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Ranking the Chicago Cubs' 4 biggest disappointments so far this season
It isn't just certain players that are disappointing us this season.
Here we are, getting ready for June baseball already. The Cubs have fallen below .500, and we're in the middle of one of those stretches where it's easy to get pessimistic about the season's outlook entirely. The truth is, just as quickly as the Cubs fell into this slump, they can climb back out of it. For now, we need to outline certain underperformances hindering the team. Here are four of the biggest disappointments to begin the 2024 campaign.
4 biggest Cubs disappointments - Ian Happ
Ian Happ must be one of the streakiest players in baseball. When he's good, he's really good. When he's not, he slashes .223/.326/.383 with six home runs and 24 RBI a third of the way through the season. At the very least, he still gets on base at an above-average clip, but he tends to either hit for average or power, rarely both. It wasn't until recently that he started hitting a couple more home runs.
Hopefully, that's a precursor for Happ to get back on track because he's been in one of those prolonged slumps all season. The kind that made his three-year extension just a year ago look like it was not the most intelligent idea.
At the end of May last year, Happ was batting .278, and although it's unlikely he will reach that mark for the season this year without a torrid stretch, the Cubs need him to have those months where he locks in and gets back to that 115-120 wRC+ on average type of player. When he does, he's one of the more valuable hitters on the team. As always with him, consistency is a must.
3. Dansby Swanson
We love Dansby Swanson, don't get us wrong. I can speak confidently for all Cubs fans when I say that. The truth, however, is that since he signed a deal with the Cubs, the numbers that brought him to Chicago after a career year in Atlanta have become increasingly unattainable.
In 2022, Swanson slashed a career-best .277/.329/.447 with 25 HRs and 96 RBIs. We knew there would be years for a seven-year contract that he would regress, but at the very least, his defense would make up for it. Last season, for example, he led the entire league in Outs Above Average (20) and Runs Prevented (15).
Entering June, Swanson's OOA and RP still both sit at 0. He also still sits at -1 defensive run saves, according to Fangraphs. Of course, the .205/.279/.317 slash entering Saturday only makes matters more troubling, and the Cubs need more from him. This is a regression that is past the acceptable point, and although he is a good enough player to bounce back, it needs to happen sooner rather than later.
If Swanson can't rebound offensively, it will be soon that the front office starts to look at this situation like it's Jason Heyward's contract all over again.
2. Kyle Hendricks
After the year Kyle Hendricks had in 2023, bringing him back on a 16.0M club option seemed like a no-brainer. The nostalgia aspect only made it a more heartfelt story, as he is the last remaining 2016 World Series Championship team member. The truth is, 2016 doesn't feel like yesterday anymore, and Hendricks' 2024 season has been as underwhelming as one could imagine. He currently sports an ERA north of 10.00 and sits among the worst at the bottom 1% in pitching run value.
I hate saying it publicly, but without an immediate turnaround, which seems unlikely, the team will probably have to let him go soon. Similar to Jake Arrieta, the nostalgic part is heart-wrenching, but the show must go on for the Cubs if they want to make their team as competitive as possible this season. The man deserves a proper send-off and will always be remembered as a Cubs legend. That's the nicest way I can put it. Other than that, enough's enough.
1. The Ricketts' unwillingness to go all in
After narrowly missing the postseason just a year ago, the hope was high that the Chicago Cubs' front office would push their chips in and make some big moves over the winter to catapult the team into the playoff picture. The biggest names in free agency turned out to be an afterthought, and the team continued with his short-deal contracts, which have worked out to this juncture, but in a way many didn't expect.
Shota Imanaga, in particular, was a steal. He has exceeded everybody's expectations. Still, the team's unwillingness to do much more than bring Cody Bellinger back on a deal to bridge the way to Pete Crow-Armstrong was underwhelming with all the big names out there this past offseason. They brought in Hector Neris, who many thought was a good move but was still a bandaid on a bullpen needing severe help. He hasn't been ideal in the closer role, and the team's previous closer lost his spot due to underperforming.
Still, the Cubs refuse to go over the luxury tax, which would help patch the roster holes and truly help them become a winning organization. Meanwhile, the Wrigleyville area is well-invested in for its tourists, who flock to Chicago every year to see a game at the federal landmark, but the buck stops there, literally, as pockets continue to be lined regardless of the outcome of the team's success or lack thereof.
Jed Hoyer has done a great job constructing a farm system that should supplement the major league-level team. However, it must also include a mix of veteran All-Star caliber players. Of course, he can only do so much financially with what he has at his disposal, which is only green-lit from the very top. The Cubs' best players are mere role players on another team. They need a Shohei Ohtani, a Ronald Acuna Jr., or a Bryce Harper player. The longer the Ricketts don't spend top dollar on superstar talent, the more disappointing life will get as a Cubs fan. The franchise is worth more than ever, and there's little reason not to invest in the product on the field.
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