Jul 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell looks on during batting practice before game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Thoughts On The Giants Sweep And The Cubs' Fight To Stay Atop Wild Card

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI
By Maddy Dickens | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 10:13 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs are just teetering with greatness this season, but they have to find their way out the inconsistencies that keep happening.

This time it was against the San Francisco Giants, who are an under .500 team this year. The Cubs not only lost the series, but were swept and outscored 21-11. It is still August (barely) so there is still plenty of games to sort this, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

The last time the pitching staff allowed double-digit runs scored was over a month ago, so this is definitely out of character for them which is the good news. Chicago not putting runs up of their own? Fairly common in the last six to eight weeks and that is the major concern.

They did average a near four-runs per contest which is headed in the right direction, but in all 10 of their losses this month (prior to this series) they scored less than three runs all but one time.

Concerns with the Consistent Offensive Struggles

Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The issues with the offense could perhaps be cured with a mix up in the rotation and the lineup. Sometimes all any team needs is a good shake up to spark life into a struggling rotation.

Reporting about the constant issues with the batting for the Cubs feels like beating a dead horse, but here we are. The ridicule of Craig Counsell continues with his batting order and refusing to acknowledge players who are continuing to struggle, particularly in the outfield (Kyle Tucker, Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong).

The biggest issue insiders have with what is continuing to go on is with Matt Shaw. Shaw is by far the most consistent bat that the Cubs have to offer right now, especially in the last month. When Counsell does utilize him he is batting ninth in the lineup. The highest he has batted recently was in game two of the Giants series where he was eighth. The belief is he needs to be stepping up to the plate much sooner than that to get the offense going.

The Brewers: finally lose a couple games and give us a chance to make up some ground

The Cubs: pic.twitter.com/vYSB6l6tzl
— Barstool Chicago (@barstoolchicago) August 28, 2025

The Cubs are still holding steady with the top wild card spot in the National League and they have a great opportunity to gain some confidence as they travel to Colorado to take on the worst team in baseball- the Rockies.

This article first appeared on Chicago Cubs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: