Jed Hoyer (Creative Commons: Arturo Pardavila III)
Despite defeating the woebegone Chicago White Sox Tuesday evening, the Chicago Cubs are still below .500 at 30-31. While the Cubs still have time to get their act together, there are obvious holes on the team. It appears the Cubs may have overestimated the talent level on their current team. Cubs GM, Jed Hoyer, has talked about the possibility of trading to plug some holes on the roster, but that has yet to come to fruition.
The bullpen and third base continue to be glaring issues, but they are not the only issues the team is dealing with. Let’s take a look at some areas where the Cubs have miscalculated.
Kyle Hendricks
Kyle Hendricks is having a terrible season. In addition to taking up a roster spot, the $16.5 million could have been better spent elsewhere. After a recent outing where he recorded three scoreless innings, Hendricks’ ERA is sitting at 9.38. That comes with a record of 0-4. The Cubs took a swing and missed by picking up Hendricks’ option.
Christopher Morel playing third base
Morel’s offensive stats are underwhelming at first glance. He’s hitting .201 with an OPS of .698. However, that does come with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs. Craig Counsell has been a big proponent of Morel playing third, but the defensive results have not been good. If anything, Morel’s defense has regressed recently. Metrics indicate that Morel has been hitting in “bad luck” and should see his numbers improve. Still, it seems like the team would be better off if they had made a move on the relatively affordable Matt Chapman.
Yan Gomes
Yan Gomes came into the 2024 season having had an outstanding season in 2023. However, Gomes is also 36 years old and looks like he’s toast. Miguel Amaya is hitting .190 so the Cubs are getting nothing from the catching position. Counting on Gomes was a mistake. While the $4 million being paid to Gomes might not seem like a lot to a team like the Cubs who treat the luxury tax like the forbidden zone, it’s a poor expenditure.
Playing Nick Madrigal and Miles Mastrobuoni
These two have combined for a WAR of -0.7. Luis Vazquez is considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the minor leagues. Why he wasn’t called up while Dansby Swanson was on the IL is a mystery.
Over reliance on Adbert Alzolay
It seems that Alzolay really did have a physical issue. Why he was allowed to blow five saves and lose four games before being shut down remains an open question.
Not pursuing Matt Chapman
Matt Chapman was there for the taking, and the Cubs didn’t take him. He currently has a WAR of 2.5. Chapman is making $18 million this season. As a reminder, Kyle Hendricks is making $16.5 million. The Cubs commitment to winning is sometimes questionable. They seem to like the idea of winning, but only if they can do it under the luxury tax threshold. As the biggest market in their division, the Cubs have a natural competitive advantage. It’s a shame they don’t use it.
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