After the Cubs' worst week of the season, here are 2 reasons to remain optimistic

With Sunday's lopsided loss, the Chicago Cubs have lost four of five and been on the losing end of each of their last two series. Even so, Craig Counsell's club opens a new week in first place in the National League Central, with a red-hot St. Louis Cardinals team nipping on their heels after running off eight consecutive victories.

Jameson Taillon didn't have it on Friday in the opener against the Mets and is now tied for the MLB lead with 10 home runs allowed. Rookie Cade Horton stole the show in Saturday's win - and could make his first big-league start this week at Wrigley. In the finale, the Cubs wasted another quality start from Matthew Boyd, with New York rallying late against a Chicago bullpen that ranks 22nd in ERA.

But now is not the time to panic, especially as the Cubs weather the storm without both of their aces, with Justin Steele done for the year and Shota Imanaga working his way back from a hamstring issue. If you need a little optimism early in the work week, here are 2 reasons to believe this team could get back on track this week.

Cubs' Pete-Crow Armstrong continues to do special things at the plate

As of this writing, it is May 12 - and already, Pete Crow-Armstrong has tied his career-high with 10 home runs, his latest coming Sunday in the loss to the Mets. Last season, it took the speedy outfielder 410 plate appearances to reach double-digits; this year, it took him just 171.

His dramatic improvement in the power department has led to him already surpassing his 2024 bWAR total (2.5 bWAR this year; 2.3 bWAR last year) - and he's done that in just one-third of the total games played. The added slug in his game, paired with things we already knew he could do very well (run the bases and play center field) have turned him into must-see TV just 177 games into his MLB career.

Crow-Armstrong has helped set the tone for a Cubs lineup that has cooled of late, but still ranks third in the National League in OPS, second in runs scored and leads all of baseball in runs batted in. He's stayed true to his approach and gameplan early in the year and, if he continues to do that, we'll all bear witness to a monster year from the young outfielder.

This week's schedule is very soft with Marlins, White Sox matchups

The Miami Marlins enter Monday at 15-24, with an unimpressive -69 run differential that ranks better than only the Colorado Rockies in the Senior Circuit. The return of former NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara hasn't been the boost the club hoped for as he works to settle in after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and exciting young outfielder - and son of Mr. Marlin himself - Griffin Conine is done for the year.

On the heels of three with the Fish, the Cubs welcome their crosstown rivals to Wrigley Field this weekend, looking to take advantage of one of the weakest teams in the league. Now managed by former Cubs bench coach Will Venable, the Sox enter the week at 12-29 and are fully embracing a youth movement in another season unlikely to produce much in terms of results.

These are two series the Cubs need to take advantage of to continue their strong start to the 2025 campaign. There's nothing like some good ole' fashioned home cooking to help put a rough week to bed.