Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant continues to struggle in June

Bryant is in the middle of a rough patch

In his last five games, Bryant is 3-for-15 with eight strikeouts. This is concerning because up until this point, Bryant’s strikeout rate has been in good shape. Still, it sits at 21.2 percent which is lower than the 22 percent posted last season.

With the youngster seemly lost at the plate right now, manager Joe Maddon kept Bryant out of the starting line-up two out of the last three games, including Sunday’s contest against the Pirates. Perhaps, this extra rest will allow Bryant to reset and start fresh.

The Cubs need Bryant to perform at a high level

As of right now, there is no huge concern for the Cubs. Even though Bryant is slumping, every great hitter goes through rough patches in their career. One troubling sign is the fact Bryant is on pace to record less than 70 RBI. Perhaps, this is a byproduct of hitting him in the two-hole, but that is unacceptable from a hitter like Bryant.

Even though Bryant is getting on base at a high rate, the Cubs need their MVP to start driving in runs like he did last season.

Sometimes, people forget that Bryant does not even have two full seasons under his belt. That is important to note, because it suggests that Bryant’s shortcomings this season are due to growing pains that come with being a young star in the major leagues.

If this is the floor for Kris Bryant, I think many people would be happy with that. Only time will tell if Bryant’s slump is temporary, or if there is an underlying issue. Right now, there is no need to panic over the reigning MVP. Bryant has more than enough talent to pull out of this funk at a moments notice.

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