RavenCub30

Peering around the league, trying to distinguish between teams bound for postseason "appearances" and those who might make true postseason "runs", Craig Counsell has his club firmly planted in the latter category. Far from being one-dimensional or dependent on a particular player, this team can do a lot of things well—including, apparently, hitting home runs at the notoriously expansive Comerica Park. Leading Major League Baeball with 5.67 runs per game, the Chicago Cubs are elite when it comes to offensive prowess. They're equally adept at keeping runs off the board, though, and that's no longer thanks solely to their stout middle infield. Pete Crow-Armstrong is the anchor of the group—the frontman. With his 11 Outs Above Average (OAA), he patrols center field like a night shift security guard at the Field Museum. flanked by his experienced running mates Ian Happ in left field, and Kyle Tucker in right field, Crow-Armstrong possesses ever-evolving maturity and practical in-game experience to help him run down any ball, preventing it from touching anything but the stitching on the inside of his glove. He's come into his own as one of the game's premiere defenders. Getting to stand in between Happ and Tucker, who in their own right are two of the best, most fundamentally sound at their positions, has created a residual impact for the dynmaic Crow-Armstrong. Together, this trio of outfielders stands to make the Cubbies a real force to be reckoned with when October arrives. At times, it seems like all Cubs do is emerge triumphant in series against nearly all of their adversaries. Yes, that can be attributed to the considerably leniant stretch of games wherein the Cubbies face clubs with losing records, but it's also because in each game, the North Siders flawlessly execute a handful of plays that swings the momentum of the contest in their favor. Take for instance, the closing game of the Cubs' three-game series in Washington D.C. versus the Nationals. With the Cubs maintaining a slim 2-0 lead, the Nats speedster C.J. Abrams sliced a low-flying ball into right over the head of Michael Busch. Kyle Tucker came charging after the ball as Abrams rounded first base trying to stretch the in-between play into a double. Tucker scooped up the ball and threw an absolute rope to Nico Hoerner, waiting at second base to apply the tag to the Nationals' swift shortstop. The play not only elimnated a serious base running threat, but served as a microcasm of the types of plays this World Series contender of a club can make. It's plays like this and hopefully a whole lot more versus playof-caliber teams, that will allow the Cubs to have the type of run they're envisioning in the playoffs. If their recent series versus the Detroit Tigers were a litmus test, they failed it. There is still a long way to go but this stout outfield can help get them there. In the playoffs, teams get greedy. That's not a manager's foolish roll of the dice or a reckless turn toward baseball insanity, it's a survival tactic. The air changes in the playoffs; stranded runners can and will haunt a team and could very unkindly escort them directly out of postseason contention. What this means in practical terms is that with two good ball clubs squaring off, runners are going to push the limits to reach scoring position, making the defensive awareness of the outfielders all the more imperative. Happ, Tucker, and Crow-Armstrong, all lurking in the outfield, prepared to make a play on anything shot in their direction, is a weapon bespoke to Chicago's North Side club. Along with the rest of their team mates, the Cubby outfielders have thus far turned in an impressive body of work which hints at a greater passion and determination to erase the sins of the previous few seasons. This is supposed to not only be a playoff team, but a dangerous one; and these three know it. This season is starting to move faster than a red Ford Mustang fresh off of the assembly line in Dearbron, Michigan. With that pace comes the clarity of some previously unknown factors, such as the increasing liklihood that Pete Crow-Armstrong will be the starting centerfielder for the National League All Stars. But, what's even more clear: The Chicago Cubs are team that will not succumb to its own miscues. They plan, they adapt, and they succeed. The club possesses an uncanny aptitude to take what they do well and make it better. Three big reasons why can be found in the outfield. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images Major League Baseball is one of the most fun leagues to watch, because nothing ever stays the same for long. A 162-game season means that the average fan of any given team will witness astonishing peaks and valleys. Even a contending squad like the Chicago Cubs is vulnerable to intermittent periods of struggle, and with a slate of eminently winnable games, the North Siders nonetheless found themselves going through theirs. The road can be a stranger place than a 24-hour Walgreens in Pilsen. Squaring off with a down-on-their-luck Phillies club, the Cubs found that out the hard way. The outset of this three-game set saw a Philadelphia squad that had lost eight of its previous nine games, but they were ready to bust out of that slump, and not even the Cubs' best efforts could prevent them. In an extra-innings struggle, the visitors could not deliver the clutch hits to earn the win at Citizens Bank Park. After six innings of two-run ball from starter Matthew Boyd, the bullpen held out long enough for the team's vaunted offense to deliver—but alas, they failed to adequately do so. The Phillies stole the opening game of the series 4-3, in 11 innings. The throughline of this 2025 campaign is the North Siders' admirable resilience. That was on full display in game two of their tilt with the Phillies. The burgeoning Ian Happ led the way with three RBIs. He's enjoying the return of some serious electricity in his bat, after a slow progression back from injury. An alarmingly poor Colin Rea gave way to the bullpen after 4 1/3 innings, but the Cubs relief corps answered the bell. Pitching nearly five innings of the contest, they blanked the Phillies. The