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Cubs overcome critical weakness in dominant series finale win over Twins

After struggling to hit with runners in scoring position, the Cubs are on their way to righting the ship after an 8-1 win in Minnesota.
ByNick Neumayer|
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson salutes Cubs fans at Wrigley Field.
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson salutes Cubs fans at Wrigley Field. | David Berding/GettyImages

The Chicago Cubs currently lead the NL Central as they prepare to take on the New York Yankees for their last series before the All-Star Break. While first place in the division is usually cause for celebration, Cubs fans are far from satisfied.

The Cubs put the league on notice with a record of 36-22 through the first two months of the season, but a 13-13 record in the month of June has brought the team back down to earth, with the Milwaukee Brewers lingering in the distance. A large reason for their recent skid has been their performance with runners in scoring position, seemingly an Achilles heel for the once-hot offense.

Through the Cubs’ first 63 games, they batted .297 with RISP, a mark good for second in all of Major League Baseball. Through their next 29 games, their average fell to .213, ranking 28th in the league amidst the skid. 

Cubs right RISP ship in dominant win over Minnesota Twins

Thankfully, the offense seemed to get right in an 8-1 win over the Twins on Thursday, as the Cubs salvaged the final game of the three-game set.

The star of the show was Pete Crow-Armstrong, with the young slugger joining the 25/25 club for the first time in his career. He wasn’t the only one with a hot bat, as the Cubs combined for a 6-for-12 clip with RISP.

Amongst the surging Cubs was Dansby Swanson, who’s struggles with RISP have been well-documented throughout an inconsistent year for the Cubs’ shortstop. Michael Busch drove in two runs to continue his hot streak with Nico Hoerner and Carson Kelly also joining the party alongside a Matt Shaw sac-fly. 

Thursday’s series finale is an encouraging sign for the Cubs. The Yankees rank third in MLB with a run differential of +105, meaning a strong offense will be the difference-maker in an important series at Yankee Stadium. The Cubs are no stranger to offensive explosions, scoring six-plus runs in 42 of their 93 games. If they can find a way to find consistency with runners on, their offense will be one to be feared come October.