The 2024 Cubs surged out to a 17-10 start for the season’s first month, turning in a +20 run differential and looking every bit like a favorite in the National League Central. The script has flipped over the past month-plus, however, as Chicago has gone 12-19 and allowed 25 more runs than they’ve scored in the 31 games since. They’re now six games back of a Brewers club that holds a relatively commanding lead in the division.
Thankfully for the Cubs — and many other non-division leaders in the National League — the 2024 NL is rife with mediocrity thus far. Only four NL clubs have a winning record more than a third of the way through the season. Chicago’s modest 30-31 standing on the season is actually enough to give them a one-game lead for the third NL Wild Card spot. (Conversely, the 33-27 Twins hold the top Wild Card spot in the American League.)
With the Cubs still squarely in the playoff picture and just under eight weeks to go until the 2024 trade deadline, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is unsurprisingly looking ahead with a buyer’s mentality. The longtime Cubs exec chatted with The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney about his team’s recent play, conceding that they’ve “played poor baseball in a lot of ways” but expressing confidence that there’s a turnaround on the horizon.
Hoyer added that he’s “constantly looking to improve our team” and more specifically lamented the lack of home-run power on his squad. “You need to be able to homer at the right times,” said Hoyer. “And you need to be able to score in bunches. That’s something we haven’t done, especially early. … You got to put pressure on the opposing manager. You got to get into the bad part of the bullpen. We haven’t done a good enough job.”
The Cubs are a middle-of-the-pack team on the season as a whole, with 60 round-trippers on the year. But over the past 30 days, Chicago’s 24 home runs are tied for 22nd in the majors. In that span, the Cubs rank 29th in baseball with a .216 average, 21st with a .299 on-base percentage and 28th with a .347 slugging percentage. Their combined 23.7% strikeout rate is also the sixth-highest in the majors.
Digging in a bit further, the Cubs have seen strong production from Cody Bellinger over the past month. Ian Happ has hit for a low average with a middling OBP but shown plenty of power. It’s been the inverse for Michael Busch, who’s hit .189 and flailed away with a 37% strikeout rate but also drawn walks in more than one of five plate appearances, keeping his batting line afloat with a strong OBP.
The rest of the roster has struggled all around at the plate, with particular difficulty from Dansby Swanson and (to a lesser extent) double-play partner Nico Hoerner over the past month. Both are premium defenders who are signed long-term, however, so neither will be displaced anytime soon.
Bellinger has played some more first base recently in light of Busch’s contact struggles, but that’s left further questions in the outfield, where Seiya Suzuki has struggled upon hie return from the injured list and Pete Crow-Armstrong has yet to find his stride in a small sample of big league at-bats. Over at third base, Christopher Morel has struggled on both sides of the ball recently — yesterday’s home run notwithstanding. The Cubs’ catching tandem of Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya, meanwhile, has been one of the worst in baseball from an offensive standpoint, combining for a .176/.220/.261 slash.
Speculatively speaking, the most straightforward areas at which to add would be third base, catcher or designated hitter. A third baseman with some power and a solid glove would be particularly prudent, as it’d allow Morel to move to more of a DH-heavy role. There might not be many such hitters on the market, however, particularly if the Rockies stick to their reported desire to hang onto Ryan McMahon. If the Astros wind up selling, impending free agent Alex Bregman is a logical target, but Houston GM Dana Brown recently downplayed the notion that Houston would trade pieces away. Toronto GM Ross Atkins took a similar approach in suggesting trades of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and/or Bo Bichette don’t “make any sense” for his club.
The market could have a few catchers available, particularly if the Blue Jays or Rockies are willing to part with impending free agents Danny Jansen and Elias Diaz. Of course, the trade market will continue to come into focus as the deadline draws nearer and as teams more firmly cement themselves as playoff contenders or more decisively fall back in the standings.
Taking a bigger-picture look, Bellinger’s ability to play all three outfield positions and first base gives Hoyer and his staff some flexibility in the type of hitter they pursue. If Busch continues to struggle, he could be optioned to Iowa, with Bellinger taking over first base on a full-time basis and the Cubs targeting an outfielder. If Busch can rebound, the Cubs could pursue any outfielder whose bat they covet, knowing Bellinger could slot into any of the three outfield slots, and that he, Happ, Suzuki and a new acquisition could rotate through the outfield and DH slots.
However they choose to go about it, the Cubs seem likely to be in the market for some extra punch heading into next month’s trade deadline. That’ll surely be true of many teams looking to bolster their rosters, but Chicago’s need is a bit more acute — and the roster offers multiple points for potential upgrades.
