown has excelled, evident in his 1.44 ERA over six starts. His stats include 34 strikeouts, eight walks, and no home runs allowed in 31 1/3 innings. This performance places him among the top pitchers. His ERA ranks fifth-best in the majors during this period, behind Jacob Misiorowski, Cristopher Sánchez, Bryce Miller, and Shohei Ohtani.

This is often how it happens. That’s why you preach like, you get bad news, you get sent down or you’re not in the spot you want to be, but are you ready when the next moment arrives? said Counsell, highlighting Brown’s readiness.

Despite Brown’s impact, the Cubs’ rotation faces issues, maintaining a 6.29 ERA over the last month, ranking near the bottom in MLB. Brown is making a strong case for an All-Star Game selection.

3. Lineup Power Shortage

For a successful offense, consistent power hitting is crucial, whether through home runs or doubles. This has been a shortcoming for the Cubs. Their performance on Thursday with three home runs was their first such game since April 25. From the onset of their longest losing streak on May 16, the Cubs place low in slugging percentage (.364), higher than only two other teams, the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres. Their isolated power, or ISO, sits at .141, ranking them 27th.

The lineup’s struggles aren’t isolated to one player. Dansby Swanson, for example, has a wRC+ of 46 and a .242 slugging percentage. Nico Hoerner fares a bit better with a 64 wRC+ and .247 SLG. Seiya Suzuki mirrors Hoerner with a 64 wRC+ and manages a .330 SLG, despite his grand slam performance on Thursday.

Hitting is really simple: when you get pitches to hit, those are the ones you’ve got to hit hard, explained Counsell. He stressed the need for making an impact on the right pitches, noting the difficulty the team faces when failing to capitalize.