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Image courtesy of © Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images With fists pumping and the roof ever-raised, Matt Shaw and Owen Caissie, two of the newest, scrappiest Chicago Cubs, have announced their arrival in The Show. In helping their squad stack up wins in this imperative playoff push, Caissie and Shaw are making a statement that they are not a nice story—they're the real deal. It could be time to start getting comfortable with that idea. A handful of you are about to roll your eyes at this next line, but with the way they've started out, and Shaw obviously has a considerably larger sample size, Caissie and Shaw are starting out much in the same way Pete Crow-Armstrong did. The outset of Crow-Armstrong's time in the bigs was marked by intriguing defensive prowess, paired with overwhelming offensive struggles. Shaw, who has made some of the more impressive plays at third base we've seen in a long time, struggled too, even earlier this year, but he's evened out remarkably for a rookie. As far as Caissie, he's come in, after the fanbase pined for his call-up, and has been not just a smart, aggressive hitter, but a shot of emphatic positive energy in the clubhouse. Towering in the batter's box like a child gazing up at the Hancock Tower, the 6'3 Owen Caissie has an undeniable presence when he steps onto the field. In twenty plate appearances, he's connected on five hits and driven in four runs, most of which came in the recent series versus the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. In the immediate aftermath of that series, the Cubs pulled off a sweep against the Angels, while the Crew's underwhelming showing opposite the San Francisco Giants put the North Siders back within shouting distance of the NL Central's top spot. He hasn't played much since that, but manager Craig Counsell has shown he will not hesitate to plug Caissie into consequential situations. The kid absolutely deserves more starts, which, admittedly, with Kyle Tucker returning to form is not likely, but Caissie can do just as much damage as his teammate at third base has shown. Every phase of the season has a story, and since the All-Star break, the Cubs' 23-year-old infielder is the club's best-selling tale. Slugging a blistering .408, Matt Shaw is hammering the ball with increasing proficiency and has a Hard-Hit% rate of 29.3%. Arguably, Shaw wasn't laboring to figure things out long enough to have been considered a period of growing pains. The fact that he bats ninth speaks more to how lethal the North Siders' lineup really is, at least when things are clicking. Much like some of his peers on the team, the expectation is that Shaw will come through with a clutch hit when you need it, or at least make the pitcher work a little bit. Already a strong defender and elite runner, Shaw's improved offensive prowess has turned him into exactly the player that made him such an intriguing top prospect. Let's face it: The playoffs have already started, and the Cubbies are a tough out. A good playoff team possesses attention to detail and unique intangibles that separates them from the other competition. If and when the Cubs punch their official ticket to the dance, Shaw and Caissie are two assets that will only add to that concoction of good baseball on Chicago's North Side. View full article

Image courtesy of © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images When it comes to finding something to do in Chicago, we have a plethora of options at our disposal. Sadly, however, watching Chicago Cubs playoff baseball in October has not been one of those options for several years. That could be changing very soon. Lockdown pitching (paired with an overdue offensive onslaught from the squad's biggest boppers) has the North Siders back to their old selves and racing back toward the front of the National League pack. If you haven't checked out my comprehensive recap of Chicago's five-game chess match with the Milwaukee Brewers, where have you been? Though the Cubs still trail Milwaukee's best by a full 5.0 games, the North Siders proved that they could be one of the only true foils to Pat Murphy's upstart Crew. The helmet sundaes at Wrigley are incredible, but they're not supposed to be the best part of day baseball at the ballpark; the baseball is. That was not the case in the opener of that long series, as the Brewers employed their signature brand of fundamental baseball to dismantle Craig Counsell's squad. Milwaukee used a four-run eighth to put the Cubs away, on an anemic day of offense from the North Siders. "Cold one" didn't just describe what fans imbibed at Sluggers after the 7-0 loss, but also the feeling they were left with from a flat performance. Mother Nature desperately wanted the June 18 game between these sides not to be played—so much that she pushed it back a second time, nixing the nightcap of the doubleheader Monday and pushing it to Tuesday. With the Friendly Confines brimming with an eclectic mix of different shades of blue and "No. 23" Ryne Sandberg jerseys, the home team came through with its best day of baseball in 2025 so far. Matthew Boyd is one of the best pitchers in the league, and proved why in the first game of that twinbill. His stability out of the gate in a 5 2/3-inning outing allowed the Cubs' bats to get going early, without a sense of creeping dread. Utility master Willi Castro belted a three-run homer, which kept the home team out in front, while the bullpen slammed the door on Milwaukee's potent offense. Sweeter than anything on the menu at Tim Horton's, the squad's top prospect Owen Caissie launched a bomb to left-center field, which gave his team the much-needed insurance to push them over the finish line in a thrilling 6-4 victory. Presented with the opportunity to pull off a doubleheader sweep of their pesky division rivals, the North Siders showed up in the championship-caliber form we've come to expect from them. Jameson Taillon had virtually zero rust to shake off from an extended stay on the injured list. Backed by a sensational, play-making defense, Taillon enacted Prohibition on the Beermakers over six five-hit innings. The offense continued to benefit from its youthful spark, as Caissie supported the efforts of his teammates Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner with a clutch RBI single. The team held on again, this time 4-1. Chicago claimed a series victory (for the week and the season) in the penultimate contest of the five-game fight. The perpetually underrated Colin Rea looked good, collecting his 10th win of the campaign, while his offense clicked at the right moments. Matt Shaw's meteoric rise continued, unloading a thunderous, eighth-inning tank to the left-field bleachers. Though critics will argue that the series was less relevant due to the Cubs' substantial deficit in the division, the improved optics of the squad playing winning baseball cannot and should not be overlooked. After a 4-3 win, that felt like the biggest takeaway. In their final home game before embarking on a nine-game West Coast trip to close out the month of August, the Cubbies found out that good teams are good for a reason. Admittedly, they didn't help themselves much, stranding a dismaying 11 baserunners. The steady and consistent Shota Imanaga put in fine work, going seven innings, but it would be for naught. Despite the Crew's 4-1 triumph in this contest, this series largely heralded the Cubs' return to form, getting