3 reasons Chicago Cubs should not trade for Manny Machado

Signs are pointing upward

Things are looking up for the Cubs, offensively. Despite how people might feel as the season continues to go up and down, they aren’t that far off from the team they need to be.

The Cubs have the second-best team ERA in the National League. Currently, their 3.33 team ERA is also good for third in all of baseball.

Let’s take a look at their current string of games.

Counting Sunday, the Cubs have now scored four or more runs in 10 of their last 15 games. Judging by their ERA, they have a great shot at winning any game in which they do so. This team started drastically slow on the offensive side, but slowly they are coming around.

After going without a hit in four straight games, Anthony Rizzo has a hit now in three straight games. Are people seriously worried about this guy? Come on. We’re talking about a player with 100 RBI in three straight seasons. Does he need to step it up a notch? Absolutely. Will he? Absolutely.

Willson Contreras started awfully slow offensively-speaking, but in May he has taken his game up to a different level, batting in 13 runs with three home runs, two triples and four doubles in the month of May. He finally looks like he’s coming back around to the player everybody knew he would be after splashing onto the scene as a rookie.

Are there inconsistencies elsewhere? Sure. Kyle Schwarber needs to figure some things out, as he’s been pretty bad over the last week or so. But, again like some of the other guys, I’m not worried.

Next: Should the Cubs regret signing Darvish?

Above all else, leadership is there with the Cubs. Joe Maddon knows what he’s doing. The coaching is there, and these guys will come around. There is plenty of positive aspects to the year. It’s all a matter of how you look at it, and for now, I don’t think Machado is going to be worth the deal.