5 Cubs players that have to break out of their dreadful slumps immediately

When it rains it pours. A second 10-game win streak was snapped last weekend in Texas, promptly sending what feels like the entire Chicago Cubs' offense into a cold spell.

*Checks notes: yep, over the last 7 days (entering Thursday night's finale in Atlanta), the Cubs ranked as the worst offensive team in all of Major League Baseball in terms of OPS.*

It's a long season and there will always be ups and downs. But given the offensive downturn Craig Counsell's team slogged its way through for much of the second half last year, it feels like the fanbase is especially touchy this time around as the bats search for answers. For the team to get things going, these five players have to lock back in at the plate.

5 key players the Cubs need to turn things around offensively

Moises Ballesteros

Look, with Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya on the roster and playing well, I need Moises Ballesteros to do just one thing: hit. Chicago has been trying to increase his time behind the dish and that's coincided with a brutal swoon at the plate.

Through the first two games in Atlanta, Ballesteros was riding an 0-for-12 stretch over the last seven days, including five strikeouts and zero walks. He's still hitting a healthy .248/.308/.467, but given his lack of defensive value, the 22-year-old needs to produce offensively in order to bring value. Of late, he's done anything but.

Seiya Suzuki

Like Ballesteros, Seiya Suzuki's numbers on the year remain strong - very strong, in fact. The slugging outfielder headed into Thursday at .274/.386..500, which works out to a 159 OPS+. But over the last week, it's been a very different story.

Suzuki, who could hit free agency at season's end as one of the offseason's top offensive options, is batting just .118/.286/.294 over his last seven - with seven strikeouts in 17 at-bats. On the heels of his first 30+ homer, 100+ RBI campaign, the Cubs expect (and need) big production from Suzuki and, right now, he's leaving much to be desired.

Nico Hoerner

Yes, even Nico Hoerner can hit bumps in the road, as hard as that may be to believe. The team's Gold Glove second baseman, who narrowly missed out on a batting title last season, has a .190 OBP over the last seven. And, as was the case with Dexter Fowler, it's very much a 'you go, we go' type of situation with Hoerner.

In Cubs' wins this year, Hoerner carries an OPS pushing .900. In losses, .527. He's a dynamic talent at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths. But in two of those areas, he's been a near-non-factor, and for Chicago to get things going again and put this recent bump in the road behind them, they'll need their recently-extended unofficial captain to lead the way.

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Similar to Hoerner, Pete Crow-Armstrong is capable of doing so many different things well. He's got a high floor just because of his defensive prowess in center field, but the Cubs - as we saw in 2025 - are at their best when he's leading the charge offensively, as well. Over the last week, he - like virtually all of his teammates - has been quiet at the dish.

The impressive power he showcased early last year is yet to re-appear (his SLG% is down nearly 100 points year-over-year), but he's still been roughly a league-average bat in terms of OPS+ this time around. If he can start to find his stroke heading into summer, a Cubs offense that quickly caught the attention of the league could take things to a new level.

Dansby Swanson

Maybe it's just me, but Dansby Swanson is having a weird season at the plate. I mean, a .388 OPS over the last week isn't going to cut it no matter how you want to spin it, but let's look at the big picture.

Swanson trails only Hoerner on the team in runs batted in (25) and he's walking at a rate (13.9 percent) that would be a new career-high. But he's batting just .194 and his whiff rate ranks in the bottom third of the league.

Consistency would be nice from Swanson who, as he goes deeper into his 30s in the back half of his contract, will need to replace some of his defensive value with production at the plate. Still a strong defender, but not the elite shortstop he once was, batting below .200 is a tough look with three more years and $81 million left on his deal after this year.

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