Cubs Have A Glaring Hole in Lineup…Again

Carson Kelly was one of, if not, the biggest revelation for the Cubs through April, as the Cubs catcher produced like a star in the opening month of the 2025 season. The 30-year-old matched his home run total from last year in only 127 plate appearances this year, but Kelly has regressed quicker than you would have liked and without Miguel Amaya the Cubs suddenly have a glaring hole in the lineup again.

Kelly was on a rampage through April 18. That’s when he belted two home runs in a crazy 13-11 slugfest against the Diamondbacks that raised his OPS to a staggering 1.675. At that point it was only 45 plate appearances, so you obviously weren’t going to project Kelly to continue at that torrid rate, but he’s been dreadful for a while now.

From April 19 through June 6, Kelly has posted a 78 wRC+, slashing .208/.290/.323. Those numbers are bad, but still passable surrounded by a deep lineup that the Cubs feature. Yet, if we look at the past month that’s where we see a steep decline. Since May 9, Kelly is only 10-for-61, at the plate with 12 strikeouts and five walks. He’s recorded a .457 OPS in 66 plate appearances, slashing .164/.227/.230.

Kelly and Amaya were combining to put up the No. 1 offense out of the catcher position in MLB up until Amaya suffered an oblique strain on May 24. The Cubs went from one of the worst catching duos on offense in 2024, to literally the best in 2025. One injury to Amaya, who had a 128 wRC+, has really hurt the Cubs.

Manager Craig Counsell has leaned more on Kelly the past couple weeks and now that Counsell can’t exploit pitching matchups Kelly is being exposed at the plate. This has becomes a bigger issue when you consider that Kelly was moved up to the cleanup spot against left-handed starting pitchers and he’s been brutal, going 7-for-34, against lefties since the end of April.

Reese McGuire was called up to take Amaya’s spot on the roster and he pretty much gave all the production you wanted from him in one game. McGuire homered twice in his debut with the Cubs on May 25, but hasn’t been in the lineup much after. He’s started five total games and is 4-for-19, with five strikeouts.

Needless to say, the Cubs are really missing Amaya. Not only for his own offensive production, but he also allowed Kelly to get some rest and hit against good matchups. Now, the Cubs have been forced to overextend Kelly and that’s hurt his production, leading to a glaring hole in the lineup.