Cubs managed the middle-game victory by a score of 8-4. In life and in baseball, the more seldom pain occurs, the worse it lingers. That was the prevailing sensation as the North Siders dropped the finale of their three-game versus Jesús Luzardo's club. The former Miami Marlin spun a masterpiece, punching out 10 batters. Ben Brown stumbled yet again, showing the urgency for the young righty to develop a wider pitch arsenal. After getting grilled by the Phils, Brown's status as a starting pitcher with this team is under further investigation. With the defeat, the Cubs suffered their second straight series loss. Philadelphia emerged victorious, 7-2. One quadrant of their schedule in which the Cubs have frequently excelled this season is in division play. After touching back down in Chicago, they welcomed the Pittsburgh Pirates into the federal landmark Wrigley Field for a four-game set. With the outstanding Jameson Taillon toeing the rubber, this game was a comforting return to basics for the North Siders. They came through with a close win in another playoff-type atmosphere. MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong clobbered a 2-run shot to the delirious bleachers in right field to set the tone early. Ryan Pressly and his bullpen cohort kept the Bucs at bay, as the Cubs turned in a much-needed bounce-back win, 3-2. A spell of frustrating injuries have altered the complexion of the Cubbies' pitching staff, especially after Shota Imanaga went down back in early May. These storm clouds have had one silver lining, though: the arrival of Cade Horton, the organization's most prized pitching prospect. Squaring off against the Pirates' captain, Paul Skenes, the North Siders' 23-year-old hurler was brilliant. Horton tossed nearly six innings of shutout baseball. Highly questionable baserunning decisions cost the hosts their shot at getting to the electric Skenes, though, and the bullpen wavered just enough to make the difference. The Pirates evened the series with a 2-1 victory. Wrigley Field is a religious experience even in the middle of a hail storm, but on a sunny, mid-June Saturday, it feels just a little bit better when walking up to the marquee for the first time, fresh off the train. Luckily for the friends of the Friendly Confines, the Cubbies kept that feeling going with an impressive outing. Stepping up as he often has this season, Boyd sparkled on the mound, clocking in with six innings of quality baseball. He allowed just one hit, a solo home run to Andrew McCutchen in the first inning. Dansby Swanson delivered the game-winning run, a solo blast to the left field bleachers that nearly made it out to Waveland Avenue. With the win, the Cubs took back control of the divisional series and showed yet again, it can win any type of ball game. The Cubbies won their duel with the Pirates 2-1. Entering Sunday, then, the Cubs need to finish off a series win against Pittsburgh to feel good about their week—but they've done enough to avoid feeling truly bad about it, either way. The offense is not in top form, but they've survived a scoring drought in fine fashion. This team has a lot of ways to win. View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports Every season sports a stretch of demanding, mettle-testing contests that reveal the true identity of a professional baseball team. Weathering a squall of injuries to the starting rotation, the Chicago Cubs are in the midst of that stretch. Enter Jameson Taillon, the light house, the safe harbor in this current storm. Through excellent, consistently proficient performances, Taillon has the North Siders sailing into clear skies, Working in the shadows of much more high profile starters on contending teams, Taillon deserves mention with the likes of his No. 2/3 starter contemporaries. Taillon boasts a 7-3 record with a 3.48 ERA and over 81 innings pitched. He's on a streak of six quality starts in a row and eight of his last nine. While all of this is objectively impressive, it's Taillon's consistency that matters most. Victories always come at a staggering premium, but for a team whose performances against clubs with winning records leaves a little to be desired, throwing out a steady arm who doesn't flinch under pressure is invaluable. This is not meant to sound hyperbolic, but one could make a case that Jameson Taillon is the most important player on the team's pitching staff at the moment. There are several factors that make this true, but again, it boils down to his no-nonsense consistency. He totes six different pitches, perhaps most intriguing of which is a lethal curveball that quite frankly he should deploy more often. According to Baseball Savant, Taillon has set down thirteen batters on this pitch by way of strikeout, and batters have only managed a paltry .068 batting average. More than that, he hasn't given up a home run on this particular pitch. He still relies heavily on his four-seam fastball, which has also seen an uptick in proficiency, producing an 18.1% whiff rate. The sweet fragrance of sureness wafts over the bustling crowds at Wrigley when Taillon pitches in 2025. As things sit at this very moment, the Chicago Cubs are in complete control of their own destiny. There's no proof to support the claim that this club is vulnerable to a long slump, thanks to the presence of players seemingly immune to cold streaks. Jameson Taillon is, in no small part, a crucial piece to this squad's continued prominence. Like a reliable car, no Cubs fan should feel uneasy handing over the keys to let the vehicle take you safely to the destination. Out of sight of this campaign's checkered flag just yet, who could want more? View full article

