One key missing ingredient is holding this Cubs team back at the worst possible time

The month of May was a rough one for the Chicago Cubs, as the team went just 13-16 and now finds itself closer to .500 than a playoff spot. The story of the team's season so far has been pitching injuries, so recent positive updates on the recovery timelines of Edward Cabrera and Matthew Boyd may prove crucial in turning around. Even so, the Cubs' slumping offense has been just as significant of a culprit in recent weeks.

After landing near the top of offensive leader boards all throughout the month of April, it was a nearly opposite story in May. Some of that is due to the team's hitters (including newly-signed third baseman Alex Bregman) failing to come through in the clutch, but there's an even bigger issue that's keeping the team from succeeding this year on offense: a serious power outage.

Every fan knows that while playing small ball and hitting in the clutch can be effective (especially if you're the Milwaukee Brewers), a healthy serving of long balls can help to paper over issues with runners in scoring position. That's something the Cubs could clearly use right now, but they've been only middle-of-the-pack as a power-hitting team this year. Chicago ranks 13th in the majors in home runs (69), and their isolated slugging (.149) ranks 14th.

Ian Happ, who recently notched the 1000th hit of his career, has more than delivered when it comes to home run power for the Cubs. His .241 ISO and 13 homers this year put him in the same ballpark as superstar sluggers like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. Unfortunately, the rest of the team hasn't been able to come close to those numbers. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki are the next best sluggers on the team, but neither has hit even ten homers this year.

Cubs will need to rediscover their power stroke to start winning again

At a glance, the Cubs' team-wide power numbers might not seem that bad. After all, they're slightly above average for the year. Plenty of teams find success while posting average power numbers; the Blue Jays nearly won the World Series last year after ranking 13th in home runs during the regular season. A closer look at the Cubs' 2026 campaign so far reveals why the team's power production is absolutely key, however.

Through the end of April, when the Cubs were at their best this year, the team was hitting for power with the best of them. Only the Dodgers, Braves, and Yankees hit more homers than Chicago's 42, and the Cubs ranked seventh in the majors with a .166 ISO. Those strong power numbers were enough to put the team on track for a great season, but things took a worrisome turn in May.

Last month, Cubs hitters produced just 27 home runs. Only five teams hit fewer balls over the fence last month, but the team's ISO was even weaker. Chicago's collective .131 figure in May was better than just two teams in all of baseball. Few teams can succeed with that little power output. To do so requires elite pitching and a lot of luck. The Cubs had neither in May, and they fell from the top of the division nearly to the bottom because of it.

The good news is that the Cubs seem to be aware of the problem. The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma recently spoke to Bregman about his power outage, and Bregman offered candid insight into what he thinks his issue has been so far this year. If he, Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki, and others can start hitting for more power then the team might be able to turn things around. After all, last year's Cubs made the playoffs handily after finishing sixth in homers. Only time will tell if they can slug enough to do it again.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow