MLB Insider Brands Cubs Biggest Disappointment in NL

The Chicago Cubs have been unable to keep up with the rest of their division after what many considered a successful offseason.

Jun 2, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (30) looks on from the dugout before a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs are in last place in the National League Central, pretty much the last thing the team’s leadership was hoping for when the season started.

That’s disappointment enough. But USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently wrote that the Cubs are the NL’s biggest disappointment team at the season’s halfway point.

It’s hard to argue against his thesis.

The Cubs didn’t light up the offseason, but what they ended up with after luring manager Craig Counsell to lead the team sparked the Cubs to a good start this season.

The signing of pitcher Shota Imanaga helped the Cubs get through a myriad of early injuries to their starting pitchers, including Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Kyle Hendricks. Even though Imanaga’s numbers have fallen off in June, there may be enough in his body of work to get an All-Star Game selection as a rookie.

The problem is he may be the only Cub in Arlington, Texas, for the game on June 16.

Chicago traded for infielder Michael Busch and pitcher Yency Almonte last offseason. While Almonte has been a solid reliever, he’s been on the injured list since May and was moved to the 60-day IL earlier this week.

Busch had an exceptional April and has settled in, but the power numbers have dropped.

Christopher Morel started the season on a high at the plate, and while he continues to slug, his batting average is around .200 and he’s still a liability defensively.

Plus, players the Cubs expected to be stars have underperformed relative to expectations, including shortstop Dansby Swanson, center fielder Cody Bellinger and left fielder Ian Happ.

The frustration boiled over on Saturday night as Steele yelled at his teammates as he walked into the home dugout.

Nightengale made the point that the Cubs don’t have former manager David Ross to blame anymore. He was fired when Chicago made the deal to hire Counsell. That flip happened the same day in the offseason.

“The Cubs spent money, have gotten tremendous value out of rookie sensation Shota Imanaga, and somehow find themselves in last place,” Nightengale wrote.

The worst part may be the team leading the NL Central is the team Counsell led last season, Milwaukee. The Brewers, one of the Cubs’ chief rivals, have set the managerial change aside, overcome the losses of players like pitcher Corbin Burnes to Baltimore and remained at the top of the division.

As for the Cubs, the first half of this season has been as disappointing as you could imagine.