Cubs if you need power and a vet SP, we the Mets can help, I’ve given up on the rest of this year already. We have Alonso, Marte and Quintana for ya for Busch, Morel and Horton. Cubs can try to win now, while the Mets look to the future finally.
Keep dreaming
Downvoted
That Horton injury is quite concerning……
Pass the bong, Sir! Aint happening. You can have Morel, but Busch and Horton are staying in Chicago.
Horton is not going anywhere, even with a lat injury.
I think a smaller deal like a rental of Alonso for BJ Murray and Pablo Aliendo is more like it. Maybe through in either Little or Cuas.
Alonso would be a pure rental, no way the Cubs will give him even what the Mets are offering. For all we know, Belli won’t even opt out.
Quintana is not an upgrade over Brown and Wesneski.
Little has a plus fastball and is controllable for years and about the only LHP in the BP. Brown just threw 7 no hit innings last week. I seriously doubt Hoyer would trade either one.
Never suggested Brown or Wesnicki would be traded, just said they were better than Quintana. I could stomach losing Little for Alonso if we are likely to make the postseason.
Wesneski
Try again. How about Lindor and $100M for Nick Madrigal? Lindor would join the Cubs collection of guys who should be batting 6th.
If the Cubs need an OFer all they have to do is switch Caissie out for Busch and let Bellinger play 1B. Caissie is hitting .302 and leads the team in walks, BA and Doubles. They don’t have to deal for one. As far as Alonso goes he’s having just as bad a year as Morel so what’s the point. Cubs pitching is getting healthy again and can now make quality moves. Assuming Brown stays #5 and Wesneski is long relief they still have Little, Palencia, Arias, Roberts, K. Thompson, Hodge, they can shuttle back and forth to back up Neris, Leiter Jr. and Smyly as needed. I could see them getting a C as I didn’t see both Gomes and Amaya both stinking up the place with the bats. The rest you’re kind of stuck with for now, They made their bed, They have to hope for a revival. Between NTC’s and untradeable salary Hoyer is stuck.
Saying Alonso is having just as bad a year as Morel is a bit silly.
Morel is sitting on a 98 OPS+
Alonso has a 128 OPS+
Morel is down, even by his standards (his high is only 118). Alonso is pretty much in line with normal production, except he’s got a few less homers and a few more doubles.
Alonso has his warts, he is what he is, but his bat would be a clear upgrade over Morel.
Morel is destroying the baseball over 100 MPH most of the time. his approach is better his balls in play average doesn’t reflect the way he’s hitting the ball. His fielding has been up and down. He’ll make a great play then look completely lost. He just needs to play more but at worst he’s a fine DH. You can keep Alonso and figure out if you want to toss a 1/4 billion bucks at him because that’s what he thinks he’s worth. If I’m Hoyer, I’m out.
His fielding has NOT been up and down, unless you consider making A play “up”. He ranks 44th out of 44 third basemen at defensive runs saved and outs above average. Even worse, he’s 154th out of 154 of ALL infielders. There is NO up in his defense—we begged you in January, February, March to get off the “all he needs is reps” bandwagon and he has failed. Stop with the “he needs to play more.” What channel are you watching the games on??? He literally turned a “potential” triple play ball, definite double play ball into a five run deficit last night.
There are objective and quantifiable stats out there to show that he should never play defense in the major leagues.
Well he’s not the only one playing crap defense. They’ve all been looking like they’re thinking about anything but baseball in the field. The Gold Glovers have been terrible at times and if you want to be perfectly honest you can put Suzuki in that should never see the field also because he’s as bad if not worse in RF. If he has no position, They need to move him. Probably in the off season because they might not have anyone ready by next year to play 3B.
Uncle–STOP trying to defend Morel at every turn. Just stop, please. Morel is, quantifiably, the worst defensive infielder in baseball. Any error that Dansby or Nico or Seiya makes does not change that fact nor does it make Morel any better.
We told you all winter, based on six years of stats, that he is not a viable defensive third baseman and that trend woefully continues.
Yes, it sucks when Dansby boots one, but it sucks because you don’t expect it very often….it’s very much different when something happens that is very predictable.
I have all the faith in the world that things normalize meaning that Nico and Dansby will play Gold Glove caliber defense and Morel won’t.