Image courtesy of © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Approaching mid-June, every contending baseball club has an Achilles' heel holding it back. Up until very recently, one could emphatically proclaim the Cubs' bullpen as its most glaring vulnerability. A combination of Caleb Thielbar, Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and others have helped the squad to a cumulative bullpen ERA of 3.68. For a Chicago Cubs team with as much offensive talent as they've got, this bodes quite well for a club positioning itself for its larger aspirations pertaining to the regular season and well beyond. While the Cubs are still in good shape overall, this past week served as a sobering wake up call to a squad that must improve if it wants to stand with baseball's best. Flying a bit too close to the sun in retrospect, Craig Counsell's squad has gotten so acquainted with success that a surge in competition level was bound to create problems for Chicago's North Side baseball team. Though this past week saw the Cubbies tally their fifteenth series win of the season, it also marked the first time in a long time that the Cubs encountered some non injury-related adversity, which took its toll in the dreaded loss column. Kicking off a three-game set in our nation's capital, the North Siders came through with an offensive performance that even casual fans of the club have come to expect. With key contributions up and down the lineup, including a three-hit, three-RBI day for the suddenly-hot Michael Busch, the Cubs wore out the Nationals, taking the series opener 8-3. When this club struggles to score runs, which is a seldom event, they lose. Such was the case in the middle game against the Nats. Marking only the third time this season the Cubs have been shut out, the team squandered a spectacular performance from veteran starter Matthew Boyd. The Cubbies' lefty took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, working as efficiently as any Cubs starter has all season. The death knell to the team on this day was a puzzling lack of run production. The Cubbies went 1-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base. The Nationals picked up the win 2-0. If this club is to make a deep run in the postseason as several pundits expect them to do, the Cubs' lead-off batter, Ian Happ, needs to match his glittering performance in game three, where he went 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBIs. Some of the club's offensive usual suspects also contributed, as Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong created traffic on the bases. For Crow-Armstrong, his first inning two-run blast plated his 52nd and 53rd RBIs of the season. The Cubs sailed to a 7-1 victory. The weekend brought the highly-anticipated matchup and possible World Series preview between the Cubs and the magnificent Detroit Tigers. The two squads started the series with similar records but not similar philosophies. While the Cubs beat down their opponents with potent offensive heft, A.J. Hinch's squad boasts elite starting pitching, led by the reigning American League Cy Young champ, Tarik Skubal. That's a tall order for any team to go up against, and Skubal showed why in front of a sellout crowd this past Friday night at Comerica Park. Though Skubal pitched 7 1/3 innings for his club, it was actually his counterpart, Ben Brown, who impressed in many ways. He lasted seven innings and struck out as many batters. Chicago's offense could not get going, though, scraping across only one run. The Tigers collected the first game of the series by a score of 3-1. Fans of Major League Baseball know that Comerica Park is a pitcher-friendly space. That didn't stop the Cubs' signature elite offense from making a guest appearance in the Motor City. The North Siders clubbed five home runs, including two from Seiya Suzuki, on their way to an impressive win. The middle contest of this series marked the only time the Cubs looked themselves, with a nice balance of offense and shut down stuff from their flourishing bullpen. After the brilliant Jameson Taillon carried his team through seven strong innings, Caleb Thielbar and the electric Daniel Palencia lured the Tigers' balanced offense into its cage. The Cubs drew even in the series with a 6-1 win. Even watching on television, this series gave off serious playoff vibes. Luckily for the Cubs, it only felt like the postseason. Throwing the obviously overmatched Cade Horton on the bump, the rookie failed to hit any high notes in Motown. Tigers starter Jack Flaherty kicked the Cubbies' bats to the curb like a studio executive dismissing a lip-synching recording artist. Teams with more star power, like the Dodgers and Mets, have stolen the spotlight from Detroit, but this series solidified their status as the team to beat in professional baseball. Late, controversial calls at the plate neutralized any chance of a rally for the Cubs in this contest. Typically steadfast batters like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker looked bewildered at the dish Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the North Siders saw their streak of seven series wins in a row draw to a close. The Tigers seized the finale, 4-0. Despite the level of frustration onset by the series in Detroit, nothing that transpired this past week changed anything for the Cubs. What fans should glean from the start of this road trip is that the team has made great strides in finding stability out of the bullpen, and expecting an offensive return to form in the coming days and weeks leading up to the All-Star Break is more than reasonable. The Cubs are more than well-positioned to maintain and perhaps even dominate their division. The squad might not be where they want just yet, but at least now it knows how to get there. View full article

