Series 23 Marlins at Cubs

    Game 1

     A Grand Slam by Duvall propelled the Marlins to victory in the series opener. The Cubs got on the board quickly when Pederson hit a solo homer to lead off the first. The trouble for Davies started in the third when the Marlins loaded the bases with one out. Davies walked in a run and then got an out to set up the deciding at-bat of the game. 2 outs and the bases loaded and Duvall blasted a changeup for a grand slam to grab a 5-1 lead in the third. Pederson homered in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to three but the Cubs didn't get any closer. The Marlins extended the lead as Berti hit a three-run homer in the sixth. The Marlins finished the scoring in the seventh when Duvall hit a 2 run homer to bring the score to 10-2.

    Game 2

     The Marlins jumped all over Arrieta early and cruised to another big win. The Marlins got on the board in the first after Chizzolm had an infield single and stole second to score on a ground out by Aguilar. Duvall homered to make it three as Marte reeached base on an error by Bryant. The Marlins got another in the second inning as Bertis hit a sacrifice fly to score Alfaro. Duvall blasted another 2 run homer in the third to extend the lead to 6-0. The Marlins added another in the fifth when Sanchez singled home Duvall. The Marlins continued to add in the sixth as Berti scored on a wild pitch. A Sanchez solo shot and Diaz's two-run homer in the seventh and eighth finished the scoring for the Marlins. The Cubs got their lone run on a solo homer by Heyward in the eighth as the Marlins cruised to another victory while the Cubs bats remained cold.

    Game 3

     Mills and the bullpen avoided trouble and the sweep as the Cubs got just enough to take the finale. The Marlins got baserunners in each of the first five innings but couldn't find a run as Mills escaped the trouble each time. The Cubs got the first run of the game in the third as Heyward started the inning with a walk. Alcantara and Mills failed to move him over so that left it to Pederson to get him in. Pederson hit a grounder into deep right-center and an error by Rojas got him to second and Heyward to third. Heyward scored on a passed ball and the Cubs took the lead. The Cubs got another run in the fifth as Wisdom singled to start the inning. Marisnick singled him over and Alcantara would get him in on an infield single to deep first to take a 2-0 lead. The bullpen shut down the Marlins retiring the last 12 batters of the game to seal the game.

    The good

     The Cubs avoided a sweep and are still tied for first in the division. Pederson showed his power belting two homers in the first game. The main bullpen shut down the Marlins on their way to victory as they continue to be the strength of the team. Mills pitched well and showed he can continue to contribute in the rotation as Williams and Alzolay recover.

    The bad

     The first two games were really ugly for the Cubs. Davies and Arrieta struggled and the bullpen didn't help. The bats were cold too as the only runs scored were from solo homers in the first two games. The Cubs are ice cold and are happy to be still tied for the lead in the division after a rough week.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs have a quick two-game series against the Indians before they head out west to start a 10 game road trip that includes the Dodgers, Brewers, and Reds. The brutal June schedule seems to finally be getting to the Cubs and this upcoming road trip will be vital for the division as the Brewers and Reds are in contention.

Series 22 Cubs at Mets

    Game 1

     The Cubs came back to earth a bit in this one. Arrieta got roughed up as the Mets took the series opener. The Mets started the scoring in the fourth as McCann singled in Smith and advanced to second on a throwing error by Marisnick that set up a 2 run double by Pillar to extend the lead to 3-0 in the fourth. Smith would hit a solo homer in the fifth followed by Drury driving in Pillar in the sixth to get the lead to 5-0. The Cubs would get 2 runs back on back-to-back homers by Rizzo and Wisdom in the seventh. The Cubs would go down quietly in the eighth and ninth as the Mets took game 1 5-2.

    Game 2

     The Mets would squeak out a 3-2 victory in a tight game. The Cubs would get a 2-run homer from Baez to start the scoring in the third. The Mets would respond right away with two runs on an Alonso single that drove in Lindor and Smith. Walker started to cruise for the Mets on his way to 12 K's in 7 innings of 2 run ball. Mills would give up another run in the fifth as Alonso hit a sac fly to drive in Villar and drive Mills from the game after 4 1/3 innings. The bullpen held their own and kept it a one-run game. The Cubs would finally challenge in the ninth as Contreras singled with one out and then Marisnick ran for him. Sogard would hit a single and an inexplainable send from the third base coach had Marisnick thrown out easily at home as the tying run. Heyward would then walk but Alcantara would strike out to end the game.

