Things have continued to go from bad to worse for the Chicago Cubs.
After a three-game sweep to the Houston Astros over the weekend extended their losing streak to eight, the Cubs once again fell on Monday, dropping their series opener to the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1. Chicago has now dropped their ninth straight game, making this slide their longest losing streak since 2022.
To put this losing streak in perspective, their last nine-game losing streak came during the 2022 season, when the Cubs were in the middle of a rebuild and lost 88 games.
The Cubs' nine-game slide has been stunning to say the least, especially after Chicago looked like a World Series contender at the start of the season. The ballclub has strung together multiple 10-game winning streaks. At one point, they won 15 consecutive games at Wrigley Field, a feat they haven't accomplished at "The Friendly Confines" since 1935.
But since then, the Cubs have lost 13 of their last 15 and are sitting in third place in the National League Central after being the betting favorites to clinch their first division title since 2020.
What has gone wrong for the Cubs this month?
May has not been kind to the Cubs. They have scored two runs or fewer in 11 games this month and have been shut out four times as well. Runners in scoring position have also been the team's biggest Achilles heel during this month, going a woeful 35-for-184 (.190).
Chicago's All-Star outfielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, has also not looked good this season, posting an OPS of .674 in 54 games.
When seemingly everything was going right for the Cubs earlier this season, the exact opposite has been true over the past two weeks. From the team not being able to hit to the pitching staff lacking consistency, the Cubs have dug themselves into a deep hole and are in third place in a division that looks to be the best in Major League Baseball, with every club above .500.
The Cubs will look to avoid a dreaded 10-game slide tomorrow night when they continue their series in Pittsburgh.
