Philadelphia Phillies v Chicago Cubs | Matt Dirksen/GettyImages
It’s tough to poke too many holes in the Chicago Cubs right now. Another easy win on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates bumped the team’s record to 18-12, tops in the NL Central. The pitching staff has some question marks lingering, especially with Justin Steele lost for the year due to injury. The offense, though? It’s been the best in baseball so far, with Kyle Tucker looking like the star Chicago hoped it had acquired over the winter and young outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong blossoming before our eyes.
Still, while things have been good so far, there’s always room for improvement — especially with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets setting the bar so high in the NL pennant chase. If Chicago wants to keep pace with those powerhouses, they’re going to need to be at their best; any weak link could prove fatal. And that should mean the end for one of president Jed Hoyer’s most ill-conceived offseason signings.
Cubs’ Justin Turner experiment has already run its course
At the time, you could understand why the Cubs were interested in bringing Justin Turner aboard. Top prospect Matt Shaw was a complete unknown at third base, at least at the Major League level, while first baseman Michael Busch hadn’t yet fully made the leap. Add in an uncertain DH situation, and the need for a steady corner bat like Turner — fresh off a 128 OPS+ with the Mariners in 2024 — became pretty clear.
At this point, though, it’s probably about time to call it. Turner has looked every bit his 40 years of age, slashing a dismal .163/.283/.163 through his first 53 plate appeareances. The underlying numbers make clear that’s not a fluke; Turner’s plate discipline and contact skills remain elite, but he’s simply not doing any damage right now.
Third base is still unsettled, as Shaw quickly flamed out in his first taste of the big leagues. But the cupboard isn’t totally bare: Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan have both hit reasonably well, and unlike Turner, they both bring athleticism on the bases and loads of defensive versatility. It’s tough to figure just what Turner’s role on this team is anymore; Craig Counsell basically acknowledged as much on Tuesday, declining to put his veteran in the lineup even against a left-handed starter. Based on all the available evidence, you can’t really blame him.