    Game 3

     DeGrom was forced to leave the game early but it matter little as the Mets took the game 6-3. The Cubs had Stock starting his first game of the year and he struggled. The Mets started the scoring in the second as Pillar doubled home McKinney and then scored on a DeGrom single. They added another run in the third as Smith hammered a solo homer. The Cubs got a run in the fourth after DeGrom left the game and Rizzo blasted a solo shot off of Reid-Foley to get the Cubs on the board. The Mets would respond right away and get two runs of their own as Lindor walked with the bases loaded and Smith grounded out but got a run home. The Mets added their sixth in the fifth on a Pillar solo home run. The Cubs' offense was stymied again until the ninth. Ortega would blast a 2 run homer but it was too little too late as the Cubs fell in game 3.

    Game 4

     The Cubs would take the series finale as Hendricks shone and Baez provided the power. Hendricks was terrific and gave the bullpen some relief. He would pitch six scoreless innings on way to a seventh consecutive victory. Chafin, Tepera, and Kimbrel would close out the Mets as the Cubs avoided the sweep. The Cubs got the only runs of the game early as Baez blasted a 2 run homer in the first off of Stroman. That would be the deciding factor as both pitchers were stellar. The Mets blew their chances early as they had runners in scoring position with less than 2 outs in 3 of the first 4 innings.

    The good

     Baez provided some power and had a great offensive series himself. Hendricks continues to pitch well and show the start of the season was just a little slump. Even with a losing series the Cubs are on top of the division as the Brewers stumbled as well this week.

    The bad

     The offense was not producing and the starting pitching was giving up early runs. A massive baserunning blunder cost us a game and that is just frustrating. Seeing the rotation is basically Hendricks and Davies and hope at this point is concerning. This team needs someone to step up in the rotation and help out the 1-2 punch.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs have a little homestand against the Marlins and Indians before an extended road trip. It will be important to continue to take advantage at home as the division is tight with the Brewers, Reds, and Cardinals all in it.

Series 21 Cardinals at Cubs

    Game 1

     The vibe was electric in Wrigley as a 100% capacity crowd filled the stadium for the first time since 2019. The Cardinals tried to spoil the fun as they raced out to an early lead but the Cubs would come back and take game 1 as the crowd helped fuel the comeback. The scoring started in the second as Carpenter singled in O'Neil while Molina was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play. The Cardinals would add another run in the third as Arenado singled home Oviedo. The Cubs would get a run back in the fourth as Pederson hit a solo homer as he stayed hot. The Cardinals would do more damage in the fifth as a walk, single, double to start the inning drove Stewart from the game. The Cardinals would add two more runs when Arenado singled home both Edman and Carlson to cement the Cardinals' lead at 5-1 in the fifth. The Cubs would get right back in it though. Contreras walked and Heyward singled and a passed ball would score Contreras. Alcantara would triple home Heyward and then score on a throwing error. by Molina. to make it. a one-run game again. Then the at-bat of the game and probably series happened in the bottom of the sixth. Rizzo battled Ponce De Leon in an epic 14 pitch at-bat that resulted in a game-tying homer that sent Wrigley into a frenzy as the crowd erupted as Rizzo belted a line-drive homer to the right field bleachers. The Cubs would take the lead in the seventh as Pederson doubled in Heyward and MArisnick for their first lead of the game. Contreras would add a solo shot in the eighth and the bullpen would shut down the Cardinals to cement the series-opening win for the Cubs.

    Game 2

     The Cubs would guarantee a series victory as the Cardinals control was lacking in a 7-2 win for the Cubs. The Cardinals got on the board first as Arenado hit a solo homer in the second. The cubs would respond right away with 5 runs of their own though. Gant struggled with his command as he issued 5 walks and a homer before exiting after 1 2/3 innings. of work. Woodruff would take over and did little to help as he gave up a single and HBP to the first two batters he faced. The Cubs would end the inning on a Contrera popup but the damage was done as they had a 5-1 lead. The cardinals would threaten right back as DeJong hit a solo homer followed by a single and walk that gave them a chance to get right back in it. Hendricks would shut down Goldschmidt and Arenado to silence the redbirds. The Cubs added runs on Alcantara and Pederson solo shots in the 3rd and fourth respectively to widen their lead to 7-2. There wasn't much of a scoring threat by either side until the top of the ninth. The Cardinals would load the bases with 2 outs. Kimbrel would come in and get Sosa to ground out and end the game before they had a chance.