them ready for the season's definitive last five weeks. Dr. Dre's so-called "Wild Wild West" has offered a calm harbor for the Cubs this season, at least in Southern California. Powered by a fundamental tandem of clutch pitching and timely hits, the North Siders picked up an award-worthy victory versus the Halos. The fanbase has collectively, at times painfully, waited for star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong to break out of his frustrating slump. In the most clutch, stirring fashion imaginable, Crow-Armstrong drilled a go-ahead solo shot over the wall in right field. It was the kind of cathartic, mental health-boosting release the young superstar and his adoring teammates knew was coming, and did not disappoint. The brilliant Mr. Gasolina himself, Daniel Palencia, slammed the door shut on the Angels in the home half of the ninth to collect the 3-2 victory for the Cubs. As the frustrations mounted a few weeks back, easy, relaxing wins came at a premium for the North Siders. But with the outstanding Cade Horton (7 punchouts) toeing the rubber in game two, the offense exploded back onto the scene in a style worthy of a Michael Bay action film. Not far removed from reclaiming his throne with a homer in the series's opening game, Kyle Tucker erupted with a multi-home run game, his first as a Cub. Counsell's squad clogged up the bases with more traffic than "The 101" and constantly made the Halos pay. The North Siders pummeled some shlubby Anaheim hurlers and danced to a 12-1 'W', but the biggest swing of the game came from Reese McGuire, who detonated a ball into right for his first-ever grand slam. Don't overlook the fact that the blast put his club up 6-0, but please do zoom in on the meaning of that swat. Sending the Cubs' dugout into an absolute frenzy, McGuire's dinger officially announced the return of this Cubs team as a contender in the chase for the World Series crown. The heavenly middle game versus the Angels earned the road warriors their third-straight series win. Arguably, no one played a bigger role for the Chicago Cubs' 2016 World Series run (and the good parts of their subsequent years, for that matter) than veteran righty Kyle Hendricks. "The Professor" was a calming presence in the clubhouse for years, and a shockingly viable starter even as his stuff began to erode. The final contest of this three-game set brought about the emotional reunion of the Angels' hurler with his former club. The Cubs chased him early, and although they couldn't add on to the four runs they pushed across in the first half of the game, another strong outing from Taillon (plus great work by the bullpen) secured a series sweep. The wait is over. Playing some very good baseball, the best version of the 2025 Cubs we've gotten to know over 131 games this season is back. What we learned this week is that, yes, this is a playoff team, and no, opponents facing off against this club can not take anything for granted. The job is not done yet, but they're making quicker progress lately. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images The Hunt for Blue October is in full swing and, fresh off of a fortune-changing series win against baseball's best team, the Cubbies are lurking in the trenches. When a weather postponement earlier in the year transformed the Cubs versus Brewers four-game August series, into a five-game mega-tilt, Chicago's North Side club was playing in much closer proximity to first place in their division. It had seemed that this series we just witnessed was essentially a title fight for the division crown, positioning the victor for a deep playoff run full of spoils. What played out was much different: Blazing through an improbable run of success, the Brewers created an almost insurmountable gap between them and the next challenger. Meanwhile, that next challenger, your Chicago Cubs, spiraled into an unexpected slide marked by untimely injuries and futile offensive production. Chicago had been playing like a team looking for answers to the wrong questions, but, lockdown defense, edge-of-your-seat pitching, and an extraordinary debut stretch from Owen Caissie put the Cubbies right back where we thought they'd be: on an express train to the postseason. Wise sages and pundits have often said that anticipation is the greater reward, and so one would be forgiven in their overreaction to pitching matchups, hitting streaks, and slugging percentage fluctuations versus right-handed or left-handed pitchers. Honestly, what we witnessed in Game 1 of this series, what was supposed to be the first of a split doubleheader, did not surprise anybody who has grown familiar with the Cubbies' post-trade-deadline struggles. Impressive rookie Cade Horton was forced out of the game early with a blister on his middle finger. Not only did the Brew Crew convincingly blank the North Siders, they even turned the tables on Chicago's fabled "Wrigley North" travel efforts, echoing "Let's Go Brewers" chants throughout the Friendly Confines. What happened next is the stuff of dreams, or at least the stuff of a documentary on a premium streaming service. One day removed from a sobering loss which set the club 9.0 games back in the division, the Cubs grinded out a delirious, harrowing, doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. With his first Major League hit under his belt, young pup Owen Caissie set the North Side of Chicago ablaze with a shade even more vibrant than his flowing locks. Caissie cashed in three absolutely enormous RBIs, including a late solo shot which gave his team a crucial insurance run, inciting a roar louder than a Kendrick Lamar set at Lollapalooza. As the orange sunset turned into darkness at Wrigley Field, Jameson Taillon took the hill for his first start since his return from the injured list, spinning a storybook outing peppered with guts and clutch pitches. Beyond him, a massive missing piece to the Cubbies' puzzle for success was any modicum of situational hitting. But not on this night. Throwing the ginger phenom back out on the field for a well-deserved encore, Craig Counsell rolled Caissie back out into the starting lineup and he continued his impressive debut stretch. Caissie not only squares up enormous hits, he's doing so with a rare sense of confidence and appreciation that make him seem impervious to the pressure of the moment. Despite the loss in the series' finale on Thursday, the Cubs played like a team that wants the postseason designation next to their name. If you're a 'trust but verify" type of person, please see Willi Castro gun down Brice Turang to end the Crew's late rally in this contest. Don't contest this fact: The Cubs are a good team. In taking three of five from their division rivals, they didn't necessarily change the narrative, but they changed the theme of the book. What lies within the clubhouse of 1060 West Addison is a club that is primed for a playoff run, and who can play with anybody. Mining success from unexpected sources, the North Siders' alchemy of youth and veterans make them the threat we thought they were. Let me answer the question that's on your mind: Are the Cubs back in business? It sure seems that way. View full article

Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Anyone who has stopped off for a perusal of the goods at Mars Cheese Castle can inform you of the similarities between the reluctant neighbor cities of Chicago and Milwaukee. They share a lake, whose beaches are often teeming with revelers, fitness buffs, and foodies alike. But, more than just their gastronomic pursuits, the two cities share an eternally burning passion for their baseball teams. For the better part of a decade, the North Siders' northern siblings have enjoyed the sweet taste of division championships. Boasting a loaded lineup of some serious offensive heft, this was to be the year for Craig Counsell and his Cubs to claim their first full-season division crown since 2017. With a mystifying second-half slump, and a historic run of victories for Milwaukee, the Cubbies are staring down their last chance at claiming the NL Central. The Brewers' big boulder is standing in the way, do the Cubs have enough strength to move it? Before the All Star Break, the North Siders were such the envy of their division rivals that running into fans of opposing clubs invoked another unsolicited history lesson about the Cubs' curses, not a check of the standings. Leading the majors in several key offensive categories such as runs per game, the Cubs boasted an unspoken sense of confidence that no order was too tall. Then, the post-All-Star-break stretch of the season commenced, sparking an unprecedented run of victories from the Milwaukee Brewers that not only caught the rest of league off guard, but literally put food on the table for residents of Southeastern Wisconsin. Listen, the Crew's dominance is no fluke: They play the type of baseball our middle school coaches would fawn over. Milwaukee plays one of the most fundamentally sound styles of baseball you're likely to find. They field incredibly well, produce runs with timely hitting, and have lights out pitching. On the Cubs' side, if their offense was their main power source, starting pitching is their backup generator. If the Cubbies can generate enough of what made them a contender in the first place, it will go a long way in restoring comfort in the minds of those thinking about their return to the playoffs. Heading into this five-game set, the Chicago Cubs sit a full 8.0 games back of the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, and are practically tied with the San Diego Padres for the first Wild Card spot. The news has been close to nothing but bad for the Cubs for what seems like a lifetime, but at the outset of this showdown with the Brewers, two key things are true: 1. The Cubs, for all their struggles, still have not been swept in any series since the pre-Opening Day Tokyo Series against the Dodgers. 2. Any permutation of outcomes versus Milwaukee in their five-game series, outside of a sweep, keeps the Cubs' heads above water. If they were to somehow best the Brewers in all five games, they could essentially cut Milwaukee's lead in half with nearly a month and a half remaining in the regular season. Alright, I hope that quelled some of the "sky is falling" members of the fanbase who needed to hear that all, is in fact, not lost. I think the fact that it could be is what will finally ignite the fire in this team to push them back into favor among the postseason movers and shakers. At almost each position, the North Siders match up favorably with the Brew Crew. Milwaukee is one of the worst slugging teams in baseball and overall, Chicago has been one of the best. Before cooling off, Carson Kelly showed off some power in his bat and though he has just 13 homers right now, has been just as defensively stout as William Contreras. Before Miguel Amaya's prolonged stint on the IL, followed by the devastating re-aggravation of his injury, the Cubbies' boasted the best catchers in the game. Both clubs have dazzling infields that prevent offenses from gaining the upper hand or from balls touching grass. An emphasis on sure-handed throws, and a strong baseball IQ, looms large in this contest. Leading up to the trade deadline, the loudest cries from Cubs fans across the globe was to bring in an imposing starting pitcher. What they got was righty Michael Soroka from the Nationals. But not for long. In his first start for the Cubbies, Soroka was forced to leave the game after just two innings with shoulder discomfort. The starting rotation, which has been in flux for much of the year, had to step up for the North Siders, and it has. Emerging as a legitimate Rookie of the Year Candidate, Cade Horton's big league career has arrived. His ability to consistently go six innings, control of his fastball, and 3.07 ERA has nearly canceled out all other woes facing the club's starting rotation. Now, the Brewers' team ERA of 3.64 is bolstered by the club's prolific offense, plating 5.21 runs per game. At 5.02 runs per game, Chicago is still up there with the game's best. Both squads can recover from a blow-up inning, but for the Cubs' sake, it's best not to have one. From Freddy Peralta to Brandon Woodruff, the Crew doesn't give opposing squads much to work with, so the Cubbies must show up at their most opportunistic. Faster than a swipe from Pete Crow-Armstrong or Sal Frelick, the Cubs and Brewers collision course with one another has led to this ultimate moment. The preparation, the performance on the field, and the optics of how this series plays out stands to tremendously influence the perception of these two squads respective campaigns. Long removed from witnessing the likes of Rafael Ortega and Frank Schwindel suit up in Cubs uniforms, Chicago has its biggest opportunity yet to bury some of the ghosts of its recent past. The Cubbies are in the moment, but will they seize it? View full article

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. View full article

Image courtesy of © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images For 20 years and counting, my friends and I voyage to the golf resorts of Northern Michigan to compete in a Ryder Cup-esque tournament. It's a whirlwind weekend of lush green vistas, frequent beer cart purchases, and (sadly, for me) mediocre golf. Listen, I'm not making it viral for my ball-striking capabilities, but one thing I can do on most days: putt like an absolute dream. And while my short game prowess won't get me an exemption at Medinah, it serves my team well in our annual golf tournament. From a Cubs standpoint, the key ingredient to their recipe for success in 2025 has been a slugging lineup that keeps them in most games, and their opponents out of them. That has very glaringly not been the case over the last couple of weeks, though, forcing the bullpen to attempt to hit out of the rough far too many times to get back up to par. Chicago's collective bullpen ERA is 3.86. Rare rocky outings from this season's standouts (such as Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar) have come in situations where the club has left them with virtually no margin for error. The Cubs have scored just 30 runs in their first 10 games in August. When Cubs closer Daniel Palencia took the ball in his club's series finale versus the Orioles a week ago, he failed to hold on to a one-run lead, making way for Justin Turner's ninth-inning heroics. Not unlike Joe Pesci in Home Alone, pitchers like Palencia are traversing a rope that's been doused in kerosene and lit on fire. The last time the squad's bullpen looked pedestrian, it came at a time when the Cubbies were making a name for themselves as one of the elite offenses in Major League Baseball, arriving in much more low-leverage situations. Turning our attention to Chicago's recent offensive power outage, one must factor in the unnerving, almost mystical dominance of the Milwaukee Brewers, a squad whose play has been so close to flawless, it renders the efforts of other competitors futile. For this team and this bullpen to have a legitimate shot at playing past the first few days of October, things have to get better. Location and velocity from relievers like Thielbar, Pomeranz, and newcomer Taylor Rogers must improve. Getting back to their trademark formula in Saturday night's game, the North Siders chased Andre Pallante in the second inning and cruised from there. Once the game got turned over to the bullpen, it wasn't perfect, but it didn't have to be. The pen finally enjoyed the opportunity to pitch in a situation where they could breathe, a bit. Though each loss in the last fortnight comes with a deflating sense of letdown, there is still time to make a steady return to prominence. Whatever made this squad so special in the first place is still there, within them. Now, we will find out if they can make it matter. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images There comes a time in all sports (but perhaps especially in baseball) when there's no more space for analogies. For the Chicago Cubs and their steadily loosening grip on a postseason spot, that time is now. Another week of missed opportunities only increased the urgency: the North Siders need to start playing good baseball again, without delay. Suddenly, the comforting thoughts of an inevitable postseason appearance for the Cubbies have given way to nagging worry—to the anxiety of the grind. As the jubilation from last Sunday's walk-off win versus the Orioles waned, the Reds rolled into Wrigley looking to bolster their own postseason chances. Unfortunately for supporters of the home team, they did exactly that. The Cubs could only muster three hits versus the Reds Monday night, in an offensive struggle for both clubs. The discouraging story of the day, however, was the second-inning exit of the team's trade deadline acquisition, Michael Soroka. Brought in to alleviate the strain in a banged-up starting rotation, the big right-hander succumbed to previously identified shoulder discomfort. From there, Cincinnati was able to do just enough to get by with a 3-2 victory. One of the more heartening trademarks of this year's club has been its ability to quickly bounce back after a loss, but that didn't quite manifest in the middle game of this tilt. Chicago dropped the contest 5-1, but what kept fans tossing and turning that night was the remarkably poor performance of new Cubs reliever Andrew Kittredge. Featuring an astounding lack of control, Kittredge surrendered four earned runs, effectively crushing his squad's chances of a comeback victory. It was a sinking moment for the home team, and the fans couldn't contain their frustration. Kittredge left to a cacophony of boos. The Cubs lost the series, and lost ground in the division, but teams like this one don't stay down for long, and they did salvage the finale. Not far removed from his infamous appearance in the previous contest, Kittredge seized his opportunity for redemption by recording the franchise's 20th immaculate inning, striking out the seventh inning side on nine enthralling pitches. That was just a cherry on the pitching sundae, after Cade Horton continued his ascent to becoming a reliable starter. The rookie tossed 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball. The power started to flicker back on for the offense, with Seiya Suzuki, Justin Turner, and Nico Hoerner all making key contributions in a 6-1 win. After an off day Thursday, Chicago arrived in St. Louis to commence a three-game set opposite the hated Cardinals. Staff ace Matthew Boyd danced out of early trouble in the first handful of innings to give his club a fair shot, though some of that trouble was of his own making. Scattering seven hits, however, the Cubs' offense could not deliver a clutch hit to scratch even a single run across the plate. The Cardinals took the game 5-0. If this squad rounds back into form in time to make a serious playoff run, nights like Saturday might do it. Facing Andre Pallante, a starter with a 4.95 ERA, the visitors emphatically answered the call with an explosive outing in the batter's box. They plated runs in each of the first five innings. The club smashed statement-making clutch knocks, including a three-run bomb from Michael Busch, and a breakout performance from prized third baseman Matt Shaw, who enjoyed perhaps his best game as a big-leaguer. His 2-for-3 night not only helped earn his club a cathartic sigh of relief, but gave this organization a tantalizing glimpse of a promising future. Chicago evened the series with a 9-1 victory. On the heels of one of the year's most important wins, the Cubs are in position to take the series from St. Louis in front of a national audience on Sunday night. While a series win would not absolve the squad of its recent sins, it would herald the return of this club's mojo and recapturing its balanced offense, which its reputation in 2025 has been built around. This week was more than a letdown. Slumps such as the one the Cubs are mired in are agonizing, but also threaten to make us lose sight of what's right in front of us. With the heavyweight five-game set with the Brewers still to come, Craig Counsell needs to establish a World Series attitude in the minds of every ball player on his roster. What this week showed is that it can be hard to climb out of a funk, but doing just enough of the little things—remembering where and who you are—can bring you back. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images On occasion, a very good friend friend of mine takes to the ring to go multiple rounds of amateur boxing. Expanding my knowledge of the sport beyond what had only previously been informed by Sly Stalone and Michael B. Jordan, my pal taught me that to win a fight, you must outlast your opponent through some trying adversity. With the most important contests of the season to date, that's exactly what the Cubbies did as they went toe-to-toe with their chief rivals up and along the grand stretch of Lake Michigan. We spoke at length earlier in the week about the importance and the spoils of the Cubs' tilt with the divisional rival Milwaukee Brewers. Outside of apparent differences in styles, culture, and attitude, the Crew separates themselves through self-perception and playing loose like a team that has nothing to lose. Reason being: No matter what the standings might actually say, the Brewers reamain perpetually the underdog when compared to their bigger, fancier, more well-heeled Chicago cousins. Much had been made of the new family member, Milwaukee's new ace Jacob Misiorowski; the youngster has impressive stuff and had yet to put forth a pedestrian performance, until the Cubs made him have one. Even though Chicago jumped out to a 3-0 lead, chasing "Miz" after only four innings, the North Sider's ace Matthew Boyd had perhaps his worst and most unwieldy performance of the season. The Brewers slugged their way to an 8-4 victory that felt like as bad a tone setter as Craig Counsell's squad could as for. "Wrigley North" is a safe haven for Cubs fans when the proceedings sway in favor of the Cubbies, but if not, as the case was in the middle game of this contest, it's ground zero for heartache. When the Beer Makers are mashing like they did in this match, it only exacerbates this notion. The Cubs dropped the game 9-3 and despite leading early, it never felt like they were in it. Colin Rea is a serviceable hurler, but he crumbled under the lights of his former