Chicago Cubs: The definitive guide to the 2020-21 offseason
By Jason Parini
Chicago Cubs need to address the hitting
There’s no sugarcoating the offense here, either.
The Cubs were tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates for second to last in team batting average in the National League in 2020 with a .220 team average, ahead of only the Cincinnati Reds.
They were 27th in all of baseball.
Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, David Bote, Victor Caratini and Nico Hoerner all hit below .250, with Contreras posting the highest average at .243.
Come on, how is the catcher leading the team in average save for Jason Heyward and Ian Happ?
Hopefully, seasons like Baez and Bryant were just a result of an odd season and lack of preparation, as both guys barely hit above .200. But the team’s lack of production at the plate is not new, and they need to find a way to get the core back to 2016 level (or at least closer to it).
To be fair, this season is far from ordinary and has so many added variables and concerns, so one can’t hold a 60-game season against anyone. But it’s also not something to completely overlook.
It’s hard to imagine one of those guys not being traded this year, as they just can’t continue to field the same team year in and year out. So it’s now on the front office to make some moves to add another bat or two and the hitting staff to get the bats going again.