The Rundown: PCA's Unprecedented Funk Helps Brewers Broom Cubs, Early Exit for Cabrera, Ohtani Nearly Dealt to Rays in '23 -

The Cubs have fallen into a prolonged slump after a strong stretch in late April and early May. They have gone 2-9 since then and have been playing poorly. Pete Crow-Armstrong is singled out as a major concern, with a suggestion to move past a recent interaction with a White Sox fan. When the team struggles, criticism of Boog Sciambi and related commentary increases, but the main issues are on-field. The Cubs are not producing timely hits with runners on base, starting pitching has regressed, injuries continue to affect availability, defenders have been lackadaisical, and the bullpen has been inconsistent. Milwaukee has dominated the Cubs, outscoring them 19-5 in a three-game set.

"The Cubs are a mess right now, none more than Pete Crow-Armstrong, and things aren't going to change until they refocus and get back to playing the dominating type of baseball that helped them win 20 of 23 games in late April and early May. They're 2-9 since, and playing like dogshit, pardon my manners. Crow-Armstrong is the team's worst offender and probably needs to put his interaction with a White Sox fan behind him."

"You can always tell when the Cubs are struggling because the anti-Boog Sciambi faction comes out en masse. I read one article that said Sciambi needs to focus more on the game when the Cubs are getting their asses kicked and I couldn't help but wonder why the author wasn't holding himself to similar criteria. Ol' Boog called the Cubs-Brewers rivalry the biggest in the game right now, and he's correct. It's just too bad it's so awfully one-sided. Sciambi - who has as much to do with game-to-game outcomes as you or I do - is not the problem."

"In other words, the Cubs are playing like they need a new timing chain and head gasket. I can use that analogy because I'm shopping for a 1984 Monte Carlo SS, but it's accurate. The Brewers are going off like the best team in the National League, bullying Chicago to the point where games are over before they begin. Milwaukee outscored the Cubs 19-5 in the three-game set, and held our heroes to 16 hits with just one home run."

Read at Cubsinsider