Chicago Cubs: Why is Anthony Rizzo struggling so much this season?

Usually, when a player fails to put up numbers, there’s a clear cause-and-effect relationship at hand. But in the case of this Chicago Cubs slugger, that’s not so.

Since 2014, Anthony Rizzo has been as consistent as any player in Major League Baseball. So, when he struggled out of the gates, then heated up, few had concerns about the Chicago Cubs first baseman.

But, just days from the All-Star Break, he is again mired in a month-plus slump that’s leaving a major void in the middle of the Cubs lineup. He’s not hitting for power – and is barely hitting at all. Worse yet? Most of the advanced metrics don’t offer a clear-cut explanation.

Sahadev Sharma over at The Athletic penned an incredibly detailed look at some of those metrics – and you should definitely give it a read. Ultimately, Sharma concludes Rizzo should put up the same numbers we’re used to seeing down the stretch. Because, as I said, the numbers don’t make sense.