Cubs Week In Review: Heartbreak Doesn't Feel So Good

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Image courtesy of © Melissa Tamez-Imagn Images

In their song "Heartbreak Feels So Good", Fall Out Boy, one of the city's favorite native bands, poses the question: "Is there a word for a bad miracle?" The game of baseball for the Cubbies has been nothing if not an uphill battle as of late, stacking up losses like a Jenga tower, as the dream of a division title, and even a playoff berth, drifts off into the distant horizon. Whether stagnant offense, or pretending this season's joys wouldn't end, is to blame, this week and the past several have indicated to this organization that things very well could end most prematurely. 

Unofficially, the Cubs have encountered puzzling struggles in their Sunday contests, even against weaker opponents such as St. Louis. After dropping the series' finale against their rivals 3-2, Pete Crow-Armstrong and his squad were hoping that an off day and arrival in Toronto might bring about a change in fortune. It did not. Marking Javier Assad's hopeful and long-awaited return, the righty labored, surrendering eight hits and four earned runs over four rough innings. Ben Brown came in to replace him, and as he has often done of late, looked pretty good. Brown's climb to improved, though still modest, stability has helped alleviate at least some of the mounting stress on Craig Counsell's shoulders. Despite not breaking in half, the Cubs' broken offense couldn't keep them in this one. The squad left ten on base and went a comical 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The final score from the Rogers Centre was 5-1, Toronto. 

As much of the offense has swooned to staggering lows, the heroics of Matt Shaw and his second-half mashing cannot be understated. Not only have 80% of his home runs come since the All-Star break, but he's also shown an impressive maturity and awareness in each contest. On the mound, the progressively fantastic rise of rookie Cade Horton has firmly thrust him into the center of the Rookie of the Year conversation. When his squad has needed it the most, Horton, owner of a sub-4 ERA, has stepped up. Striking out eight batters, Horton helped hold off the Jays' powerful lineup long enough for the Cubs to get cooking. Michael Busch and the aforementioned Matt Shaw both homered in a cathartic return to some of the pop this club has built its reputation on. The North Siders evened things up 1-1 with a 4-1 victory over Toronto. 

With the offense showing signs of life in the previous contest, the Cubs had a chance to win a series versus a quality opponent, but the perplexing frustrations of this second half persisted. Let down by the gruesome injury Miguel Amaya sustained a day prior, the North Siders once again struggled to get their offense going. Matthew Boyd turned in a Cy Young-worthy performance, surrendering only a late two-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. That would prove to be the game-winning knock as the Cubs stranded another seven runners and could not manage one hit with runners in scoring position. Failing to lift its magnificent pitching staff, Chicago fell 2-1 to the Blue Jays in Canada.

Certain teams in MLB just seem more beatable than others. For the 2006 and 2012 Tigers, that team was the Kansas City Royals, a perennial cellar dweller in the American League Central. Occupying a similar space in the NL Central, the Pirates should present as that sort of opponent for the Cubs, though the Buccos were unwilling to play the part in game one of their divisional series at Wrigley. As the Blue Angels soared above the Wrigleyville skies, Pete Crow-Armstrong's bat began its takeoff process. He enjoyed a 3-for-3 day, notching critical hits, held back only by his critical base-running gaffe in the ninth. As this squad's starters are known to do, Colin Rea punched in a highly respectable five-inning outing. Though the North Siders suffered a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh, the club showed encouraging signs that it is heading toward turning the corner, which we have all been breathlessly anticipating. 

A win would go a long way in transforming the vibes around this ball club. Did Craig Counsell's squad sink the Pirates' ship? You bet they did. Starting with a very good second outing of the season from Javier Assad. He gave up just one run over four innings.  On his bobblehead day, Dansby Swanson loaded the cannon and did not miss. He swatted the most clutch swings the Cubs have seen in some time with a go-ahead RBI double and later a sac fly, which gave his club the lead for good. Not only did the 4-3 win give the Cubs the series, but it also notched their 70th win on the season with a shot to seriously shake up the division in their tilt with the Crew. 

Nobody said the road was friendless, though the Cubs' play of late has made it seem that way. Just hours away from the North Siders' heavyweight bout with the Milwaukee Brewers, the focus has shifted drastically. The 2025 Chicago Cubs should have one goal: make the postseason. Should they make good on that endeavor, we'll collectively dance the tears away, emancipating ourselves from these temporary woes. 

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