Chicago Cubs Struggling After Strong Start
Back in mid-April, the Chicago Cubs were riding high, notching ten consecutive victories. They managed to replicate that success in May, boasting a record of 27 wins and 12 losses. Everything seemed to be going well in Wrigleyville. But, it’s a different story now—things are looking pretty bleak.
The Cubs have now dropped their last four series, and the latest loss at home to the Milwaukee Brewers—who they ousted from the postseason a year prior—was particularly disheartening.
In a startling turn of events, the Cubs bested Milwaukee 19-5 in three consecutive games earlier but suffered a tough 5-0 defeat on Wednesday. They managed just two hits in that game and only had one opportunity with a runner in scoring position, while also committing three errors, one of which was quite embarrassing.
During the second inning with the bases jammed, Milwaukee’s David Hamilton hit a routine line drive right up the middle. All-Star center fielder Pete Crowe Armstrong seemed eager to tackle it, perhaps trying to make a flashy play by throwing to home plate. However, he botched the catch, allowing Hamilton to score an inside-the-park home run.
If Crowe Armstrong’s mishap on such an easy play doesn’t encapsulate the Cubs’ current woes, another incident from just a day earlier probably does. His recent struggles extend beyond fielding; in the past 11 games, he’s hit just 4-for-37, with 12 strikeouts and merely three RBIs.
It’s worth noting that every player faces ups and downs in baseball, but Crowe Armstrong found himself in a scuffle with a White Sox fan during a game on May 16th. After a play in the fifth inning of an 8-3 loss, he was heard responding to a heckler with a vulgar remark: “You’re messed up, you’re messed up, you’re messed up.”
Since that incident, the Cubs have gone 0-4, and Crowe Armstrong has only one hit in 14 plate appearances. To add salt to the wound, the team is grappling with injuries that have left seven pitchers on the injured reserve list this season.
As it stands, the Cubs haven’t really found their rhythm lately. During their current five-game losing streak, they’ve scored more than three runs in a game just once, which was a tight 9-8 loss to the White Sox. It’s clear, they’ve got some serious challenges ahead.