When the vibes for this club are as elevated as they are at this moment, it's hard to imagine what the comedown would be like—in the unlikely event it should come to that. Craig Counsell has his ball club playing at a level higher than the old Southwest Airlines Plane View Camera (RIP). There are a sparse few facets of this team to which analysts can point as weaknesses, but as the starting rotation succumbed to strategy-realigning injuries, the squad's hurlers are one of them. As the Cubs' starting rotation sits now, no one individual runs a higher risk to alter this club's fortunes for the worse than 25-year-old righty Ben Brown. Once a coveted prospect, Brown won the fifth spot in the rotation coming out of spring, by a slim margin. Theoretically, his performance to this point in the season is thrown off balance by the nature of what injuries to Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga have done to this team. Certainly, the ideal circumstance for the Cubs was to have the terrific trio of Steele, Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon mow down opposing batters and stack wins in front of the North Siders' youngsters toeing the rubber. Every five days, Ben Brown takes the hill equipped with a limited array of pitches, and he's thus watched his pitch count soar routinely, with more than a few baseballs clearing the fences of whatever ballpark he's working in. My esteemed colleague Randy Holt offered a comprehensive take on Brown's control issues, with corresponding charts for emphasis. It was a great read, and what it relayed to the audience is that Brown, trying not to groove anything with just a two-pitch mix, misses the strike zone, a lot. According to Baseball Savant, batters are hitting .304 versus his four-seam fastball, which he deploys over half the time in each of his outings. With really no other need for justification, the coaching staff has already begun working on a solution to Brown's volatility on the mound. In his most recent appearance opposite the Reds this past weekend, veteran reliever Drew Pomeranz opened, giving way to Brown after clearing the top third of the Cincinnati batting order. Perhaps his teammate spotting him those outs quelled some nerves for Brown, as he proceeded to shine in six scoreless innings. This club is in the process of keeping themselves on top and heading in the direction of postseason prosperity. Through myriad setbacks, the Cubs continue to rise to the occasion when it comes to setting the standard for their division. Clearly, Brown has a set of skills that make him an asset of value to this squad, but ideally, that would not be as a starter. With the rehabilitation of staff ace Shota Imanaga progressing in the right direction, some of the pressure on Brown's shoulders is about to be alleviated. The margins are razor-thin, but they could determine the difference between a playoff appearance, and a legitimate World Series run. What Brown can do for his team could play a deciding role. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images The astronomically high expectations fans hold for this year's Cubs don't exist in a vaccum. The talented individuals who make up the organization hold them, too. That's why this squad's success (in the face of relentless adversity rings ever more impressive.) Every week, the Chicago Cubs come together, morphing into a galvanized team that plays for each other and appears primed for the postseason. Scores of Illinoisans, from Batavia to the South Loop, will speak with anyone willing to listen about how special a place Wrigley Field is. This is an undeniable truth, but it's even better when the boys in blue win. That happened a lot this past week, in six home games. Kicking off the proceedings with three games versus the Colorado Rockies, the North Siders' commonly stout offense went missing, but the surging Jameson Taillon found a way to win. Taillon, now featuring a 3.86 ERA, was fabulous, going six and 2/3 innings in which he fanned seven batters. Dansby Swanson and Kyle Tucker delivered all of their club's scoring for the day, with three RBIs between them. The Cubs secured game one by a score of 3-1. I've hinted at the possible arrival of this squad's bullpen, which has indeed made great strides as of late, but game two of this series proved it emphatically. On another uncharacteristically anemic day for the Cubs' bats, the team plated two early runs—which would, sadly not be enough in an extra-innings contest wherein rookie pitcher Cade Horton encountered late trouble. The weary home-standers battled back from an 11th-inning deficit, with a heroic bloop single from third baseman Matt Shaw bringing home the winning run. Those theatrics earned the Cubbies the series win, 4-3. While each team possesses a core of vital role players tapped to aid in their squad's success, sometimes the stars must step up to deliver the spoils of victory. That's exactly what transpired in the third and final game of this series unfolded versus a putrid Rockies team. With Matthew Boyd sparkling on the mound through six innings, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki (two of baseball's RBI leaders) deposited two massive hits in a 2-1 victory. Crow-Armstrong launched his 15th home run of the season in the process. While a sweep of the Rockies was the presumed outcome from the outset of the series, it proved crucial in staying ahead of the Cubs' division rivals. Following an off day Thursday, the North Siders welcomed in the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game weekend set. Terry Francona's club presented as a marked step up in quality from their prior opponent in Colorado. Game one of this tilt served as a punishment for the Cubs' suddenly pedestrian offense. Starter Colin Rea suffered a rare stumble in the Friday afternoon contest, surrendering 10 hits and six earned runs. Newly acquired reliever Génesis Cabrera made his Cubs debut in what felt like a very low-leverage situation. He punched out three batters and issued one walk. The Reds used the long ball to thwart the home team, launching three devastating home runs. Not only did the North Siders lose 6-2, but in doing so, ended a dazzling run of victories in series-opening contests. The Chicago Cubs hold several intangibles that make them a winning ball club, but one paramount trait is its knack for recovering after a deflating loss. On an experimental day for the pitching staff, Drew Pomeranz opened the game, providing a buffer for the struggling Ben Brown. It proved an effective strategy, as Brown spun six innings of shutout baseball, punching out nine Reds in a very encouraging outing. Offensive contributions from Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, and Dansby Swanson allowed the North Siders to scrape together enough for a 2-0 win at the Friendly Confines. Under crystal blue skies on the North Side, the team's offense made its triumphant return in the rubber match. A confident and poised Taillon got another quality start under his belt, working efficiently and inducing pivotal ground ball outs. Michael Busch's two-run home run in the third inning set the tone for the home team. The charge returned to Busch's bat, as the Cubs infielder delivered more quality plate appearances. The 7-3 win put the North Siders four games up on the rival St. Louis Cardinals, as a nine-game road trip is set to kick off this week. Piling up wins and battle scars, this team is as unified as ever. As summer arrives, Counsell has his squad looking ready for a three-month grind that will land the Cubs a postseason berth, and perhaps much more. View full article

