3 Chicago Cubs takeaways from deflating home stand

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For a Chicago Cubs team that has not reached the postseason since 2020, the team wants to be afforded the benefit of the doubt.

It's a large ask from the front office, maybe ownership, that prefers to enjoy the financial aspect of baseball operations as if they were the Tampa Bay Rays. Sure, the Cubs have over $230MM committed to their payroll for the 2024 season, and the refute to that fact is that is the floor for what a team in the third-largest market in Major League Baseball should be spending.

The Cubs' recent home stand at Wrigley Field likely has taken the rest of the air out from the team's hot start during the month of April.

It would have been tough for the Cubs to win the series against the Atlanta Braves, but that is what made last weekend's four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates disappointing. Paul Skenes notwithstanding, the Cubs have a better roster than the Pirates, but the team's offense has grown cold.

After going 2-5 on their last home stand, the Cubs are now 27-24 on the season. The mark is good for second place in the National League Central with the Cubs trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by two games.

Given the talent level of the National League Central, the Cubs shouldn't be put in a position to be out of the race by the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline in July, but the concerns that surfaced over the past seven games need to be addressed.

3. Offense should be a need a the MLB Trade Deadline

The Cubs have been shut out in 4 of their last 10 games. In those 10 games, the Cubs have only scored more than 3 runs in a game once. For all the talk that has surrounded the idea of the Cubs needing to address their need in the bullpen, the fact remains if the team is going to struggle to score runs, the bullpen won't be in a position to secure victories.

The Cubs' biggest need since the MLB Trade Deadline in 2021 was power, and Jed Hoyer continues to ignore that need. While Christopher Morel appears to be on track to becoming one of the more prominent power hitters in Major League Baseball, there will be growing pains as his offensive profile matures.

The Cubs are going to need to find a way to add power to their offensive lineup and no, depending on prospects such as Matt Shaw or Owen Caissie is not a solution that can be depended upon.

2. Craig Counsell's influence reigns over the roster decisions.

The Cubs' biggest decision during the home stand was removing veteran starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks from the rotation. Hendricks made his first relief appearance on Thursday against the Braves, giving up 2 runs in 2 innings of work.

If the decision had been left to Jed Hoyer, chances are that Hendricks would have remained in the starting rotation. Hoyer is still giving Hendricks the benefit of the doubt for being the final player on the roster from the Cubs' team that won the World Series in 2016.

If there was any doubt that Counsell does not need to answer to Hoyer regarding roster decisions, Hendricks' demotion confirmed that the power lies with the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball.

1. The bottom of the Cubs' 26-man roster will have plenty of turnover.

One of the stranger roster moves that the Cubs made during the home stand was demoting top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong to Triple-A Iowa in favor of infield prospect Luis Vázquez.

Crow-Armstrong appeared to making strides offensively at the Major League level and given his defensive metics already placed him among the best center fielders in all of baseball this season, a case could have been made to give the prospect extended runway in the outfield while Cody Bellinger took over at first base for a struggling Michael Busch.

It would seem that the Cubs will continue to be flexible with the final bench spot on their 26-man roster. It would seem unlikelu that Vázquez will stick for the remainder of the season and once Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson prove to be fully healthy, it would seem the infield prospect will return to Triple-A.

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