Cubs Week in Review: When Will It Get Better?

Since securing their last series win against the Reds on May 6, the Cubs are 7-15. They're standing naked in the cold spotlight right now, and some of those laughing in the dark are their fiercest rivals. With a demoralizing combination of stranded baserunners and inconsistent pitching, the city's North Side baseball team has lived a nightmare for the last three weeks. A late recharge of this squad's bats and some masterful pitching performances from unexpected places proved that it's far from over. 

The renewal of a division rivalry feels more important than a tilt featuring more unfamiliar opponents. With the North Siders kicking off a four-game set in Pittsburgh on the Memorial Day holiday, this sentiment was clearly on the minds of players in both dugouts. The suddenly marvelous Ben Brown took the bump. He went six full innings, surrendering just four hits and one earned run, and punching out seven Pirates. The club's inept offense doomed them once again, however, as they were flummoxed by Pittsburgh starter Carmen Mlodzinski. Chicago mustered its only run, a solo shot off the bat of Michael Busch, against the Buccos starter, but that's where it ended, leaving seven stranded in a 2-1 victory for the Pirates. 

The loss of Cade Horton near the outset of this campaign set into motion the world's worst game of musical chairs. Craig Counsell and his staff have looked in every corner of this clubhouse for answers, from Javier Assad to Tuesday's starter, Jordan Wicks. Alas: nothing has panned out for the North Siders. In his first start of the season, Wicks was roughed up, surrendering eight earned runs on nine hits. Racking up eight hits and just one run, the offense went an astonishing 1-for-13 with RISP. This is a team that's had a hard time getting out of its own way, and this contest was no different, with the Pirates winning 12-1.  

It's no secret that Pittsburgh native Ian Happ loves to work at PNC Park. With a five-RBI day, Happ powered his squad to their first convincing victory in weeks Wednesday, in a 10-4 triumph. One element of this slide that has doomed the Cubs is inconsistent pitching, but despite Jameson Taillon giving up another pair of home runs, the staff largely kept their opponents in check. The bullpen had one of its best showings of late, with solid appearances from Ethan Roberts, Jacob Webb, Phil Maton, and Caleb Thielbar. The tilt served as a reminder that this Chicago team has much to play for. 

With the offense finally clicking, the Cubs salvaged a split on Thursday. Michael Busch, Alex Bregman, and Happ all recorded critical hits, with the squad's left fielder crushing another long fly. Colin Rea delivered a steady showing, coughing up just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of work. In the smallest of sample sizes, the Cubs put forth their most encouraging two games of offense, restoring some of the good habits and better vibes that have been so sorely missing from this ball club. The final score was 7-2.

A lack of synchronization between the team's offense and defense dragged them to the depths of the NL Central cellar for a moment in the past week. A 6-5 loss in the opener of their three-game set with the archrival Cardinals supplied a convincing demonstration of this case. Happ homered in his third-straight game, but a dismal appearance from Shota Imanaga put the North Siders behind early. Though he's not the only starter who struggles with the long ball, Imanaga allowed the Cards to swat three long flies. The 6-5 win for the home team ended Chicago's win streak at two. 

Ben Brown is, by default, the momentary ace of this staff, and his virtuoso performance in game two of the series evened things. Brown was as confident as he was efficient, cruising through the early innings with his balanced arsenal. He frustrated the Cardinals lineup with a wicked curveball and his two-seam fastball. Pete Crow-Armstrong put his stamp on the game with his best performance of the year: a four-hit game, placing the tarps back on to a raucous Saint Louis crowd with a 444-foot moonshot, his seventh on the year. The sparkling night at the plate helped the Cubbies to a 6-1 win. 

In front of a sold-out Sunday Night Baseball crowd, the North Siders squandered their shot at the second series win of the month. Wicks followed up his previous pedestrian outing with a shorter but not better one. He couldn't find much of a groove, yielding four hits and three earned runs. As he went, so went the club's worst offensive tendencies, with a solo homer from Alex Bregman providing the only offense in the rubber match. The North Siders' pitching woes have been known for some time, but if they wish to really gain ground in this division, it's a problem they must solve, and fast. Chicago fell 5-1 at Busch Stadium. 

The calendar now turns to June, with Craig Counsell's club still seeking a consistent formula for success. The squad gets a day off on Monday before returning to the Friendly Confines for a three-game set with the competent Athletics. The weekend festivities at Wrigley will see the San Francisco Giants pay a visit. While there are still a few positives to speak to regarding this baseball team, the negatives are dominating at the moment. There's time, but the Cubs had better be keeping better track of it.