Chicago Cubs: Willson Contreras can be the missing link

The Chicago Cubs need Willson Contreras to compliment Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant at the top of the lineup.

Willson Contreras might be heating up. He is coming off a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates where he batted over .500. The Chicago Cubs won two of the three games. Contreras was also extremely important to the Cubs’ 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night, blasting a game-tying home run in the seventh inning.

Anthony Rizzo is up to his old tricks again: hitting the ball hard and getting on base. But if Anthony Rizzo will continue batting leadoff, someone needs to replace the void he leaves in the middle of the order; that someone should be Willson Contreras. He is slashing .242/.313/.394, which is lower than last year.

Kris Bryant has admitted he has been fatigued but he should return to his normal peripherals.

Kyle Schwarber has obviously struggled. Ian Happ has shown promise, but he does not put the ball in play enough. Ben Zobrist is on the DL with a wrist injury, so he cannot fill the fourth spot in the lineup.

Jason Heyward struggled with a wrist injury for most of the 2016 season, so it cannot be guaranteed Ben Zobrist will return to his normal self even when he returns to the lineup.

Contreras needs to heat up and play a key role in the offense. Over the weekend, he dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Willson Contreras had five hits (four of the five hits were doubles) and six runs batted it which helped lead the Cubs to their first road series win since late April.

The starting pitching has been abysmal, so the offense is going to have to win games. Or at least the front office makes a move for a starting pitcher or two (Chris Archer anyone?) prior to the trade deadline in July.

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Willson Contreras plays with an infectious energy, but his bat is what can help jump-start the Chicago Cubs’ underachieving offense.