home field, surrendering four earned runs over four shaky innings. Standing tall on the canvas, Milwaukee delivered a knockout blow, or so it appeared. In a triumphant return to the place where his 2025 campaign took an unexpected detour, Shota Imanaga lifted his club off the mat. Backed by a capable offense, the squad's star southpaw got through five critical innings. After two games of squandering multitudes of scoring opportunities, the Cubbies connected on several clutch hits from the middle of their order. The 10-3 victory salvaged one of the more desperate-feeling series of the season. Sifting through the aftermath of crushing series loss to their rivals, the second-place Chicago Cubs made their way back to Wrigley Field, playing host for three games against the middle-of-the-road Baltimore Orioles. In a pitching masterclass from the club's whole staff, the hurlers, led by a stunning Cade Horton, willed the squad to a 1-0 win versus the O's. The game served as quite the antidote, and turned back on several lights, while we waited for a couple more to flicker back on. Heading into their rubber match with Baltimore, the Cubs needed a series victory in the worst way, and got one in perhaps the best way: a walk-off home run. Taking the bump just a handful of days after his painfully ordinary start in Milwaukee, Colin Rea put forth one of his more gutsy performances of the year. Working with confidence and efficiency, the right-hander bounced back from his previous struggles. The ninth-inning blown save by stalwart closer Daniel Palencia poured gasoline on the fire for his squad and the 39,000+ in attendance, enough to charge electricity through 1060 West Addison that could put ComEd out of business. After reaching first base on a high throw that brought first baseman Coby Mayo's foot off the bag, Justin Turner, a rather unlikely source of Cubs' happiness, needed just one pitch to blast a line-drive bomb several rows deep into the bleachers in left-center. The North Siders emerged with a theatrical, heart-wrenching 5-3 victory that did more than just breathe the life back into the ball club—it reminded them of how good they truly are. Pound for pound, the Cubbies are one of the most skilled fighters in the tournament. The adjustments they have made in the ring, their fighter's IQ, and their ability to take a punch, suggest the one standing in the other corner (Milwaukee) may eventually wear down. Games such as we witnessed this past week revealed that this is a fight with many rounds, and the last one standing may not be who you expect. View full article

Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images When it comes to the ongoing war both on and off the field with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs could collectively sit in a rose bush and have less of a thorn in their side than Pat Murphy's club has proven to be. Racing toward the post-trade-deadline home stretch, both squads have their sights set on a division crown and securing an all-important bye during the first round come October. Depending on what day you checked the standings, the Crew and Cubbies traded places boasting baseball's best record ahead of this three-game tilt. But, with the dust settling from this series of heavyweights, nothing is quite settled. Far from it in fact. The Chicago Cubs have pitching hindrances that were not shored up at the deadline, but at the outset of the series, one thing was clear: Craig Counsell had to line up his three best pitchers, and he did. Rolling out Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea, and Shota Imanaga, the hurlers taking the mound for Chicago's North Side team at American Family Field were to lock their squad in a tit-for-tat chess match with Milwaukee's best. If you watched every pitch of this series, which some of us had the distinct misfortune of doing, you realized that the squad's best laid plans don't always come to fruition, ending the series just one game back of their rivals from across state lines. Holding a lead in each of the first two games of this tilt, the Cubs' widely known shortcomings, namely sporadic starting pitching and a short bullpen, kept the North Siders from having any real chance of defeating the Brewers. Game one starter Matthew Boyd did not look the part of an All-Star Cy Young candidate and struggled with control early. The Brewers' scrappy crew of hitters like Sal Frelick, Isaac Collins, and new villain Andrew Vaughn jumped all over the Cubbies' veteran early. The game started with both pitchers and both teams understanding the enormity of the moment, shaking off nerves and struggling to find their respective grooves. The Cubs more or less got to Milwaukee's pitching phenom Jacob Misiorowski, but could not string together enough clutch hits to deliver the knock out blow to the young ace. Suffering losses in both games in which more resolve, and yes, more weapons, could have led to far more positive outcomes for the North Siders, the Cubs got a rude wake-up call to what it takes to be successful in playoff-type situations. No one in the Brewers' batting order wields the dangerous pop of most of the Cubs' boppers, but what Milwaukee does is play nearly mistake-free baseball. Their opportunistic offense and fundamentally-tight defense puts them in game situations that prevent the bottom from falling out. If the Cubs are to have even a puncher's chance of fighting back to take this division, they're going to have to operate on a similar plane. Did the Cubs blow this series? Yes, they absolutely did. The club's offense could not muster a hit when it mattered, going a ghastly 4-21 with runners in scoring position in the first two contests. That's losing baseball, and that's a poor recipe for postseason affluence, where the cream of the crop eventually rises to the top. If Chicago wants to keep the Cream City from being the ones who rise, they had better get some things figured out, and fast. Alas, the Cubs that we know and love made a largely heartwarming reappearance to close out the series. The explosive offense, powered by some of the club's usual suspects in Michael Busch, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Kyle Tucker, pelted one clutch hit after another in front of a Wrigley-leaning crowd. Each smooth swing of the bat that drove in another run for Craig Counsell's club felt like pain relief and proof that the squad may yet round back into form to make a serious run at the NL Central crown. The Cubs' triumph in the eleventh hour in Milwaukee issued a two-game swing in their pursuit of the division's superior team, making the climb seem slightly less daunting. What comes next for these two clubs relies heavily on the typical baseball factors: health, depth, and luck. Not much was decided in this most recent battle. Milwaukee won the war of attrition, but both sides are now left to retreat back to their corners, watching the stakes soar to new heights. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images Any frustrations pertaining to the Chicago Cubs at this moment in time stem from they're status as a good team that very well could be great. Coupled with a surprising offensive slump, the squad's tepid starting pitching has the North Siders and all involved with this organization eager to usher in a change for the better. Entering the phase of the season that can unequivocally be deemed as the home stretch, much has been made of how the Cubbies’ schedule and its proximity to Wrigley aligns perfectly for their clubhouse. Well, their opponents this week reminded us all that familiarity breeds contempt. The sub-.500 Kansas City Royals play in a division that only recently got interesting, but they roared into Wrigley like a tiger in Game 1 of their three-game set with the Cubs. On another nauseating bullpen day kicked off by Ryan Brasier, Ben Brown got drilled in perhaps with the worst outing of the season. Lasting four innings, Brown has throngs of Cubs fans shouting from the rooftops on Sheffield for a shakeup in the starting rotation. In a silver lining play, a suddenly emerging Matt Shaw belted a three-run homer to the left-field bleachers. That moment accounted for all of the joy supporters of the North Siders would enjoy on this day in a 12-4 route for the Royals. The Cubs are capable of being a phenomenal baseball team, and they looked the part in the middle game of this series. After giving up a barrage of runs to one of the lowest-scoring clubs in the game a day prior, the Cubs blanked 45-year-old Rich Hill and the Kansas City Royals. The dark horse Cy Young candidate, Matthew Boyd, was exquisite in seven innings of four-hit shutout baseball. His dominance on the mound elevates his squad to a more elite tier of teams competing for the postseason. More encouraging still was one of the cleanest bullpen showings in days with Caleb Thielbar and Daniel Palencia slamming the door on the Royals in a 6-0 win for the home team. When one door closes, another one opens, but not the one Craig Counsell and his squad had hoped for as they dropped the rubber match to Kansas City. Former Brewer Colin Rea has shown signs of perking up lately. Still, his confidence quickly evaporated in the face of surrendering three early long balls to the below-average Royals lineup. The Cubbies hung around in the early innings, but could not manage any offense of consequence, especially with Kyle Tucker sitting out the final game of this three-game tilt. Garbage time home runs from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw gave CTA commuters something to talk about on the ride home, but not much else. Beyond dropping the series with the 8-4 loss, the North Siders also had to reckon with the unfamiliar feeling of second place in the NL Central yet again after starting the day tied for first with the Milwaukee Brewers. Another blisteringly hot summer weekend arrived in Chicago to kick off part two of the Crosstown Classic. Taking the field off the Sox/35th Red Line stop at "The Rate", the White Sox had little else to do in this series but play spoiler to their North Side rivals. That's exactly what they did in Game 1 of this series. The resounding success the Cubbies have enjoyed in this civil war in recent contests came to a screeching halt at a very inopportune moment for Shota Imanaga's team. The Cubbies' ace suffered his worst start and worst loss as a big leaguer. The Pitching Philosopher surrendered seven earned runs and three homers to the Sox batters. The stakes being what they are for playoff positioning, it felt much worse than it probably was, though it was pretty bad even as a one-off. Like a passenger sleeping on your shoulder during a Metra ride, the Cubbies' offense refused to wake up in a 12-5 thumping for the Sox. Despite suffering a rather humiliating loss in game one of this series, the North Siders proved why they run this town, and maybe even more, in the middle contest of this matchup. Cade Horton spun the best game of his young career, which could have signaled more prosperity to come in a dazzling 6 1/3 inning performance. Clutch homers from Ian Happ and Matt Shaw sparked a late-game rally for the Cubbies on their way to a 6-1 triumph. More than just comforting in a therapeutic sense, how the North Siders took this game bodes well for their chances in the postseason, a space in which 27-out nailbiters are the norm. Headed into their rubber match with the White Sox, the Cubbies found themselves tied for first place in the NL Central and at the precipice of the biggest series of the season to date up in Milwaukee. Taking the mound in this series-deciding contest, the young Ben Brown needed an outing that resembled competence, and boy, did he get it. In his five innings of work, he surrendered just one run, a solo shot off the bat of Andrew Benintendi in the first inning. The start probably didn't do much to make a case for Brown as a starter (if there is one), but he came up big when his club needed it. The Cubbies had Lakshore Drive volumes of traffic on the bases pretty much the whole game. Crow-Armstrong aided in making the drive a bit easier, delivering a two-run double. He's been seeing the ball well all season long, and wouldn't you know it, so is his teammate Matt Shaw, who continues to hit with consistency and poise. An offensively proficient Shaw drastically alters the complexion of this club and certainly the upcoming trades to be executed by Jed Hoyer and his staff. Staving off a late-inning rally from the Sox, marked by a three-run bomb by Benintendi, the Cubbies took the game 5-4. What a catharsis to feel as they head into the critical tilt with their division rivals. While the days that lie ahead loom large in deciding where this team goes in the immediate and long-term future, there's no reason for any parties involved to get too worked up about how these next couple of series play out. The way this club is playing suggests that even if they fall, they have what it takes to get back on their feet. The stage is set for the Cubs to take control of their destiny and create some serious fireworks once Summer fades. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images In his second year as the club's skipper, Craig Counsell is at the helm of a squad much more balanced and well-rounded than the one he inherited at the outset of his time as the Cubs' manager. One could look at a plethora of reasons why this is a winning ball club, but more than any one area of strength, the Cubs are a good team because they're sound at each position. Here's a look at how the North Siders stack up at each position, and what areas for enhancement there may be at the trade deadline. Catcher: #15 Carson Kelly- For a time, Kelly (along with Miguel Amaya) was one half of the most fearsome catching tandem in baseball. The power he provided in the early going nearly canceled out the 31-year-old's more pedestrian pitch-framing. Though his offensive output tapered off through most of June, he's enjoying a bit of a resurgence in July. Checking in with an OPS of .893, Kelly is one reason why there are no safe zones for opponents when facing this lineup. One thing to watch is how the imminent return of Amaya enhances Kelly's game and facilitates some much-needed rest. #20 Reese McGuire- Arriving for the purpose of alleviating the pressure on Kelly in the absence of Amaya, McGuire splashed on to the scene, showing off the potential for power in the back end of the Cubs' lineup. His sample size is not large enough to do much with the numbers he's provided in a Cubs uniform. McGuire does possess respectable pitch-framing abilities, though, and has reaped the rewards of receiving the ball from an excellent starting pitching rotation. He's purely a stopgap, but he's been a fine one. #9 Miguel Amaya- Before he went down with an oblique strain, it was hard to argue that any player for the Chicago Cubs was more improved than Amaya. He left off with an OBP of .313 and an eyebrow-raising OPS of .819. Wholesale upgrades to his swing