    Game 3

     Davies continued his brilliance with 6 2/3 shutout innings allowing 2 hits and 2 walks in his outing. Martinez was also brilliant but some lackluster fielding led to a couple of Cub runs as they completed the sweep. A pitcher's duel to close the series was appropriate as the bats had taken the headlines in the first 2 games. Davies was dominant as the Cardinals had only 2 men get in scoring position against him as they tried to find some offense. After 15 straight outs to start the game, Sogard would double to right to lead off the third for the Cubs. Alcantara would ground out and move him to third and then Davies would strikeout to set up the big inning. Pederson would hit a grounder that DeJong would boot to give the Cubs their first run and the lead. Bryant and Rizzo would follow with singles to score Pederson and give the Cubs a lead that would last. Neither team would put up much of a threat the rest of away as the Cubs completed the sweep in a packed-out Wrigley.

    The good

     Fans are back at 100% and Wrigley is rocking. The Cubs had already been rolling at home and this only helped as the players were feeding off the crowd throughout the series. Sweeping your biggest rival while hanging on to a tie at the top of the division is huge and this was such an electric series. Pederson seems to have found his power out west and brought it back to Wrigley. Alcantara is swinging the bat well and has taken over the second base role well and filled in nicely for Baez at shortstop too. Hendricks and Davies both pitched well as they continue to show that April was a fluke for them and they can be a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. The bullpen continues to be stellar and Kimbrel pitched three consecutive games only allowing 1 baserunner on his way to 3 saves in the series. The Rizzo at-bat was amazing and set the tone for the series and hopefully will help him continue to improve throughout the year.

    The bad

     Baez not playing the last game is a little distressing and hopefully, it's only a minor setback as he wasn't placed on the IL. Stewart had another rough outing and it shows that Alzolay and Williams are needed back into the rotation as the depth is not there.

    Looking ahead

     A difficult series with the first-place Mets lies ahead. The Cubs' schedule through June is daunting as they try to keep up with the Brewers in the division. The Cubs' will be back home for series against the Marlins and Indians starting next weekend.

Series 20 Cubs at Padres

    Game 1

     Another tough game out West for the Cubs. They started slowly and came back before getting torched late for a 9-4 loss. The Padres started the scoring in the first as Alzolay struggled with 2 hits and 2 walks allowed. The Padres only managed one run though to keep the Cubs close. The Padres added another in the second as Caaratini lead off with a double and scored on a sac fly by Machado. The Padres continued to add as O'Grady hit a 2 run homer in the third as Alozolay's day was done after 3 innings and a blister on his middle finger. The Cubs would fight back in the fourth though. Bryant and Rizzo started the innings with singles followed by a walk by Wisdom that loaded the bases. The Cubs would get 2 runs as Marisnick hit a swinging bunt and an errant throw from Weathers allowed Rizzo to score as well. Happ would sacrifice them over and Alcantara would have a sac fly to get the Cubs within one. The Padres would add 2 more in the sixth as Thompsons' command was lacking with two walks and a wild pitch that put them in position to score on a fielder's choice and a sac fly. Happ would homer in the seventh but the offense couldn't muster up anything else. The Padres added 3 insurance runs in the eighth that put the game to bed.

    Game 2

     The Cubs evened the series as the long ball provided the offense as Davies was lights out on the mound. The Cubs started their home run parade in the fourth as Contreras blasted a long solo shot to left to grab the lead. The Cubs would pour it on in the sixth as Rizzo had a 2 RBI double after singles from Pederson and Bryant started the inning. The Cubs would add more in the sixth as Wisdom hit a 2 run homer on a line drive to left to open up a commanding 5-0 lead. Davies would come out after six strong innings of shutout baseball allowing only 1 hit and 2 walks as he continues to turn around his season after a dreadful April. The Cubs would add some more insurance in the seventh as Rizzo hit a 2 run bomb to left after Pederson doubled earlier in the inning. The Padres would get a consolation run in the ninth but it mattered little as the Cubs won 7-1.

