Chicago Cubs look for offensive boost to get out of losing slump
CHICAGO (CBS) – The Chicago Cubs are trying to end their recent slump, having lost nine of their last 10 series.
The story of this Cubs team over the last 46 games has been their offensive struggles, which have continued midway through June. The team has averaged 3.57 runs per game.
Still, the team is only a game-and-a-half off the pace for a Wild Card spot.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said hits need to come now. The focus is on the current roster but he didn't rule out bringing in a new batter midseason ahead of the trade deadline.
"The trade market's not really open at this point in the summer," Hoyer said. "At this point, certainly the answers have to come from within. [Whether] the question is then theoretical or the actual, we're not going to be able to add that bat today."
Manager Craig Counsell
"We're gonna go on a good stretch here and there're still gonna be more challenges ahead of us, right?" Counsell said. "The season does not like stop challenging you. That's the great part about a 162-game schedule. The challenges never stop, even a team going through good times, you know there's challenges ahead of you. And the knowledge of that, that you know that, I think keeps you grounded no matter what."
The Cubs appear to have a chance at finding some consistency against same opponent as they open up a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants on Monday. They'll face the Giants seven times in the next 10 games.