Image courtesy of © Katie Stratman-Imagn Images The most fervently baseball-inclined know that even what appears to be a comfortable division lead comes with a certain level of trepidation. The Chicago Cubs, a team well-versed in the game's oddities, hurdled further unexpected calamities on their way to another winning week. Relying heavily, perhaps a bit too heavily, on their offensive might, Craig Counsell's club piled up some important victories this past week. At what cost those victories may have come has yet to be seen. Familiarity does breed contempt as the Cubs kicked off the week in Miami versus the lowly Marlins. The Cubs have fared well against South Florida's major league ball club so far this season, though not with the ease of ordering a "Hurricane" cocktail from a swim-up bar on Biscayne Drive. Ben Brown took the hill in game one of a three-game series, and it has been a trend of late; he struggled. The 25-year-old righty cranked through 4 2/3 innings of work, surrendering six earned runs and seven hits. In an uncharacteristic day for the Cubbies' offense, the Marlins took the series opener 8-7. A most admirable trait of this Chicago Cubs team is its ability to wash out the bad taste of a deflating loss. They did that and a whole lot more in Game 2 of the series. Featuring one of Jameson Taillon's most impressive outings of the season, the North Siders rode a wave of consistency from the offense en route to a 14-1 thumping of Miami. Seiya Suzuki and Nico Hoerner combined for six RBI as the Cubs roared back into the series, setting up the rubber match. The finale of their second and final series in 2025 against the Marlins this season proved somewhat of a milestone as it marked the first time this year the Cubs would ascend to 10 games over .500. In perhaps one of the more impressive showings from the Cubbies' bullpen in recent memory, the club's relievers picked up the slack after a respectable start from the young Cade Horton. A combination of Caleb Thielbar, Brad Keller, and Daniel Palencia held the Fish scoreless as the Cubbies escaped with a 2-1 victory. Although the Cubs are the kings of their division, it's universally regarded as one of the weaker divisions in Major League Baseball. Riding a late-game offensive onslaught, the North Siders showed why, despite their division's reputation, they are a force to be reckoned with. Scoring just two runs before the sixth inning, the Cubbies' bats, known to cause significant damage to their opponents, erupted in the late stages of the game. In doing so, the Cubs erased a 6-2 deficit, taking the game 13-6 at Great American Ballpark. No Cub was more instrumental in the comeback than legitimate MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong. The North Siders' phenom center fielder crushed two long balls, including a go-ahead grand slam that is giving me and thousands of other Cubs fans chills at this exact moment. Colin Rea has been a pleasant surprise for the Cubs' pitching staff in 2025, but his fourth win of the season was not meant to be as the Cubs squared off versus the Reds in game two of their three-game series. Jumping out to an early 2-0 lead against the North Siders, the Reds found enough ways to hold off Chicago, even withstanding a late-inning push by Craig Counsell's squad. Replacing the injured Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly stepped up and did not miss a beat after being unexpectedly called upon, albeit in a losing effort. The Reds walked away with game two by a score of 6-4. Sunday has been less kind to the Cubbies than a priest scolding a parishioner who's skipped church for eight straight years. But not this time. After another shaky start from Ben Brown, the Cubs' bullpen did enough for the Cubbies to hang around long enough to work their magic. After being called up in the wake of Miguel Amaya's injury, the young Reese McGuire delivered a holiday weekend memory no Cubs fan will soon forget. Mac came up big with two home runs to aid in his club's latest comeback victory. The league's RBI leader, Seiya Suzuki, capped things off with a breathtaking, 3-run bomb. The Cubs scored eight unanswered runs and boarded the plane back to O'Hare International Airport winners of a harrowing, thrilling contest. Triumphant in four of their last six games, the Cubs are back at Wrigley this week to take on baseball's worst team, the Colorado Rockies, before facing off versus this very same Cincinnati Reds squad. If you weren't already, this is the perfect time to get excited about Cubs baseball. With foundational players like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, this team boasts the star power and determination to stay competitive in any contest, regardless of the odds. View full article

