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What's wrong with the Cubs? | ChicagoLIVE
What is going on at Wrigley Field? After lighting up the league with a dominant 15-game winning streak at home, the Chicago Cubs have hit a massive wall, dropping to an alarming 2-18 stretch. Lead Sports Anchor Cassie Carlson weighs in on what is going wrong for the Chicago Cubs.
One of the Chicago Cubs' top prospects is going to make his major league debut this week as the Northsiders welcome Houston to Chicago.
The team announced Friday 22-year-old infielder Pedro Ramirez was called up from Triple-A Iowa.
What we know:
The Cubs are calling up Ramirez to take Matt Shaw's spot on the roster.
Shaw is going on the 10-day injured list with mid-back tightness, retroactive to May 20, making way for Ramirez's debut. Shaw has taken on more of a utility role for the Cubs this season after the team signed Alex Bregman.
At the plate, Shaw has a .242 batting average. He's tallied six doubles, three home runs, three stolen bases, a .291 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage in 42 games.
Ramirez started the 2026 season in Triple-A after playing in Double-A in 2025 and in South Bend Single-A in 2024.
By the numbers:
Ramirez has been one of the Cubs' most productive prospects this season in Iowa. MLB.com ranks him as the team's second-best prospect behind Jefferson Rojas, but Rojas is currently in Double-A.
Ramirez has a .312 batting average through 43 games in Iowa this season. He's tallied 53 hits with 11 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 40 RBI. He's also stolen 19 bases, which is the third-most among players in Triple-A. His 40 RBI rank as the fifth-most among Triple-A players. Numbers wise, Ramirez has more than earned his shot at the big-league level.
The Cubs could also use a shot in the arm.
Currently mired in a five-game losing streak, the Cubs are in dire need of a spark. The pitching has struggled, allowing five or more runs in six-straight games, but the offense hasn't scored more than three runs in nine of the last 11 games. Ramirez's offensive prowess and ability to run the bases could pay dividends immediately.