2 reasons Cubs fans should hit the panic button and 1 reason why they shouldn’t

The vibes are down bad in Wrigleyville. Never mind the fact that the Chicago Cubs punched their postseason ticket for the first time since 2020 - and the first time in a full-length season since 2018. Craig Counsell's club has dropped five straight since clinching a spot in October, and losing home-field advantage in the Wild Card Series is a very real possibility.

So is it time to throw the towel in on the 88-win Cubs? Probably not. However, things need to change—and change quickly—if they are to maintain any sense of positive momentum heading into next week. Here are two reasons to hit that panic button and one cause for hope for all you glass-half-full fans out there.

2 reasons to panic about the Cubs and 1 reason to still believe

Reason to panic: Kyle Tucker's continued absence - and its effect on the offense

Kyle Tucker rejoined the team ahead of Tuesday's brutal series-opening loss to the New York Mets and spoke with the media. Both he and Counsell remained noncommittal about any hard target date for his return, but the hope is he's back in action by this weekend, the final series of the regular season.

Tucker's calf injury seemingly came at the worst time imaginable, just as the four-time All-Star appeared to be putting his lengthy late-summer slump to bed. To make matters worse, the team's other big bats from the first half, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki, have slugged just .280 and .275, respectively, over the last 30 days - completely failing to make up for the lost production.

We all saw the impact a healthy Tucker had on the players around him before the All-Star Break. Suzuki and PCA were both on pace for absolutely monster years and have seen their production head into a tailspin in the second half. Chicago is unquestionably better with Kyle Tucker doing his thing, and, well, right now, there's no guarantee we ever see him do it in a Cubs uniform again.

Reason to believe: Nico Hoerner is scorching hot and chasing a batting title

An elite all-around player and the best comprehensive second baseman that's called Wrigley Field home since Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, Nico Hoerner is doing it all for the Cubs this year. He looks like a lock to win his second Gold Glove - and he's making the most of his elite bat-to-ball skills.

Hoerner enters action Wednesday batting .302 - just three points behind league leader Trea Turner, who has been sidelined due to injury and could return for the Phillies' final regular season series later this week. Over his last 30, the Cubs' infielder is batting .342. Over his last 15? Even better - .397.

No Chicago player has won a batting title since Derrek Lee in 2005 - and prior to Lee, you have to go back to 1980 and Bill Buckner to find a Cubs batting champ. Hoerner needs a strong finish (and a rusty Turner wouldn't hurt) to add his name to a fairly exclusive list of players.

Reason to panic: Much of the Cubs' rotation has left much to be desired

You want to talk about panic? Panic enveloped Cubs Twitter on Tuesday night when presumptive Game 1 starter and Rookie of the Year contender Cade Horton departed after just three innings and 29 pitches. A lingering illness and back tightness chased the right-hander from the game, but the move was made out of abundance of caution with the Wild Card Series in mind.

But even if Horton is 100 percent and ready to carry his second-half dominance into October next week, what comes next? The other Cubs starters - outside of Jameson Taillon - have left much to be desired in September, raising questions about how Counsell will line up his staff in the team's first-round matchup.

In four September starts, Shota Imanaga owns a 4.91 ERA and has admitted he's not as dialed in and consistent mechanically as he'd like to be. Matthew Boyd? His heaviest workload since 2019 has definitely worn on the left, who has a 6.00 ERA in three September outings. Javier Assad, who's flexed in and out of the rotation since returning from the IL, hasn't been much better, either.

If Taillon has one more lights-out start to close the regular season, it would be hard not to ask him to take the ball in the Wild Card Series. But then, who gets the axe? Assuming Horton takes the opener, you're choosing between Imanaga and Boyd - it's an unenviable position Counsell finds himself in and we can only hope we get some clarity out of the final five games of the regular season.