mechanics and sound defense highlight the youth and adaptability of Amaya, a cherished commdity in a veteran corps. First Base: #29 Michael Busch- Recently installed into the leadoff spot, Busch has vastly outperformed his totals from his previous two seasons with the club. With his power and production in the top of this dangerous batting order has come a considerable level of confidence. His youth not only makes him the obvious choice for the squad's everyday first baseman, but decreases the workload for the perpetually struggling Justin Turner and Jon Berti. #3 Justin Turner- Not to sound overly negative, but the 40-year old Justin Turner has been little more than a warm body in a Cubs uniform this season. Not a whole lot was expected from the veteran infielder and he has delivered on that (lack of) expectation. What Turner does provide Counsell's squad, however, is tremendous mentorship and an admirable clubhouse presence. His infamous dugout celebration with the scorching-hot Seiya Suzuki was not only hilarious, but a prime example of the positive energy and leadership he adds to this team. #5 Jon Berti- Identifying Berti's place on this team, other than to provide bench depth, is a challenging proposition. With the excellence of the Cubs middle infield, Berti mostly makes his appearances as a pinch-runner or in extra-inning contests, in which the Cubs have not fared so well in. Having said that, if it's depth you're looking for, Berti does provide that, and does so without making any costly errors. With the club shifting its attention to postseason strategy, it remains to be seen whether or not Berti will have a role on this team. Second Base: #2 Nico Hoerner- A fan favorite, veteran second baseman Nico Hoerner is arguably the most consistent player on the roster. His defensive proficiency is practically a given. His staggering range informs his elite prowess in the infield, turning in 9 outs above average (OAA). He's also shown a knack for coming up with big hits, despite not having much power. #17 Vidal Brujan- Similar to Berti, Bruján's contributions are more evident in the breach than in the observance. He barely gets on base, and even slotted at the bottom of the batting order, he offers far too easy an out to the opposition. Bruján is serviceable from a defensive standpoint, but isn't a sufficiently viable hitter to make that matter. Third Base: #6 Matt Shaw- Now, things get quite interesting. Anyone who knows that Yak-Zies is a bar, and not a mammal, is rooting for the Cubs' most coveted prospect. Shaw is dynamite at the hot corner. Less explosive, however, is his plate production. He's warmed up marvelously coming out of the All-Star break, with three home runs. He's hit in all six games since the season resumed, totaling nine knocks. With the trade deadline almost here and the squad's sights set on postseason contention, however, the acquisition of a player like Eugenio Suárez—pushing Shaw into the wings—is seeming more and more possible. Shortstop: #7 Dansby Swanson- Swanson's range has decreased with age, but he still does a decent job holding down his position. His OAA of 1 is not meant to set the world on fire, but he's not costing his team in any significant way. In the batter's box, his 108 OPS+ tops his career average of 97, and like Hoerner, he seems to have come up clutch quite often. Left Field: #8 Ian Happ- There are times when it feels like Happ has been playing left field for the Chicago Cubs since before the city laid down the first track for the "L". Happ is a consummate professional and approaches his position with a decidedly cerebral attitude. Average in a number ways, including arm strength, Happ has provided more than just a modest level of pop in his bat over the years, with a career OPS of .786. What makes Happ special (other than his podcasting prowess) is his penchant for hitting off-speed pitches. In 2025, he's hitting .349 against curveballs. Center Field: #4 Pete Crow-Armstrong- The Cubs enjoy several luxuries as a franchise, but one of them is that in Crow-Armstrong, they have the best center fielder in the game this year. Crow-Armstrong has almost single-handedly changed the perception of what's possible at the position. His arm strength ranks in the 94th percentile, he gets to just about everything (even if it has a 0% catch probability), and if that weren't enough, he can hit just about any type of pitch, regardless of location. Right Field: #30 Kyle Tucker- Playing alongside one of the most electric players in baseball, Tucker's defense in right doesn't get as much attention as his lumber, though he is an incredibly well-rounded player. His arm value is elite, and as the high-leverage situations have increased, he's played largely mistake-free baseball. A far cry from what the club endured with former everyday right fielder Suzuki, Tucker has provided the whole organization a tremendous sigh of relief. Countless metrics (and the eyeball test) make Tucker an elite outfielder, but arguably more than anything else, his plate discipline sets him apart from his peers. He doesn't chase bad pitches, doesn't swing and miss a whole lot, and frankly, much of the reason he's such a prolific offensive player is because he knows how to pick his spots. While a cloud of uncertainty swirls around how long he'll be in a Cubs uniform, he certainly provides security at the position right now. To analyze and investigate the Cubs position by position, is to find an imperfect masterpiece that has pockets of beauty, but glaring gaps that could make for tougher sledding. The club, even if it made no moves at all, could legitimately compete deep into the postseason. With that said, there has never been a more important juncture for Jed Hoyer and his office to deliver the right haul for his organization to move the needle. View full article

Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Everyone, including World Series-contending ball clubs, deserves a rest once in a while. Navigating the most exciting season on the North Side of Chicago in over half a decade, the Cubs took the All-Star Break as an opportunity to recharge their batteries, while those representing the club in Atlanta showed why this team is not one to take lightly. With enemies (namely the Milwaukee Brewers) knocking at the door, Chicago kicked off the second half of the season striving to prove that they are the class of Major League Baseball. Boston and Chicago are not only two of the greatest cities in the world, they're also two baseball clubs with more combined history than The Smithsonian. As Pete Crow-Armstrong and his squad welcomed the Red Sox to town, there was an undeniable aura of respect and appreciation, even as both franchises have their gaze set on championship glory. Enjoying a sneakier season of success than his All-Star coworker Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea put in one of his most gritty outings of the 2025 campaign. Though the five-inning start won't make the end-of-year highlight reel, Rea helped his side roar into the second half of the season. In an all-around solid outing from the team, Seiya Suzuki made it known that he will not soon let the world forget about his egregious All-Star snub. The designated hitter launched a 3-run blast into the bleachers in left-center field, stirring the 41,000-plus sardines wedged into Wrigley Field to a frenzy. The North Siders cruised to a 4-1 victory in the series opener. On the Fourth of July, the Chicago Cubs set a franchise record for home runs in a single game with eight long balls. In Game 2 of this set against their American League foe, they mounted only a slightly less awesome barrage, with five dingers. On a comforting quality start day for Shota Imanaga, the home nine bopped their way to a 6-0 shutout win. Back-to-back homers from Michael Busch and Kyle Tucker set the tone early. Crow-Armstrong stayed hot with a solo shot to right field, his 26th of the year and part of another back-to-back set of bombs with fellow outfielder Ian Happ. Sunday is a far less fun day when the baseball team you support blows a late lead. In a game that sank the team into a tie for first place with the Brewers, a late-inning bullpen implosion set into motion by Ryan Pressly denied the North Siders a sweep of Boston. The Cubbies clung to a 1-0 lead through the first two thirds of the game, but failed to cash in on crucial insurance runs. Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run go-ahead bomb in the seventh. Back from injury, Alex Bregman dealt a crushing blow in the form of a three-run bomb out to the left-field bleachers in the eighth. The contest swung what was a flourishing symphony of good vibes into a sinking realization that, like it or not, the Cubs must defeat their past demons to claim the crown in the NL Central. More sobering than a 6-1 loss was the wasted effort of a brilliant Cade Horton, who matched Garrett Crochet stride for stride. The second half is on, and so is the race for the division title. The Cubs certainly have what it takes to win more than just top honors in their division, but what this week showed is how competitive this league is, and how infinitesimal the margins for error are in this fight to the finish. Craig Counsell's team has covered some ground, but there is still much work left to be done. View full article

Image courtesy of © Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images At the 2025 All-Star break, the Chicago Cubs own the third-best record in baseball and a legitimate shot at a long run into the postseason. They've played an electric brand of baseball, fronted by superstars like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki, and they've made people take notice, including one of their own: Marquee Sports Network's Alex Cohen. I recently got the chance to catch up with the Philadelphia native on a number of topics, including what this special season feels like from an inside perspective, smiling through broadcasts, and how many of the pieces that make up this Cubs squad are reason to consider long-term prosperity on the North Side of Chicago. Recalling "electric" nights such as the one the Cubbies enjoyed in front of a national audience on Sunday Night Baseball a couple of weeks ago versus the rival St. Louis Cardinals, Cohen sees this squad as a serious contender. "The vibes are high, and this is a team with postseason and World Series aspirations," he said. One point of evidence that this team could find themselves in a long playoff run (other than simply turning on the TV and watching them), is the brilliance of designated hitter and All-Star snub Seiya Suzuki. A top-five leader in runs batted in, Suzuki, Cohen says, "answers the call" in prime-time situations. Cohen specifically cited the big hits Suzuki got over the team's last homestand before the break, with three doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs in six games against the Guardians and Cardinals. To cash in on some of the team's loftier goals, they'll have to keep pace ahead of "surging Brewers and Reds teams," who at this point in time have considerably improved their chances of catching up to the division leaders. Luckily, Craig Counsell's club has one of the most exciting and valuable players in baseball, Crow-Armstrong, on the everyday lineup card. Since his days calling games in Des Moines, Iowa, Cohen recognized Crow-Armstrong's potential, but didn't anticipate it getting to this level so quickly. "I knew that he'd have the opportunity to hit 20 home runs in a season," he said. "I didn't expect him to have (more than) 20 before the All-Star break. And he's a great defender." The Cubs are a very good baseball team; that much is obvious. But what might surprise the casual fan is how much better the club has gotten in turning its weaknesses into strengths. Having been around some of the squad's young stars (like fireballer Daniel Palencia, who has helped rewrite the book on the once-maligned Cubs' bullpen), Cohen offers a unique perspective on what an arm like Palencia's might do to enhance the Cubbies' championship hopes. "He gives the Cubs a legitimate back-end of the bullpen arm. I think with Daniel Palencia, the question was, could he throw enough strikes?" Cohen said. "And I think the answer is yes. When you're throwing 101, 102 it's a matter of where you put it, and where he's putting it is not allowing hitters to make contact and not make hard contact." Boasting a 1.57 ERA, Palencia is as close to a sure-thing closer as the Cubs have had since Wade Davis in 2017. Baseball is a game peppered with history so deep it would make a Chicago pizzaiolo blush. Cohen recognizes that history, both in legends from the game's broadcasting past, and his contemporaries like the great Pat Hughes. "Pat said if you can't have fun doing this, then you can't have fun doing anything else. So I broadcast with a smile on my face," he said. Cohen values the approachability of taking baseball in 2025 and all of its complexities, and making it something listeners of all ages can dig into, deriving not just enjoyment, but identity with the game on a more personal level. "Calling fun baseball" is where he's at right now, in going to work as a broadcaster for a team that's provided numerous memorable moments in the first half of the 2025 campaign alone. Citing instances like Matthew Boyd's call to the All-Star Game or the club mashing a franchise-record eight home runs on the Fourth of July, he translates genuine excitement to the fans watching at home that come away with a little bit extra in either an isolated play or the game as a whole. Chicago is a place that's easy for one to find themselves as the lead role in their very own love story. For Cohen, this is where his love story with the game of baseball originated. "Because it's not just the team, it's the ballpark, it's the neighborhood, it's the community," Cohen said. "So I think it's just a special team with a special reputation, but also a special atmosphere and a special city." Hearing the sound of the Red Line rumbling down the track isn't the only thing that makes the city unique. Loved and respected by countless individuals from all corners of the Earth, Chicago is a town whose identity is molded by its people, its neighborhoods, and its baseball teams. There is no doubt that the Chicago Cubs' lauded stable of broadcasters (Cohen, Boog Sciambi, and Hughes on play-by-play; Jim Deshaies and Ron Coomer as color commentators) elevates them to a special place in the community and the game, as it has done since the roster included Jack Brickhouse and Lou Boudreau. Given the track this ball club is on, no one involved with the organization would think to replace this season anytime soon. "Just sit back and enjoy it. The team will lose games in the future at some point, but if they can get to 90-95 wins—which they're on track for—you'll be watching a Chicago Cubs playoff team, so just try to enjoy it." Advice we are all ready and willing to follow. View full article