Image courtesy of © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The Cubs' victory anthem has been the song of the summer thus far. But, while the squad keeps racking up impressive, though expected, wins, there's still one thing holding this team back: injuries. Since before the season even began, the injury bug has been an unwelcome houseguest that the North Siders must vanquish. Just when the bullpen has delivered a handful of encouraging appearances, it's struck yet again, taking out the 24-year-old right-hander Porter Hodge. As brief as his absence will hopefully be, someone, or a collection of someones, must fill in the gap to keep the surging Cubbies on track. Does the club have options? Yes, they certainly do. Let's take a look at a few hurlers who can and have held opposing batters in check. One of the Cubs' most surprising intangibles is their astonishing range of experience. Drew Pomeranz, classified as a reclamation project, has stood out because, well, he gets outs. The 36-year-old Ole Miss Rebel loads the strike zone, a must for a reliever, and deals out on the mound with a steady hand. He's tallied 11 strikeouts in his 10.1 innings of work this season, earning a 0.58 WHIP relying almost exclusively on his four-seam fastball. The simplicity of his arsenal and placement of pitches from said arsenal make him the perfect late-inning reliever. He doesn't have as many innings logged as some of his other colleagues in the pen, but he's intriguing nonetheless. True of any team in the bigs, the bullpen has to tow the line in some uncomfortable situations opposite weaker opponents. Such was the case recently as the Chicago Cubs took their series versus the Miami Marlins. With their foe refusing to budge, Brad Keller carried the fate of the game on his shoulders and got a cathartic victory for his squad. With the Cubs up 2-1, Keller took the ball and looked like a pro's pro. Giving way to Daniel Palencia in the ninth inning, Keller blanked the Fish. More than that, he battled through some adversity to do so. Toting a 2.70 ERA, Keller has a more diverse array of pitches, including a respectable slider, his second-most frequently used pitch. Similar to Pomeranz, Keller possesses the poise and demeanor of a closer. In a nearly empty ballpark in Miami, quieter than after someone tells a bad joke at a funeral, they needed it and got it. Coming on as of late after more pedestrian appearances, Caleb Thielbar is starting to settle in nicely. With the North Siders starting to string together some victories featuring nice bullpen work, Thielbar has been a highlight. Alternating largely between a four-seam fastball and sweeper, Thielbar not only fills up the strike zone, but he does so as a lefty, a commodity in short supply for the Cubbies. Though he lacks the fiery personality you may look for in a late-game reliever, his steadfast presence on the mound is precisely what makes him a prime candidate to either chew up innings or come in for the final three outs. Outside of the stunning (and highly unlikely) case that the Cubs pick up a shutdown closer at the trade deadline, the North Siders have to throw who they've got out there to keep the number rising in the win column. This is an elite ball club; everyone in this organization owes it to themselves and us, the humble fans, to keep them in the tier of the "haves". While Porter Hodge's injury presents as yet another speed bump in the Cubs' path to glory, there is a capable committee of pitchers here that can and will keep the Cubbies perched at the top of the mountain. View full article

In 2023, in front of a customarily thunderous crowd at Wrigley Field, former Cub Christopher Morel hammered a walkoff home run into the bleachers in right-center field, sending an already rocking ballpark into complete delirium. A year later, Palatine, Ill. native Mike Tauchman delivered a similar feeling to the Wrigley faithful with a walkoff homer of his own. This sibling rivalry we Chicagoans get to indulge each year is never short on visceral, intense moments, but with the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox enjoying much different fortunes of late, this interleague matchup has become far more of a celebration than a baseball game. That, in my humble opinion, is a very good thing. Make no mistake about it: These contests, like all others, are imperative to the North Siders in their quest for a postseason return. Even with a mercurial bullpen, the Cubs should beat the lowly White Sox every time out. Anyone who has sat across a burger and fries from me knows how much this club's success means to me, but as I observed the happenings this past weekend, it became evident how special this rivalry is to the city of Chicago, and how deep the lines of family and brotherhood run. Taking the walk out of Murphy's Bleachers up to Clark and Addison, scores of residents of the same city gathered for an afternoon of storytelling and camaraderie. The distinct lines of black and blue, meshing together as one, people from Belfast, Ireland, all the way to Printer's Row, made their way through the gates under the iconic Wrigley Field marquee for a good time. Yes, the wins matter, and no, as both teams inevitably get to a more equal level of competition, it will not always be like this, but this was as fun as the rivalry has ever been. (Maybe White Sox fans would prefer they be the ones charging toward a deep October run. But the point is, an imbalance in the fortunes of the two teams might be the best thing for their fan bases when these series roll around.) We are a lucky bunch in Chicago. Boasting two professional baseball clubs with such a rich tradition is not a luxury smaller markets will ever know. Before my firsthand crash course in this matchup, it never made much sense to me why the average resident of this town would adorn themselves in a black jersey with names like Buehrle or Thomas stitched across the back in white letters. After spending more quality time with my South Side compatriots, I see where they're coming from. Our blood runs different colors, but our hearts beat the same. Since before the season started, I knew this Cubs team would be special. What I didn't know, however, is how external forces, even different teams that happen to play in the same city, would be such a large part of why they're special. