While Chicago slides down the division standings, a veteran slugger and two dominant arms are heating up to provide a much-needed spark for the struggling North Southsiders.
The Chicago Cubs are in the midst of a rough stretch.
Although they ended their 10-game losing streak on Wednesday, the Cubs have won just three of their last 17 games dating back to May 9. This stretch has dropped them from first in the National League Central to 4 ½ games back from the Brewers.
Despite the team’s losing ways recently, several Cubs players are starting to turn things around. Here are three players currently playing their best baseball right now.
Alex Bregman
Alex Bregman is starting to heat up after a slow start. He batted just .239 with 10 extra-base hits and 14 RBI in his first 41 games this season. Those numbers made fans question whether Bregman was deserving of his five-year, $175 million contract.
However, the Cubs third baseman has been much more productive at the plate. Bregman is hitting .322 with three doubles, two RBI, and one stolen base in his last 14 games. He has a current seven-game hitting streak and has lifted his OPS to .703.
The veteran has always been known as a slow starter throughout his career. As the weather warms up, so does Bregman’s bat. His numbers should continue to improve into the summer months.
Jacob Webb
Things looked bleak for Jacob Webb early on. He did not look like the same reliever who finished with a sub-3.05 ERA in back-to-back seasons. Webb had a 5.06 ERA in his first 13 relief appearances and allowed a run in six of those contests.
Since then, something has switched. The Cubs right-hander has a 0.69 ERA and 18 strikeouts across 11 appearances in May. He has allowed just one run in his last 13 innings of work and has earned two holds and one save this month.
Webb has been nails on the mound recently. He’s one of the few pitchers on this team who has managed to stay healthy, and his swing and miss stuff continues to help him get outs. He ranks in the top 10% in chase rate (35.9%), whiff rate (33.5%), and strikeout rate (29.4%) this season.
Ben Brown
Ben Brown deserves a ton of credit for his recent numbers. Since moving to the rotation on May 8, Brown has an impressive 1.89 ERA, 1.75 FIP, and 23 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched. The 26-year-old has now fully taken his game to the next level.
He is in the midst of a breakout campaign and has been one of the biggest surprises on this Cubs team in 2026. Brown just recently threw six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts against the Pirates in his last start.
Adding a sinker this past offseason has helped Brown tremendously. He is throwing it about 20% of the time and has helped his off-speed stuff play even better. The right-hander has a whopping 49.6% whiff rate on his curveball this year.
