Cubs Need Ben Zobrist Back Because Trade Acquisiton Tony Kemp Has Been Terrible

The Cubs have been without a strong utility man ever since Ben Zobrist left the team back in May. They've tried out numerous guys, but none of them have made a lasting impression.

Their latest experiment in Tony Kemp has gone particularly poorly. He's struggled so much since they acquired him at the deadline that he's pretty much proved that the only man who can solve this crisis is Zobrist himself.

Kemp has never been much of an offensive force at the plate, but he's fallen off of a cliff since he was dealt from Houston to Chicago. After posting a respectable .725 OPS with the Astros, he's slashed just .208/.200/.250 in 25 plate appearance with the Cubs.

And while Zobrist gets back into the swing of things in the minors, Kemp has literally been a detriment to the team, producing -0.4 bWAR since the move. It's not just the basic stats that prove it, either, as the Cubs have a losing record in games that he's appeared in. They're now stuck in a first-place tie with the Cardinals in the NL Central.

The North Siders need Zobrist desperately. Even on his worst day, he's leaps and bounds better than Kemp and the rest of the guys they've trotted out onto the diamond. Since he joined the Cubs in 2016, he's posted a 104 OPS+, more than serviceable for utility player.

He could be the difference-maker Joe Maddon needs in the lineup to separate themselves from the Brewers and Cardinals in the race for the NL Central division title. His tune-up assignment can't end soon enough.