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images I don't necessarily agree with the old sports adage that "winning solves everything," but when you're already pretty good, like the Cubs are, it solves a lot. All season long, the Chicago Cubs have proven, to great measure, that they belong in the same echelon as the game's best teams. Through statement hitting, excellent baserunning, and the bullpen's marginal improvement, this week resoundingly emphasized that point. A steadfast return to basics has the Northsiders playing the exhilarating brand of baseball we have come to both expect and marvel at since early April. Can they keep it going? There is more than enough convincing evidence to suggest they can. Wandering down the wrong social media rabbit hole will unveil much to scoff at, not the least of which is the absurd notion that the Cubs' superstar center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, is bound to fall off from his astonishing production. His 2.9 WAR makes him the second-most valuable player in the National League. Were the Cubs' opponents and critics to peruse his stats on Baseball-Reference quickly, it would make their collective hands tremble like Chaz Palminteri's character at the end of "The Usual Suspects." His wide range of skills at the plate and in the outfield don't just make him a complementary piece to his exceptional teammates, but a player you can build a team around. Most of us had justifiably come around to the idea that Craig Counsell's bullpen just isn't that good. A glut of offense from Chicago's North Side team tends to mask the horrors that have crept up in close games at the hands of this club's relief pitching. Somehow, this past week, and probably not separate from their level of competition, the Cubs' pen grasped a modicum of stability. In the middle game of the Cubs' sweep versus the White Sox alone, hurlers like Brad Keller and Porter Hodge were resilient, holding the South Siders scoreless after starter Matthew Boyd left the game. If either the bullpen returns to some middle ground of performance or the club picks up an impact arm at the trade deadline, the Cubs should comfortably walk away with the division. In their contests last week, outside the division, the Cubbies were nothing if not consistent. They took the first two games of their series versus Miami with scores of 5-2 and 5-4, before dropping the finale 3-1. This weekend's tilt with the White Sox was a soft reboot to the Cubs' offense. They took the series' opener by a staggering score of 13-3, which set the tone for sound subsequent victories of 7-3 and 6-2. It was a week so nice, I think we'd like to do it all over again. Deja Vu is about to set in as the Cubs travel to Miami to take on the Marlins yet again. The Memorial Day weekend sends the Cubbies off to do battle with a division rival, the very talented Cincinnati Reds. Without question, the Cubbies will need their bats to keep humming and then some to build back their cushion atop the NL Central. If that is to come to fruition, however, the pitching rotation's youngsters will have to continue to step up. On the strength of a clear identity, prolific offense, and a middle infield returning to its Gold Glove Ways, the Chicago Cubs are becoming more reliable than delays on the CTA Red Line. By delivering victories in such convincing fashion, the North Siders have announced that they are not taking the dip in competition level on their schedule lightly. The club feels like it's reaching an inflection point in the season, where it can transition from a good team to an elite one. By the looks of it, they're making the most of that opportunity. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images I don't necessarily agree with the old sports adage that "winning solves everything," but when you're already pretty good, like the Cubs are, it solves a lot. All season long, the Chicago Cubs have proven, to great measure, that they belong in the same echelon as the game's best teams. Through statement hitting, excellent baserunning, and the bullpen's marginal improvement, this week resoundingly emphasized that point. A steadfast return to basics has the Northsiders playing the exhilarating brand of baseball we have come to both expect and marvel at since early April. Can they keep it going? There is more than enough convincing evidence to suggest they can. Wandering down the wrong social media rabbit hole will unveil much to scoff at, not the least of which is the absurd notion that the Cubs' superstar center fielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong. His 2.9 WAR makes him the second-most valuable player in the National League. Were the Cubs' opponents and critics to peruse his stats on Baseball-Reference quickly, it would make their collective hands tremble like Chaz Palminteri's character at the end of "The Usual Suspects." His wide range of skills at the plate and in the outfield don't just make him a complementary piece to his exceptional teammates, but a player you can build a team around. Most of us had justifiably come around to the idea that Craig Counsell's bullpen just isn't that good. A glut of offense from Chicago's North Side team tends to mask the horrors that have crept up in close games at the hands of this club's relief pitching. Somehow, this past week, and probably not separate from their level of competition, the Cubs' pen grasped a modicum of stability. In the middle game of the Cubs' sweep versus the White Sox alone, hurlers like Brad Keller and Porter Hodge were resilient, holding the South Siders scoreless after starter Matthew Boyd left the game. If either the bullpen returns to some middle ground of performance or the club picks up an impact arm at the trade deadline, the Cubs should comfortably walk away with the division. On the strength of a clear identity, prolific offense, and a middle infield returning to its Gold Glove Ways, the Chicago Cubs are becoming more reliable than delays on the CTA Red Line. By delivering victories in such convincing fashion, the North Siders have announced that they are not taking the dip in competition level on their schedule lightly. The club feels like it's reaching an inflection point in the season, where it can transition from a good team to an elite one. By the looks of it, they're making the most of that opportunity. View full article

