The Chicago Cubs of the U.S. Major League Baseball are going through an unprecedented dark period this season. They have tied the record for the most consecutive losses in the American League by winning 21 consecutive games and 120 losses in this season, setting the record for the most losses in a single MLB season. Overshadowing the past of advancing to the postseason for two consecutive seasons for the first time in the team’s history by ranking first in the American League Central Division in 2021, the team has been stigmatized as the “worst team ever” this year.
The Athletic analyzed Chicago’s past 10 years and determined the cause of the crash. The biggest factor that the media pointed out was the failure to recruit strategic players. Chicago spent a lot of money on sending potential promising players to other teams and catching poor “big fish.” In the process, internal power gradually weakened
Chicago invested 110 million U.S. dollars in the acquisition of free agents David Robertson, Melky Cabrera and Adam Laroche in December 2014. All three were experienced players with eight years or more of professional experience. They also acquired Jeff Samajah by trading infielder Marcus Simian and starting pitcher Chris Bassett to the Oakland Athletics. The Athletic saw this hasty signing as a prelude to a catastrophe for Chicago.
In Oakland, Simian hit 33 home runs and 10 steals in the 2019 season, and won the American League’s second baseman Golden Glove in the 2021 season. After moving to Toronto through Oakland, Bassett became the top pitcher with 16 wins in the 2023 season. In contrast, LaRoche, who spent a lot of money on his transfer, recorded a batting average of 0.207 in the first year of his transfer, while David Robertson recorded seven blon saves in the same year.
Chicago traded then-newcomer Fernando Tatis Jr. to San Diego in 2016 and acquired veteran pitcher James Shields. The Athletic called the trade the “worst mistake.” Shields’ performance deteriorated dramatically after moving to Chicago and posted a 5.31 ERA in 77 games over three seasons. In the same year, Chicago tried to rebuild itself by recruiting young prospects Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopek, but both players failed to meet expectations due to injuries.
Thanks to the performances of Eloy Jimenez, who won the 2020 Silver Slugger, and Lucas Giolito, who was nominated for the Cy Young Award, Chicago entered the fall baseball league for the first time in 12 years. The following year, it seemed to be stabilizing as it advanced to the postseason for the first time in the team’s history for two consecutive years.
After finishing the 2022 season, Chicago signed Andrew Benintendi, who experienced a World Series win in 2018 and was named the Golden Glove in the American League’s left field category for the 2021 season, to a five-year, $75 million (W99.68 billion). However, Benintendi was sluggish with a batting average of 0.262 in the 2023 season and a batting average of 0.228 in the 2024 season.
Chicago has recruited a large number of leading players over the past decade, but failed to adapt them to its team. Rookie players with promising future were leaked to other teams without showing off their skills in Chicago. According to the Major League Baseball statistics website FanGraph, only Garrett Crochet and Chris Flexen, who played for Doosan in the KBO League, are worth more than 1WAR this season.
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