Cubs in Crisis: Cubs Prioritize Process Amidst Sluggish Hitting in MLB

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Chicago Cubs Look to Get Out of Offensive Slump

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs, mired in a collective offensive slump, preach the importance of maintaining the process, beyond the results, as the key to overcoming this moment. The team has lost three consecutive series for the first time this season, culminating in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday. The Cubs failed to score the tying run in the eighth inning despite having runners on second and third with no outs.

There’s a tendency to make everything sound worse than it is in our game. That’s the nature when it’s every day. The things that aren’t going well aren’t what’s happening. This is baseball, you have to be tough enough to deal with that.

Craig Counsell, Cubs Manager
Since the All-Star break, Chicago ranks 28th in runs scored, after leading the league for most of the first three months of the season. There is no single culprit, as most of the hitters in the top and middle of the order have struggled. Kyle Tucker, right fielder, was asked how to get out of this situation. Since July 1, Tucker is batting .195, with only one home run and four extra-base hits. After injuring his right ring finger in early June, he had a good end of the month, but has regressed since then. Tucker says his finger is “fine”. Seiya Suzuki, designated hitter, has driven in only eight runs since the break, while batting .182. Michael Busch, first baseman, is batting .171 since the break, while Ian Happ, left fielder, is at .228. Pete Crow-Armstrong, center fielder, has struggled recently, with only three hits and 15 strikeouts in August before a double in the second inning on Friday.

I think it becomes self-imposed pressure when you feel like you’re not doing your part in contributing. When things start to pile up like that, it stinks, but it’s also baseball and I still have a few weeks left in this season and there’s still plenty of time to get back to producing.

Pete Crow-Armstrong
Counsell added:

Clinging to the things that give you results and being okay with them not happening at the exact moment you want is the right way to be your best self. I think we have to be consistent with that. For us, focusing on results is detrimental, so we focus on the things that contribute to us being good.

Craig Counsell, Cubs Manager
That’s the collective feeling of the group inside the clubhouse as the Cubs continue to hold a spot in the wild card race, even if the division seems to be slipping away. The wins are still coming, but not at the pace they had during the first half. And the club has yet to be swept in a three- or four-game series, one of two teams in baseball who can make that claim. There’s still time to find that offensive rhythm again as the Cubs look to cut into the Milwaukee Brewers’ division lead while fending off the Cincinnati Reds in the wild card race.

The Brewers are on a roll. The Reds are playing good baseball. It’s another divisional matchup (this weekend). I mean, the Cubs are the Cubs. We’re just going to keep playing the same baseball we played all year… It’s been an interesting couple of weeks, but we’re fine. I don’t think there’s any concern in the world.

Pete Crow-Armstrong
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