Two Key Flaws the Cubs Must Address to Be Serious World Series Contenders

The Chicago Cubs are rolling right now. They are 16-10 while playing the toughest schedule in baseball up to this point. They boast the best offense in the league, making them one of the most fun teams to watch in the league. However, if this team wants to be viewed as serious contenders to win the World Series when it is all said and done, there are two key flaws that Jed Hoyer and company just address.

Third Base 

The Cubs’ offense does not have many weaknesses in it, but the one that sticks out like a sore thumb is the hot corner. It has been a revolving door at that position to start the year, as the season started with rookie Matt Shaw getting the chance to play every day, but he was sent down to the minor leagues due to a lack of offensive production. This opened the door for guys such as Gage Workman, who has since been designated for assignment, Jon Berti, and Nicky Lopez. All of these guys have taken turns going in and out of the lineup since Shaw’s demotion, and none of them have stood out in any particular way. The Cubs were in the market for Alex Bregman in the offseason, and their inability to sign him is proving to be a problem they will have to address at some point during the summer months if they want to complete this offense. It is still too early in the season to seriously consider a blockbuster trade, but that does not mean they can not navigate the market to gauge interest from other clubs.

Bullpen

This is the more pressing matter, in most people’s opinion, who follow the Cubs on a regular basis. It can be seen in just the last week or so, where the Cubs have had to score eight runs or more to win a number of crazy games against really good teams like the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks. While the offense has been able to bail out the bullpen, that is not something this team is going to want to rely on come October baseball. Ryan Pressly has settled into his closer role, and Porter Hodge has proved to be a reliable high-leverage arm, but outside of those two guys, there is not a lot of trust from manager Craig Counsell. Jed Hoyer has already come out and said they are searching the market for potential pitching help, so it is clear there will at least be an effort to fix up this bullpen. This team will lose very quickly in October if they consistently rely on their offense to outscore the opponent like they have through the first 26 games of this season.