Chicago Cubs Manager Blames Offense for Horrific Slump

Craig Counsell wasn't afraid to point fingers after the Chicago Cubs' latest crushing loss.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Friday night brought more of the same for the slumping Chicago Cubs, who just can't seem to get out of their own way. Despite getting another solid start from Jameson Taillon (4-4 with a 3.03 ERA), the Cubs once again doomed themselves with poor baserunning, shaky defense (two errors) and insufficient offense.

The result was a depressingly familiar 4-2 loss to the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers, who won their fifth straight game to extend their NL Central lead over the last-place Cubs to a whopping 11 1/2 games. Meanwhile, Chicago fell to 38-45 with its latest demoralizing defeat.

After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell called out the offense, which managed just two runs and five hits against his former team on Friday at American Family Field (where Chicago is just 1-4 this year).

#Cubs lose to the #Brewers 4-2 in Milwaukee. At 38-45 Chicago remains in last place in the NL Central. Craig Counsell? At a loss for words. pic.twitter.com/6SXk4vcO06

— Mike Clemens (@MikeClemensNFL) June 29, 2024

"I think we got to plan on scoring more runs. We've got to score more runs, no question about it," a frustrated Counsell told reporters after the game. "That's a part of this for sure. It takes all areas to win a baseball game, and we're not doing that enough right now."

Counsell is certainly correct on that point. Since May 1, Chicago ranks 28th in scoring at 3.62 runs per game –– well below the MLB average of 4.36 runs per game this season. Over the last 21 games, that number is even worse at 3.43 runs per game.

A big reason for the Cubs' offensive ineptitude is their consistent blunders on the basepaths. No team has made more outs on the bases this year than Chicago.

Throw in poor fielding, major injuries and an inconsistent bullpen, and it's easy to see why the Cubs are spiraling. Since starting the year 17-9, they've gone 21-36 with a minus-58 run differential. They've also lost 10 of their last 11 series openers and are now 9-18 against the NL Central.

After two months of terrible baseball, there's seemingly no end in sight for Chicago. The hapless Cubs are already more than halfway through their schedule and have a lot of work to do if they want to make the playoffs (Baseball-Reference has their postseason chances at a mere five percent). If they don't turn things around soon and make up some serious ground in July, Jed Hoyer will have no choice but to punt on the season and sell at the July 30 trade deadline.