5 underperforming Chicago Cubs who need to improve to stick around

As time slowly ticks by on the North Side, a record that once led the National League Central continues to plummet toward rock bottom. It’s not that anyone expected much different at this point of the juncture after a frenzy of trade deadline moves that sent everybody who helped turn the Chicago Cubs around to contending teams across the game. But it’s still been tough, nonetheless.

Since the deadline, there has been quite a few sparks that have been a breath of life to an otherwise dying season. Rafael Ortega and Frank Schwindel have mashed in their new roles. Hendricks has continued to show, for the most part, that he belongs in Cubbie blue, currently leading the league in wins with 14. Patrick Wisdom, after blasting four more home runs in the Crosstown Classic, has proven he is a serious NL Rookie of the Year candidate.

However, that’s about where it ends. There are certainly more underperformers than overperformers on this roster. Given the state of what’s going on, accepting the reality that this is a losing season, players now have a golden opportunity to show what they have and how they can contribute where they otherwise wouldn’t if the team was contending.

Though the team is underperforming as a whole, it is important to examine what’s really going on here and figure out who could play a vital role moving forward and who could be at the end of their rope. Let’s take a look at five underperforming Cubs who need to get it together if they wish to stick around long term.