So what’s your plan? Rockies have said they’re not moving McMahon. Astro’s have said they’re not moving Bregman. Give 2 prospects away for another Candelario? They shouldn’t keep doing that. I would even move Shaw to Miami to get Tanner Scott. The Cubs have guys with Closer potential but I don’t think they are going to step up this year. The bullpen piece that’s missing is Closer. Yeah Neris is OK. But the pen is way better with Neris and Leiter setting up Scott. The Cubs have a few guys who could be Shaw. And they’re not even playing Shaw at 3rd right now anyway really. 3RD is going to be a problem for the rest of the year let’s face it. Plus the guy who the Cubs are most identified as drafting this year is a 3B at #17. So I say we have to live or die with Morel, Love it or not.
Getting Tanner Scott for a top prospect is not going to make Morel a better infielder. Quit deflecting, please.
Here’s the plan—get him off the field and let him hit and get that potential unleashed. Get Paredes or Suarez or fill in the blank with just about any name to play the field.
I love your passion, but at some point after seven seasons you have to back off.
Suzuki has a no trade clause, unless he decides to go back to Japan he isn’t going anywhere.
Suarez or Paredes? That’s your plan? That plan is even worse than Mastrobuoni or Madrigal who by the way just got hit and left the game in Iowa so it looks like another IL trip for Ole Nicky. Sorry but I’d rather leave Morel out there and roll the dice he can knock in more runs than he gives up in the field. Mike I love your passion but you need to temper your hate of Morel. I’ve been accused of it before with Hendricks and Wisdom. So I know of what I speak. Davis got hit in the head. Palencia left with an injury Madrigal got hit. Iowa taking a beating in the 2nd game. Thompson couldn’t get anybody out again. Tough day.
Morel is horrible defensively. Sit this one out unc.
Suarez is terrible, I live in AZ and see him pretty much everyday. The Dbacks would gladly give him away. I’ll take Morel’s youth and enthusiasm along with occasional pop over Suarez any day.
The idea that Busch has a strong OBP with walks compensating for batting average illustrates the problem with statistical evaluations of players. He’s hitting .189. His inflated OPB rests on the notion that a walk is as good as a hit. But it isn’t. A hit can advance a runner one base or more. It can score as many as three runners. Once in play, it can force fielders into errors, which enable the hitter to take a second base. Each of these outcomes is more valuable than a walk. I’d rather have a guy hit .300 and walk 5% of the time than one like Busch hitting .189 with a 20% walk rate.
The first move I’d make is getting Diaz from the Rockies. Shouldn’t cost much in significant talent, and he’d solve that black hole in the lineup. Gomes seems to have reached his expiration date, so I’d DFA him in a corresponding move.
Yes, solar, yes.
The first thing they need to do is get Aliendo to Iowa. Wyndham doesn’t do it for me if Amaya isn’t the guy. Diaz would be a welcome addition right now if he can hit .250. Aliendo can catch and hit. He’s the best one they have if Amaya fails.
Shatkins and Shapyro have made a mess in Toronto. There’s one sure way to get yourself better. Deal as many players as you can and reload. Keeping the two will only be more painful when they leave after next season.
I understand that a lot of Cubs issues are the result of BABIP misfortune, but the bottom line is the W/L record – if they do not see a change their luck this month, they have no choice but to sell – luck be damned.
I said it last offseason the Cubs are 1 big trade away from being legit contenders. They have a decent team but there is no big bat in that lineup. The rotation has been better than expected but the pen needs help.
Get Robert from the White Sox. I imagine the White Sox would like to have Armstrong. Get him and a couple relievers and they got a really good complete team.
The Cubs rotation has been better than who expected? Not anybody who has actually seen them play before. Might be better than you expected but not anyone here.
What are you talking about? Nobody expected Imanaga to be a Cy Young contender if they did he would have got a lot more money. Other guys have pitched really well too.
Whatever Imanaga was or wasn’t going to be the Cubs still had Brown, Assad, Wicks, and until recently Horton to step up. Steele, Tallion, Smyly and Hendricks. How many teams go that deep? I’ll tell you-none. As I’m watching P’s drop like flies that should be obvious to anybody. Oh and I forgot Wesneski.
Swanson has not been a good defender this year
He has shown signs of health and been pretty solid that past couple of weeks. He’s earned enough leeway to throw the start of the season away.
Cubs are a train wreck. It seems like Hoyer relied too much on a boost from stealing Counsell away from the Brewers. But as we see, it was more organization than manager that contributed to Milwaukee’s success. It was Counsell who pushed to have Morel at 3rd base and that has been a disaster. And Ricketts wouldn’t allow Hoyer to go past the first tier of the luxury tax in the winter,. Still, it’s a pretty hefty payroll for not much production Might be time to remove Jed altogether.
