Why the Chicago Cubs are not using Kevin Alcántara during their worst slump of the year

The Chicago Cubs called up one of the loudest power bats in Triple-A during a brutal losing streak. Then they barely used him.

The Cubs lost 2-1 to the Pirates on Memorial Day, extending their losing streak to nine games and dropping them to 2-13 over their last 15 after what had recently looked like one of baseball’s hottest stretches.

The offense has cratered during the skid. Chicago has scored 24 runs across the nine-game streak, roughly 2.7 per game, with the lineup caught between chasing power and producing none of it. That backdrop is what turns Kevin Alcántara’s role into a real conversation.

One of Triple-A’s biggest power bats

The Cubs recalled Alcántara from Triple-A Iowa on May 23 as the losing streak spiraled. He had been one of the most productive power hitters in Triple-A before the promotion:

He was tied for the Triple-A home run lead at the time of the call-up. The profile is loud: massive raw power, huge physical upside, real athleticism at 6-foot-6. The risk is just as clear, with 60 strikeouts in 157 at-bats at Iowa and a strikeout rate near 30 percent carrying into the majors. That swing-and-miss has shaped how carefully the Cubs are handling him.

The MLB offense is barely functioning anyway

Keeping Alcántara on the bench would be easier to justify with the veteran lineup producing. It is not. Chicago has one of MLB’s worst OPS marks during the losing streak, with several veteran bats cold at once.

Michael Conforto’s production has fallen off. Ian Happ struggled enough to briefly lose his lineup spot. Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson have both gone through extended quiet stretches during the skid. Alcántara is no guaranteed fix, and the current usage is still hard to defend against that.

Counsell’s comments carry more weight now

Craig Counsell said after the call-up: “Kevin’s on the roster. If there’s spots to get him in there, absolutely.” Those spots have barely appeared. Since being recalled, Alcántara has logged one plate appearance and no starts.

The Cubs do not want to drop a high-strikeout rookie into panic baseball, which is understandable. A struggling offense eventually forces a team to consider the volatility anyway.

Caught between safety and upside

Alcántara is not a finished prospect. The strikeout concerns are real, and major league pitchers would test the holes in his swing right away. Chicago is also watching a veteran-heavy offense score almost nothing for more than a week, and that shifts the calculation.

The Cubs promoted Alcántara because they needed a spark, then hesitated between wanting his upside and fearing the inconsistency. The Cubs may not need him to save the season, but after nine straight losses, finding out whether he can help is getting harder to put off.