NEW YORK -- If you want to know why the defending-champion Chicago Cubs are staring up at .500 in mid-June, look no further than the third inning of Monday’s contest against the New York Mets.
Or the fourth inning. Or the fifth inning. Or the sixth inning.
The Cubs hit into a 4-6-3 double play in each of those moments, killing any potential rally against Jacob deGrom and ensuring that Chicago went down quietly in a 6-1 loss that sent them to 31-32 on the season.
Whether it’s hitting into double plays or failing to come through in big spots, the offense that should be powering Chicago to the top of the NL Central is struggling to deliver time and time again, putting it in the middle of the pack in runs scored.