3 Cubs players who are forcing tough questions nobody wanted to answer this soon

The Chicago Cubs are back to .500 on the season, and their series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies could serve as an early turning point for the year. As the Cubs welcome the New York Mets to Wrigley Field, with the chance to get right against a team that has stumbled out of the gate, there are still some lingering questions surrounding notable players.

If the Cubs are going to be a true contender this season, they will need Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong to be at the center of their success offensively. They also need stability across the pitching staff, and it's possible that comes through the signing of Lucas Giolito.

Cubs may soon be facing some tough questions.

Overall, it's early. No one really cares about the standings until Memorial Day. Even then, there's still a case to be made that it's too early. But as most players approach 100 plate appearances, it's worth having the conversation if there's reason to be concerned.

Michael Busch

Michael Busch was the player most Cubs fans expected to have a breakout season. He arguably did that last year by hitting 34 home runs and posting a 140 wRC+. With the added responsibility of starting against left-handers, there was hope that Busch cemented his status as one of the team's leading run producers this season.

That hasn't been the case, posting a 33 wRC+ through his first 71 plate appearances and no home runs. Not exactly the start most imagined. Busch is going to be given every opportunity to find his way out of this slump, but if he doesn't, the Cubs could suddenly have a first base problem once again.

Pete Crow-Armstrong

There's no question that Pete Crow-Armstrong is the heartbeat of the Cubs roster. The problem is that it's been some time since he was a difference maker at the plate. Dating back to the All-Star Break last season, 323 plate appearances, Crow-Armstrong is slashing .221/.266/.355 with a wRC+ of 70 and 12 home runs.

His defense in center field and speed on the base paths are always going to make him a positive-WAR player, but his offensive struggles to start this season shouldn't be viewed through the scope of just this season. Crow-Armstrong has been scuffling since last July, and until he turns it around, there's always going to be some wondering about the potential of Kevin Alcantara.

Edward Cabrera

Edward Cabrera has a 1.62 ERA through his first three starts with the Chicago Cubs, and overall, has looked like the ascending starting pitcher the Cubs have been in love with for years. The problem is that the Cubs may need Cabrera's ascension to be completed sooner than his underlying metrics suggest it will be.

Cabrera is walking over 13% of the hitters he faced this season and striking out under 20%. That's not exactly the expectations of an ace. With Cade Horton sidelined for the rest of the year, the Cubs will need Cabrera to transcend into an ace this season. Otherwise, there is going to be a massive void in their rotation.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow