Chicago Cubs ‘Desperately’ Need This One Thing in Their Lineup

The Chicago Cubs lineup is missing one thing and that was clear in their series against the Atlanta Braves.

May 5, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) gestures to his bullpen while rounding the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs offense went cold again during their three-game set against the Atlanta Braves. Scoring just six runs and not hitting one home run in three games perfectly explains what the offense needs.

Some of the excuses are fair. Injuries, struggles, and anything else are all a part of the game. However, 50 games into the season, this isn't some new trend, it's who the Cubs are.

Answering the question of what the lineup is missing, Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports wrote that Chicago "desperately" needs to add a power bat.

"The Cubs desperately need power, and that should be the top area Hoyer will target around the deadline. Entering Thursday, Chicago ranked 10th in the NL in slugging and 19th in MLB in home runs and OPS."

Thosar added players who could be available, which include Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., arguably two of the best power hitters in the world.

The Cubs pitching staff has done what they've needed to do thus far. However, while they'll need to add a reliever or two before the deadline, the priority has to finding a player who can come in and make an impact on this lineup.

Entering the season, there were concerns over the potential offensive output. There are hitters in the lineup who can swing the bat at a high level, but it felt like the front office was banking on Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki to have similar years to what they had in 2023.

Bellinger has dealt with injuries but hasn't been the same hitter he was last season. Suzuki has also struggled with injuries, but his 108 OPS+ is the lowest of his career.

It's still early and things can.

Jed Hoyer might feel that health is all they need, which is certainly a possibility.

Either way, they should combine that health with an addition or two, going all out for a team with a real chance of competing with a trade.