The Cubs played only five games over the past week due to an off day and a rainout, and went just 2-3 in the five games. That’s the worst week they’ve had since early May.

Here’s who’s hot and not for the Cubs over the last week.

Three up
Ian Happ has started smashing home runs

The much-maligned (unfairly, IMO) Happ hit four home runs in the five games, including leading off the bottom of the first with a long ball Friday and Saturday. Over the five games he hit .250/.348/.850 (5-for-20) with the four homers, three walks and seven RBI. But his hot streak is a lot longer than that — in 17 games since June 4 Happ is batting .242/.338/.636 (16-for-66) with two doubles, eight home runs, 10 walks, 12 runs scored and 17 RBI.

Here’s his leadoff homer from Saturday’s win [VIDEO].

Happ also made another excellent catch Saturday vs. the Mariners [VIDEO].

Kyle Tucker had a good hitting week

For the five games, Tucker batted .400/.478/.850 (8-for-20) with three doubles and two home runs. He’s on pace for a 30-homer, 95-RBI season with more than 35 stolen bases. That’ll play. Sign him to an extension!

Brad Keller had two very important outings

With the bullpen mostly imploding over the week, Keller helped hold down both the Brewers and Mariners and was a key part of the wins over those two teams.

Especially important were his three strikeouts in a row Saturday. Here, Keller freezes Cal Raleigh on a 98 mile per hour fastball [VIDEO].

Three down
The collective bullpen collapsed

I think we all knew the bullpen wouldn’t be as outstanding as it has been, forever. At some point these guys were going to revert to the mean.

That doesn’t mean they won’t be good again going forward, but Jed Hoyer & Co. should be looking for reinforcements at the deadline.

Over the five games, the bullpen allowed 15 earned runs in 23 innings for an unsightly 5.87 ER. Hopefully, they can reset and do bettter against the Cardinals and Astros this week.

It would, of course, help if the starters would go deeper into games. None of the five starters managed to complete six innings over this span, although Matthew Boyd likely would have if not for the minor shoulder issue that forced him out of Friday’s game.

Colin Rea has come back to Earth

Rea was just outstanding over his first 10 outings (2.38 ERA), but he has a 7.11 ERA over his most recent six and served up four home runs to the Mariners Sunday.

Rea isn’t a bad pitcher, just probably miscast as a starter at this stage of his career. When Shōta Imanaga returns, Rea likely goes to the bullpen, where he can perhaps be more effective as a multi-inning reliever.

The Cubs need better bench players

Vidal Bruján got two starts over the weekend, subbing for Matt Shaw Saturday and Dansby Swanson Sunday. He went 0-for-5 over the two games. In fact, Bruján hasn’t had a hit since May 18, when he went 2-for-3 against the White Sox. Since then he’s 0-for-13 with five strikeouts and has a .427 OPS in 31 plate appearances.

This was illustrated more starkly over the weekend, when former Cub Miles Mastrobuoni went 3-for-4 for Seattle. Mastrobuoni, who many Cubs fans (myself included) complained about, has a .631 OPS for the Mariners.

Jed Hoyer and his front office need to scout around for available bench players who would be better than Bruján and Jon Berti, who’s not hitting either (.499 OPS and since he went 3-for-4 against the Phillies April 26, is 5-for-41, a .122 BA).

Poll
How many games will the Cubs win against the Cardinals and Astros?