Image courtesy of © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Through their recent adversity, the Chicago Cubs haven't crashed back down to Earth. However, they do seem to be flying at a lower altitude. For a squad that spent the first six weeks of the season earning the trust of even its most skeptical observers, the 2-5 record the North Siders have produced in their last seven contests feels more like a freefall than the minor hiccup it is most likely to be. Dropping back-to-back series against the Giants and Mets, while less than desirable, is no cause to sound the alarm. There were still a handful of positives to glean from this past week of Cubs baseball. It's no secret that the team's recent string of pitching injuries has dimmed the excitement of a strong start. However, those very setbacks also gave us the exciting arrival of top pitching prospect, Cade Horton. In his minor-league career, Horton boasted a sub-3.00 ERA and struck out just shy of 200 batters. In his debut versus the Mets, much of what's made him great so far in the lower circuit carried over to the big leagues. After Brad Keller blanked the Mets in the first inning of a nationally televised game from Citi Field, the 23-year-old Horton took the hill for four innings of poised pitching. What had to stick out most was Horton's confidence on the mound. Facing New York's murderer's row of boppers, Horton looked sharp and steadfast, bending but not breaking under the bright lights. Let this first appearance make it known: Cade Horton is a major-league pitcher. I will fault no one for getting caught up in the thrill of the Cubs' bright future, because as fate would have it, that was one of the few highlights of this past week. With the hated St. Louis Cardinals creeping ever closer to the Cubs' top spot in the National League Central, pressure is steadily rising to fix the North Siders' subpar bullpen. This club's stable of relievers—even the usually good Porter Hodge—continues to give up baserunners with less than two outs; sharply-hit line drives; and seemingly avoidable jams. This squad's offense, high-powered as it may be, can't realistically be called upon to shoulder the bulk of the work every night. It's up to the bullpen to secure wins for this team, and right now, that just isn't happening consistently. Nobody said reclaiming the NL Central crown would be easy. The good news is, this next stretch of the season actually should be. The "easy" part of the schedule we all longed for throughout March and April finally begins this week, with the Marlins, White Sox, Reds and Rockies taking up the Cubs' time for the balance of May. With that said, nothing has changed for this squad. They can take a hit with the very best of this league, and when at full strength or close to it, there are few other clubs that rival the one on Chicago's North Side. The heavyweight took some heavy hits; now they need to come out swinging for their next round. View full article

Image courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images There's nothing funny about injuries at any level of sport. In baseball, we tend to avoid speaking of it, as though it's an unwritten rule of the game, much like keeping tight-lipped while some of the games' more impressive feats play out. Well, it would seem that strategy is ill-conceived in 2025 for the Chicago Cubs. With ace hurler Shota Imanaga going on the 15-day IL nearly a week ago with a left hamstring strain, the North Siders are down yet another game-changing pitcher. Already missing Justin Steele (for the season), and Imanaga out for at least his next couple starts, it appears the Cubbies must now look to more unlikely sources to maintain their grip on the Nl Central. We could ask for an act of God, though knowing that the new pope is (reportedly) a White Sox fan diminishes those odds. No, Craig Counsell's squad, as it often does to great effect, must work with what they've got. Though you may not like it, Matthew Boyd is the perfect individual to hold down the fort while his fellow starters recuperate. We have spoken, albeit briefly, about the veteran presence of any given starting pitcher, whether or not, in fact, they can be classified as such. Folks like Paul Skenes of the Pirates, and to a lesser extent Jackson Jobe of the Tigers, prove that starting pitcher is a young man's position. With any luck, Cade Horton will quickly ascend to those heights as well. There is, however, something to be said for additional years of service, and having the even-keeled demeanor of someone who has "been there" before. Matthew Boyd fits that mold. Owner of a 3-2 record and a 0.9 WAR in 2025, there is nothing too remarkable about Matthew Boyd as a starting pitcher in the majors. Might I propose that's exactly what makes him the perfect individual for this moment? He's been with more clubs than Tiger Woods. One would surmise that his time with the Guardians in 2024 , including an impressive postseason run to the ALCS when Boyd allowed just one run in 11 2/3 innings, is what caught the attention of the Cubs' brass. Through battling through adversity, he's learned what it takes to survive, or in other words, he's proof that the term "battle tested" holds clout. He hasn't changed much since that run with the Guardians, beyond the fact he uses his curve more than his sinker now. It's actually a pretty interesting movement profile, where his fastball, sinker and changeup all have roughly the same amount of arm-side run, with their velocities and vertical break being the primary differentiators. As for his glove-side moving pitches, the slider barely breaks vertically at all, while his curve exists more in the "slurve" model than on a 12-6 plane. Boyd gets by on the concept of "swing decisions", i.e., he tunnels his pitches well and forces hitters to guess at what offering they're actually seeing. It might not quite be the profile of a surefire "ace" with overpowering stuff or air-bending breaking balls, but the southpaw can make it all work, especially as long as he continues to dial up his four-seamer to career-high levels. Some of the teams I grew up loving the most, like the 2006 Detroit Tigers, adopted the mantra: "If it ain't rough, it ain't right." In their case, featuring a breathtaking run to the World Series, it almost worked. They were bested by one of the scrappiest St. Louis Cardinals teams in league history, but they largely got the job done. With contender blood coursing through their veins, perhaps this Chicago Cubs ball club can be seen in a similar light. And maybe Matthew Boyd is the face of it all. View full article