    Game 3

     The Cubs would take the series as the pitching excelled again while the bats provided enough juice to get the win. Arrieta starred in the game as he needed a good outing after being roughed up in his last couple of starts. He allowed 1 run in 5 innings on 4 hits and a single walk paired with 6 strikeouts. The Padres started the scoring in this one as they got a run in the third as Machado singled in Pham after he had singled and stole second. The lead wouldn't last long though as Pederson belted a solo shot to tie things up in the fourth. The Cubs would grad the lad in the seventh. Happ walked and wisdom followed with a single to get men on first and third for Rizzo. He would hit into a double play but Happ would score and the Cubs would have the 2-1 lead. The Cubs bullpen was in at this point and they locked the Padres down. Brothers, Tepera, and Kimbrel combined for 4 innings and 5 strikeouts without allowing a single baserunner. The Cubs would get an insurance run in the eighth as Alcantara knocked his first homer of the year to right.

    The good

     The starters in the last two games were brilliant. Davies looks like he has righted the ship after a rough start to the season for him. Arrieta put in a solid performance as well and it was needed after a couple of really rough starts for him coming back from the IL. The bullpen continues to impress as everyone is putting in solid contributions. The long ball is really flying lately for the Cubs as they had 6 homers in the series from 6 different players that propelled the offense. Getting Marisnick back from the IL is nice s well and even being able to keep Martini after the DFA is solid for depth. A series victory and going 5-1 against the Padres on the year shows we can compete with top teams in the NL as this team continues to outplay projections.

    The bad

     Alzolays tough start and following IL placement is really bad for the team. Alzolay had been rolling and had solidified a spot in the rotation. Hopefully, the IL stint is short and the blister heals fast for him. With Williams on the IL already the rotation is thin and there doesn't appear to have much depth. The offense is relying a bit too much on the long ball as it accounted for 8 of the 14 runs in the series. That is baseball today though and it's not completely one-dimensional but something to improve on.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs series against the Cardinals lost a little bit of luster as the Cardinals hit the skids on their current 6-game losing streak. It's still a rivalry and both teams will be competing for the division with the Brewers though so it carries a lot of weight. Seeing the Cubs debut their Wrigleyville uniforms will also be nice as they look fly.

Series 19 Cubs at Giants

    Game 1

     The Cubs fell in the first game of the road trip as Crawford led the way for the Giants. The Giants got the scoring started in the second as Crawford singled home Flores for the early lead. The Cubs would strike back quickly though. Pederson would become the fourth Cubs to blast a homer into McCovey Cove as his 2 run bomb grabbed the lead for the Cubs. The Giants would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth as Descalfani got his first hit of the year on a double to deep right that plated Tauchman. The game would get out of hand in the fifth though. The Giants started the inning with two singles and a walk but Dickerson got picked off to prevent the bases from being loaded. Davies would leave the game responsible for the runners on base as Brothers came in to pitch. Crawford immediately hit a 3 run shot that gave the Giants the lead for good. The Giants would add 2 more runs in the bottom of the seventh as the Cubs went down quietly with only 1 baserunner in the last 4 innings of the game.

    Game 2

     The Cubs started brightly as Bryant would blast a 2 run shot in the first to grab an early lead. It wouldn't last as Arrieta struggled and only lasted 2 innings as the long ball plagued him. The Giants would plate 6 runs in the second as both Duggar and Dickerson went deep. Pederson would get the Cubs closer with another homer this one to left as the Cubs tried to get back in this one. Two solo homers by Vosler and Wade in the fourth put the game away for good. The Cubs would get one back in the fifth but whimper away in the later innings as they fell 8-5.

    Game 3

     The Cubs started brightly again as Wisdom homered in the second to grab a 2-0 lead. Gausman would dominate afterward though as he set down 15 straight hitters after the homer. Stewart struggled with his command in this one and that meant he only last 3 2/3 innings. That meant more innings from a bullpen that had already been overworked. The Giants grabbed four runs over 3 middle innings that was enough to last the game. The Cubs would get within 1 in the ninth as they rallied but couldn't find the tying run as they went down 4-3.

    Game 4

     Hendricks struggled early in the game as has been his bugaboo this year. The Giants would score 3 runs in the first 2 innings. The Cubs would rally back though. Starting in the second with the first of 2 homers from Wisdom. He would hit his second in the fourth to tie the game at 3. The Cubs would take the lead on an error by Posey in the fifth as Hendricks scored. Hendricks pitched well and got to the seventh before leaving with a quality start after the early trouble. The bullpen shut them down as Bryant made an incredible catch in left to preserve the lead in the ninth.

