The Cubs face a crucial offseason in 2024-25. Before it begins, Cubs writers Tony Andracki and Andy Martínez address 5 key areas of the team — and why you should and shouldn’t be optimistic about them. Next up, the Cubs offense.

Andy Martínez: The Cubs offense isn’t perfect — there’s no denying that. But there were enough flashes this season that, if you squint, you can see the shell of a premier offense — like was the case in 2023. 

From July 1 to the end of the season, the Cubs hitters were 3rd in baseball in runs scored (389) and 6th in OPS (.744). That’s the kind of offense Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office hoped would be around all season. Alas, that wasn’t the case, but the crux of good offense is there. 

Tony Andracki: It’s the “from July 1 to the end of the season” that gets me here, Andy. The Cubs lineup was far too up-and-down in 2024 and it’s the 2 months in the middle of the season (May and June) that kept them from the postseason for the 4th straight year.

After a strong March/April from the offense (particularly with runners in scoring position), the lineup took a step back. There are always slumps in every season for every offense in baseball but this happened to be a team-wide slump – all 9 guys seemed to be struggling at the same time. And it lasted for 2 full months.

[WATCH: Jed Hoyer’s complete end-of-season press conference]

In May and June, the Cubs ranked:

-28th in Runs
-29th in batting average (.223)
-30th in slugging percentage (.357)
-24th in OPS (.664)
-22nd in home runs (52)

While they were fantastic for 4 of the 6 months of the MLB season, that valley for 2 months ultimately sunk the season.

The big question becomes: What should we expect from this group in 2025? 

The offensive nucleus will be back: Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch, Isaac Paredes, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner and Miguel Amaya are all under contract with the team next season. Some of the key role players — Mike Tauchman, Patrick Wisdom, Christian Bethancourt, Miles Mastrobuoni — are also under team control if the Cubs choose to bring them back.

Cody Bellinger’s status is a big question mark. If he leaves, there is an opening in the everyday lineup to try to find a star-level back that can take this offense to the next level. Then again, acquiring a star-level bat is extremely difficult and Bellinger has performed at an elite level in the past. 

If Bellinger returns, there really isn’t much of an opportunity for a new bat to come in and impact the roster. 

Regardless of Bellinger’s status, there is no easy avenue to improve this lineup. 

The Cubs may have to get creative, like trading away from their position player core. Or they swing big if Bellinger departs and go for a player like Juan Soto or Pete Alonso in free agency. Though, both players figure to fetch a hefty contract – with estimates for Soto’s deal already being discussed in the $500 range.

The most realistic path toward an improved – and more consistent – Cubs offense in 2025 is actually improved play from the core already here in Chicago. 

Happ enjoyed a career year in 2024 and Suzuki turned in a solid season too. Is there another level for each player? Can Swanson get back to the hitter he was in Atlanta (or even in Chicago in 2023)? Can Hoerner hit for more power? Can young players like Busch, Crow-Armstrong and Amaya build on their strong finishes and find more consistency in 2025? Will Paredes perform more like his 2023 level than what we saw from him after coming to the Cubs in the midseason trade?

Those are a lot of questions to answer. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if they all are answered affirmatively and the Cubs have a wave of young hitters coming up through the system to provide added depth – and potential upside.

But I keep coming back to one thing: Who is going to be the star-level performer in this lineup?

AM: All are valid points — and I agree with all of them, especially the need for a star-level bat. That is the difference between us covering a playoff team and writing this article on Oct. 15. 

The insertion of a star-level bat in the heart of the lineup changes the crux — and makes my argument even more valid; the nucleus for a strong offense is on this roster. 

Does anyone actually think all 9 hitters will slump at the same time again next year? 

“But it’s been two straight years of it!”

Touché, but that would be dismissing all that you saw “from July 1 on”. Amaya and Crow-Armstrong — black holes at the bottom of the Cubs lineup in May and June — were strong contributors and lengthened the lineup in the second half. Swanson struggled early, too, and turned it around late. Do you picture them to be more like May and June or the final three months of the year? Yeah, I’ll take the latter, too. 

Again, I agree, there still needs to be a fear-inducing bat in the lineup. You might look at 2024 and think it’s not on the roster.

But let’s not forget, Bellinger missed time with a broken rib and a broken finger and came back time and time again to the lineup — often while wearing makeshift gear to offer protection so he could play. If he returns, that’s a potential star player the lineup is missing. 

And if Bellinger does leave, Suzuki, Paredes or Busch are intriguing names that can take a jump forward and produce at a high level for this offense — without even taking into account what could happen in terms of additions via free agency or trade. 

Yes, they have their question marks — Suzuki hasn’t done it over a full year in his first 3 big league seasons, Paredes has only put up those types of numbers in 1 season and Busch could face a sophomore slump. But it’s better to have those types of options instead of players with no track record and hoping they can contribute.

[MORE: Who are some internal breakthrough candidates for Cubs in 2025?]

All this is without even factoring in the Cubs’ farm system — Kevin Alcántara, Matt Shaw, Owen Caissie and Moisés Ballesteros are just a phone call away in Iowa and likely will contribute at some point in 2025. 

Swinging big and acquiring a Soto, Alonso or even an Anthony Santander in free agency would help so much, especially if Bellinger departs. The Cubs need the starpower, but there’s a world in where that comes in 2025 — whether internal or external.

Star, bopper, middle-of-the-order bat, 5-WAR player — whatever term you want to use, the Cubs need it, no doubt. But a good offense is in there, it’s on Jed Hoyer and the Cubs to help elevate it.

Yin and Yang Series:

How do the Cubs build a top-level bullpen in 2025?
Is the Cubs offense in a good spot?
Will the Cubs rotation remain the strength of this team?
Catching is a top priority for the Cubs this offseason
Are the Cubs set up to be a playoff team in 2025?