Russ Dorsey isn't panicking about Cubs despite injuries, stagnant offense

The Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show dives into the Chicago Cubs' early-season challenges, focusing on the sudden loss of starting pitchers Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd within 72 hours. Russ Dorsey, MLB Insider and host of The Relay with Russ Dorsey Podcast, assesses the situation with a mix of realism and cautious optimism. While he acknowledges the severity of losing a potential Cy Young candidate like Horton—potentially to Tommy John or UCL revision surgery—he downplays panic, emphasizing that MLB teams today need 10–12 starters to survive a 162-game season. Dorsey highlights the Cubs’ depth issues, noting that internal options like Jackson Wiggins and Justin Steele (returning in June) may need to step up. He also critiques the team’s stagnant offense, which is batting just .199 as a team with minimal power in high-leverage situations, despite strong individual performances from players like Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman. The hosts debate lineup optimization, with strong advocacy for moving Hoerner to leadoff and adjusting the order around Seiya Suzuki’s return. They stress that while the Cubs aren’t in crisis mode at 4-6, the Milwaukee Brewers’ dominant start—8-2 with a +30 run differential—means the Cubs must stay within striking distance early to have any chance of winning the NL Central. Dorsey also notes the broader context of widespread injuries across MLB, suggesting that the Cubs’ struggles are part of a larger trend, not an isolated failure.