    The good

     Patrick Wisdom is mashing right now. HE is providing almost the whole offense as Happ clearly said the game plan is to get on for him and let him work. Hendricks battling back in his start was huge as he provided some innings and got a quality start for the Cubs. Pederson also found some power in the series as he hit 2 homers as well. Getting Heyward back is nice as the Cubs start to get healthy.

    The bad

     This series showed the problems with the roster this year so far. The Starting rotation didn't pitch well enough or long enough outside of Hendricks. The lack of inning eating hurt the bullpen as it is pitching far too often. Run creating was also a struggle as Wisdoms bombs provided most of the firepower in this series.

    Looking ahead

     A 3 game set with the Padres will end the west coast trip. The Cubs are in a tie for first and need to stay hot as the Brewers start to heat up. The Cubs will get 100% capacity as they return to Wrigley for a series against the Cardinals this weekend. Wrigley will be rocking and it'll be a great series to watch as two top teams that are rivals will have a lot to play for.

Series 18 Padres at Cubs

    Game 1

     A Memorial Day clash began with another player to the IL as Williams had an appendectomy Sunday. That meant the first start for Kohl Stewart as a Cub. He was up for the challenge as he pitched 5 great innings with the only blemish an unearned run in the second inning. The Cubs' offense would back him up with five homers throughout the win to propel the Cubs to the victory. The Padres started the scoring in the second when Baez had a throwing error that Tatis advanced to second on. Myers would single him in and grab the early lead. The Cubs would take the lead in the third when Baez belted his first homer with Bryant on to grab the 2-1 lead. Wisdom would follow with a solo shot of his own in the fourth and then Bryant would smash his own with Alcantra on in the fifth as the Cubs extended the lead to 5-1. The Padres would get a run in the sixth as Tatis blasted his own solo homer. That's all the Padres would manage as Thompson did a great job relieving Stewart. Thompson would pitch 2 1/3 innings and while he gave up his first run of the year he continued his great season. The Cubs would add two more runs as Wisdom had his second homer in the sixth followed by Baez's second homer of the day in the seventh. Chafin and Nance would finish the game for the Cubs as they took control of the division as the Cardinals lost later in the evening.

    Game 2

     The homers kept coming as the Cubs would power there way to a 4-3 win. The Cubs got the scoring going in the third as Wisdom stayed hot with a 2 run homer to left. Hendricks was cruising in this one until the fifth. He would get two outs before Caratini took him deep followed by a single from Weathers and another long ball by Pham. This gave the Padres a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Cubs would strike back quickly in the bottom of the inning. Alcantra would single to start and Hendricks would hit into a fielder's choice to set up Contreras. Wilson hit a long 2 run shot to get the lead back for good. Tepera, Chafin, and Kimbrel all pitched a scoreless inning as the Cubs secured another series victory. Tatis would leave the game with right obliques tightness to add injury to insult for the Padres but happily, it seems he's day to day and hopefully no IL stint will be needed. Rizzo being back in the lineup was refreshing for the Cubs as well. He went a solid 2-4 with 2 singles and having his bat and glove back in the lineup will boost this team even more.

    Game 3

     The Cubs would complete the sweep as the offense woke up late and the pitching continued to be solid. Alzolay continued his run of good results as he pitched 5 innings of one-run ball with 7 K's. The bullpen would shut the Padres down as well. The Padres struck first in the fourth as Kim singled home Cronenworth after a single and walk got him in scoring position. The Cubs would respond right away in the bottom of the inning though. Rizzo would score on an error by Hosmer. The Cubs would load the bases after that but leave them that way as the game stayed tied. The Cubs would erase the tie in the bottom of the fifth though. Martini pinch hit for Alzolay and started the rally with a walk. Pederson would walk as well before 2 outs set up Rizzo. Rizzo would double to left-center with a line drive just out of the reach of Profar on a dive. Martini and Pederson would both score as the Cubs took the lead 3-1. The Cubs got a couple of insurance runs in the seventh. Alcantara would start the inning with a triple and scored on an error by Cronenworth. Baez would then go deep to extend to lead to 5 and make it comfortable to finish.