Enjoy the high priced mismanagement! Maybe they should have spent less on CC and more on players.
Cubs are .500, last season at this time they were 10 games under .500.
I’m not a fan of a lot of Counsells moves but he is a significantly better manager than Ross. Last season, the Cubs were bad because of mismanagement. This season the Cubs have been “bad” but a huge reason is injury, not mismanagement.
They are indeed approaching the deadline.
I personally don’t feel the Cubs need more “pop”. Bellinger, Suzuki and Swanson have all missed time and Happ was clearly hurt during that duration as well. Now both Happ and Seyia are heating up and Bellinger is continuing to look like his 2023 version.
The biggest issue is third base, Morel has actually hit well, he’s hit the ball hard and more often than last season but his defense is horrendous. Third needs to be addressed now, Morel needs to shift to DH, Busch needs to be the primary first baseman, Bellinger in center with PCA going back down so he can get at bats. Tauchman needs to resume his role as the forth outfielder for now with Nico back in the leadoff spot.
Let that ride until the trade deadline and see if there is any more adjusting that needs to take place.
Cubs should also be looking at clearing a couple spots from the 40 man and changing Edward’s contract to a split deal, adding him and Wieck to the 40 man roster.
***thank you for all you have done Kyle but either A.) be injured and move to the 60 day IL or B.) get released. Smyly is right there with you except he’s more in the “thanks for pretty much nothing” role. Terrible decision by Hoyer to re-sign Smyly last year.
It goes in waves, Dras, but I think it is evident that it’s PCA over Busch right now and Busch is could be the lefty off the bench. I’m willing to bet we see a lot more Belli at first and PCA in center up to 80% of the time.
I really disagree with you about the “pop” need—BUT it’s something I’ve been saying for two plus years now—and they obviously they were never in the Ohtani sweepstakes and that field is pretty much down to Alonso and might as well wait until free agency.
I ABSOLUTELY agree with you that they can survive without it for now and just need the “back of the baseball card” to normalize with Happ, Seiya, etc.
Dead last in baseball in WAR at third base and that needs to be corrected and also modification at catcher—Gomes drop off is way too much and he certainly does not have a fan in Counsell. Amaya playing the night game that started after 9:30 and then again the next afternoon makes it evident that CC is not showing any confidence in Gomes.
The reason PCA should be sent down is because it’s Morel over Busch at the moment and Morel needs to DH. Then it’s Tauchman over PCA since Morel shouldn’t be playing the field, carrying two lefty bench bats doesn’t make sense.
The issue is the Cubs need to improve third base and Morel needs to be moved to DH (assuming he doesn’t hit the IL) that’s going to take at bats away from Tauchman, who isn’t a viable option full-time at center. Which in turns means he takes at bats from PCA and that’s bad for his development.
With Busch, given his age, you have to see if he can make the adjustments now. If he cannot then you look at moving Bellinger to first and bringing PCA to play center full-time.
Would CUBs have any interest in NYM Baty? Alonso or JD Martinez?
Include 1 SP? Sevy, Maneaa, Quintana, Megill. A Catcher Nido?
Some comination for
Madrigal, PCA + (2 or 3) prospects
Morel can hit but has no position I think he only currently has value as a DH unless and until he can play a position with decent defense
So why would we want JD Martinez if as you say Morel can’t play defense? We’d have 2 guys who can’t play in the field? Counsell would freakin love that. PCA, Horton and Arias are going nowhere. Everyone can pack that up and move along. Caissie might also be untouchable. He’s a LH power bat and he’s raking at AAA at 21 years old. A lot of Cubs prospects are playing way above their age groups. Cubs will have the flexibility to deal in the off season. They’ll have anywhere between 50-80 million bucks to play with and after next months draft even a deeper Farm System. But that won’t help at this deadline unless Ricketts decides to jump the Luxury Tax. I don’t see why he wouldn’t because they can easily reset the Tax next year, Especially if Belli opts out.
Are u watching the same Suzuki we are? He’s done nothing since he came off the IL and his defense has gone to pot. If/when Merryweather comes back in 4 weeks will help quite a bit, along with Almonte..but yes time to make a big boy decision on Hendricks and Gomes.
I don’t know about you but I’m watching the guy who’s hit a double, triple, two home runs and driven in 7 the last 5 games.
Cub fans fall in love with personalities and not winning. When a lineup has 5 players hitting under .220 it’s a bad team. The highest avg. is .265. I don’t care how many fantasy/nerd stats are thrown out in the ether,they don’t hit the baseball consistently, this team is not a contender. Holes at catcher, 3b,LF,1b and RF is a question mark. Terrible bullpen and mediocre starting pitching. If this minor league system is so good, why has Wisdom and Bote been hanging around for 5 yrs? Hoyer has been a failure and the ownership is clueless. They know fans show up no matter what.
Option B is to take the soft reload approach as the Cubs are around .500 in a weak division.
Hendricks is a free agent, make a decision on Smyly’s option, let Bellinger walk, buyout Bote, have some non tender candidates. Move Morel to a position he might be able to handle, see if he plays well defensively the final two months of the season. Then attack free agency.
Wrong, Wrong and Wrong. There’s no need for a rebuild, We did that. Hendricks and Smyly aren’t coming back, At least not at their current salaries and I hope not at all. Smyly’s option is a team option or mutual, Either way he’s gone. Bote’s contract is up after this year there’s no need to buy out anything. 3B was Morel’s last position besides 2B of which the Cubs have like 7 in their top 30 list, Not to mention Hoerner. I don’t know what team you’re watching but it ain’t the Cubs.
Nobody said rebuild. Evidently not only do you not watch the Cubs you can’t read either. Tip: you have zero chance at winning this year. Set up for 2025. That’s not a rebuild.
Bote has to be bought out FYI. Evidently you don’t know your own roster either. Some fan you are.
You said reload which is the same thing. BOTE DOES NOT NEED TO BE BOUGHT OUT. They have to pay him this year no matter what they do with him so there is NOTHING to buy out. You’re not very bright. Go look it up on Spotrac Einstein.
Reload is not rebuild. If you knew baseball you’d never say something stupid like that. It’s a step back to win next year.
Bote has two more club options the next two years according to Spotrac. Looks like even a Google search is too much for you.
I’ll try one more time before I die. Bote’s contract is up after this year. He has 2 more years of arbitration IF he’s offered a contract. Do you really think the Cubs will do that? All, they have to do is non tender him a contract and he’s gone. My freakin God.
Wrong… Cubs have a club option with buyouts for ’25 & ’26. The options and buyout supersede arbitration. By exercising the $1M buyout at the end of the season, the Cubs are relinquishing their rights to Bote and he becomes a non-tendered free agent. There is no arbitration.
Which is what I said from the start “buyout”.
Your freaking God thinks you’re a nothing.
Which is what I said, unless you are referring to the dumb Cubs fan who knows nothing.
I was clarifying your comments for the individual that doesn’t really understand matters like this. And oddly he thinks he’s smarter than Jed Hoyer.
I apologize. i swear the last time I looked at Bote’s deal that buyout wasn’t there. So 1 million to save 14 million No brainer. Peanuts. It amounts to 500,00 a year to get rid of him. I think they’ll survive. If they buy him out next year, They won’t owe him any more I’m assuming. Not going to change much.
You should apologize. You came out guns high and no bullets.
“Reload is not rebuild.”
Indeed… words have meaning. That’s like saying, getting a tune up is the same as getting your engine rebuilt.
When I’m wrong I apologize. I just can’t believe how long I’ve been waiting to lose that contract that I never noticed that. But it happens.
Reload could mean one bullet or 14 if it’s a gl*ck. If you don’t specify it’s a meaningless statement.
Rebuild = tear it down.
Soft reload does not. You didn’t read what I said. This statement clearly shows you don’t mean the apology. Walk it back.
I just want to say a sphincter says what ? You know the rest !!! Bhahahaha
Twins hold the third Wild Card spot, not the “top” one.
Looking at the Cubs struggles this season. Somewhere, David Ross is relaxing and enjoying his favorite beverage saying; See, I told you it wasn’t all on me.
Regardless of what is happening with the Cubs this season, Ross was most definitely not the answer.
Neither is Benedict Counsell.
If someone offers you double the money, you are usually going to take it.
No matter what it cost to sign him, Counsell is not the answer. Milwaukee had the talent to go deep into the playoffs, if not to the World Series multiple times during his time there. The Brewers won in spite of Counsell, not because of him.
The Cubs “struggles” over the first 62 games this year has led to a 31/31 record. The Cubs were 10 games under .500 last year after 62 games.
Up next on insignificant stats no one cares about, drasco036 details how the Cubs budget for socks this year relates to their bullpen E.R.A. From last year.
Ugh, Adams at it again with his comma incompetency. As a conjunctive adverb, “meanwhile” shouldn’t be in the middle of a sentence, set off by commas. It needs to START the sentence.
Sellers.