Chicago Cubs: Is Joe Maddon back on the hot seat?

The Chicago Cubs haven’t played good baseball as of late, which may lead to more questions surrounding manager Joe Maddon’s job security beyond this season.

Just when things appeared smooth sailing for the Chicago Cubs, they’ve hit a speed bump that’s reinforced their early season struggles. The Cubs have struggled lately to hit, field, and pitch: three essential tasks that must be executed diligently in order to win games.

Losers of five out of their last six games heading into Wednesday night’s showdown against the Houston Astros, the Cubs have witnessed their division lead in the National League Central Division evaporate to just a half a game. With stars such as Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist absent, along with a starting rotation that is slumping, and a maddening bullpen on top of it all, the Cubs have taken a major step back compared to the rest of the perceived contenders in baseball.

While there are bound to be plenty of bumps and bruises along the way throughout a 162-plus  season, the struggles going on right now only brings the spotlight back on to Joe Maddon’s job security.

Maddon’s contract is set to expire following this season, and there is no indication yet that Theo Epstein is willing to further commit long-term to him. Anything short of winning another World Series title could spell the end of Maddon’s tenure with the organization. In all likelihood, it’s a make or break season for him.

Losing to one of the best teams in baseball, the Houston Astros, is more understandable than repeatedly losing to the Cincinnati Reds, a middling team at best. Yet, the Cubs have managed to do both those things in recent days, thus reinforcing how inconsistent they are as a collective unit.

The Cubs unfortunately have become a team that should hardly be taken seriously as a true championship contender. At least until they prove to be trustworthy enough to beat both the good and bad teams on a more regular basis. This is where Maddon’s impact on a game comes into play.

As manager, it’s on Maddon to put his players in the best position to win games. To this day, Maddon still has a habit of changing the lineup card too often, while putting players in positions on the field that don’t reflect their true value, ultimately putting even more of a burden on the defense. Even worse though, is the fact that lately, Maddon’s in-game calls to the bullpen have also backfired more times than not.

If the Cubs continue to struggle while taking on bad habits caused largely by their manager, it’s safe to say the chatter surrounding Maddon’s future will only continue to intensify as the season wears on.