Dejected Cubs Prez Left Searching for Answers After Painful Admission on Team’s Slump

The Chicago Cubs should have been flying high this September and gained ground in the playoff race. But there they are with moods that are as sour as grapes, given that the once promising team of the summer has taken a sharp turn. Sure, they finished August fine, but they didn’t come up with a sweep against the Rockies. They got swept by the Giants instead, and that highlighted several ugly truths about the team.

Now, even the team president, Jed Hoyer, sounded the alarm on the team’s roster. And it screams that maybe the club suddenly looks like they are in the maybe we are done phase. What makes this slump tough is how avoidable it felt. The Cubs were built to win with depth across the board, but sadly, the cracks are starting to show. The thin rotation, the bullpen that has not been tested for moments like these, and hitters who were great in the first half but now feel silent- it all happened at once.

Hence, for the front office that pushed in everything to make this year different and special, the timing could not be worse. Hoyer didn’t sugarcoat when he was asked about the downturn of the team. “Different factors leading to our collection of players kind of went into a slump at the same time… You wonder about fatigue, and you wonder if the guys were pressing. I think those are questions you ask. But ultimately, unfortunately, I can’t come up with a great answer to those questions.”

“Our collection of players kind of went into slumps at the same time.”

The Cubs offense averaged 3.66 runs/game in August, ranking 28th in MLB. pic.twitter.com/415BYJyuk5

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 1, 2025

Now, while Hoyer might not point it out, the name on everyone’s lips is none other than Kyle Tucker. And is that not obvious? The outfielder was supposed to be the stabilizer for the Chicago Cubs, yet now he was the one who looked mostly battered on the team. In fact, he was mired in a six-week slump that also coincided with the reveal that he has been playing through a hairline fracture in his hand since June 1.

Tucker was even benched for three games to clear his head. Sure, since then, he has shown flashes of potential, like his recent game, where he managed three homers and a 3-for-4 night with a double, but the worry lingers. Jim Boden, in fact, called Tuck out, saying that it was the “biggest concern” for the Chicago Cubs, and he is right. For three months, Tucker was everything from being a top 10 player to producing on the bases. He looked like he could even command half a billion dollars this off-season. But now Tucker’s potential contract already seems to have taken a $200 million hit due to his slump! 

The Chicago Cubs make a surprise move as they option their top prospect!

The Cubs wrapped up their nine-game road trip with a 6-5 loss to the Rockies—they finished 5-4 overall. And what began as a promise with a sweep of Angels turned to frustration, and they ended up dropping four of their next six and missed their chance to even gain some ground in the playoff race. And now, the team has made a surprise decision, and it’s regarding one of their most hyped young players—Owen Caissie. 

The Cubs’ top prospect, who was called up recently, has been sent back to Triple-A Iowa, according to Patrick Mooney from The Athletic. And in his place will come Kevin Alcantara, who is ranked as the org’s fifth-best prospect, and hence he will join the big league roster. Now, Caisse’s stint with the Cubs was quick, but it was eventful.

Fans couldn’t stop being abuzz when he was making his debut. And truth be told, Caissie did show glimpses of the potential he has from the aggressive baserunning, a home run, a double, and four RBI across 11 games. But he has only nine strikeouts and often looks overmatched against the major league pitching. But many say that maybe his limited playing time made it hard to settle in.

For now, the question is why send him back down just as the roster expands from 26 to 28 players. The answer is that the Cubs already have three left-handed-hitting outfielders- Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. So carrying Caissie, another lefty, can make the construction of the lineup tricky. For now, though, the doors seem open for Alcantara to prove himself.

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