    The good

     Sweeping a top team in the NL couldn't have been better. The pitching is staying hot and we got Rizzo back! Baez and Wisdom both hit 3 homers in the series as the long ball was flying in this series. The stellar start from Stewart was amazing as the rotation needs to keep performing. The players being called into action continue to perform as Alcantara had another good series as well as Wisdom and Stewart mentioned above. This will make for an interesting call as players get healthy. Some of these players are earning a stay so Ross will have some tough calls ahead.

    The bad

     The Tatis injury is unfortunate but at least it doesn't seem serious. Hendricks giving up the runs at the end of his start put a damper on a great start otherwise. The starters could have worked longer into games to give the bullpen a break as well. Honestly not much bad in the series and it's nitpicking but that's a good thing for this team.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs head out West for 4 games followed by another series with the Padres. The Cubs have a tough June but they have started out in the best way possible. Hopefully, the Cubs stay hot and keep first place during a tough stretch in the schedule.

Reds at Cubs

    Game 1

     The weather was downcast as the series began. It made for a pitcher's duel as Alzolay would battle as Gutierrez in his debut. Alzolay survived multiple jams through 5 and 2/3 innings. The Reds would have a man in scoring position in 6 of the first 7 innings of the game. The Cubs would not let them score as Alzolaay and the bullpen worked their magic. The Cubs' offense was struggling with Gutierrez though. They only had 3 baserunners in the first 4 innings and it looked like it would be difficult to find a run against him. Bote would hit a lined solo homer into the basket in left. With the wind howling in, the line shot was the only way a ball was leaving the field and Bote hit it perfectly. Neither team would mount much of a threat after that and the game would end 1-0 Cubbies.

    Game 2

     The Cubs got an early lead as they scored twice in the second. Contreras singled and got to third when Suarez had a wild throw to first that got Bote to second. Sogard singled Contreras home and Bote scored on a bunt single by Davies. The teams would trade zeros until the sixth when Davies left the game after walking Suarez. Brothers came in and had some command issues before giving up a bases-loaded double that tied the game. The Reds would strand men on second and third to end the inning though. The Cubs would respond right away in the bottom of the inning. Command issues hampered Reds pitchers as Castillo walked 2 before exiting the game followed by 2 walks from Garret to plate the first run. Pederson would single in 2 more runs followed by another run-scoring single from Bryant. The Cubs would add another run on Ortega's first homer as a Cub in the seventh. The Cubs would blow the game open in the bottom of the eighth as Pederson, Bryant, Baez, Happ, and Contreras had consecutive singles to get 3 more runs. The game would end with that scoreline as Wieck and Maples threw scoreless innings.

    Game 3

     The Cubs jumped on Arrieta early in this one taking a 3-0 lead in the first. The Reds loaded the bases with one out and after a sac fly benefitted from an error by Bryant to plate 2 more runs in the inning. Mahle was mowing down the Cubs hitters and the Reds scored 2 more in the fourth when Suarez hit a homer out of Wrigley followed by an error and wild pitch setting up Naquin to single home Stephenson. That would chase Arrieta from the game as he allowed 5 runs with only 2 earned. The bullpen came in and did its job shutting the Reds down. It was too late at that point as the Cubs could only muster a single run on a Bryant single in the eighth. The Cubs would go quietly in the ninth as they couldn't complete the sweep.

    The good

     A fifth consecutive series win is nice. The wins are piling up even as the injuries are mounting. The Cubs lost Bote in this series with a dislocated shoulder. Hopefully, some of the players on the IL will be back soon. The bullpen continues to be solid even though they allowed 2 runs in the series. Alzolay is continuing to look better and better as the year has gone on. He is a young guy that will be a foundational piece of the rotation moving forward. Bryant continues to be a force and be able to play almost anywhere as the injuries pile up.

    The bad

     Similar to last series Injuries continue to pile up and its only a matter of time before the full effect is felt. Arrieta struggling and multiple errors was a bad look for the finale. With new players all around it'll be tough not to have some games like that though. Bryant continues to be a force and be able to play almost anywhere as the injuries pile up. Rizzo still being out while not on the IL is also concerning as hopefully, he'll be back in the lineup shortly.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs have the Padres for 3 before heading out west for a tough road trip. They will have the Giants for four and the Padres for 3 more out west. If the Cubs can hang in there and split during this 10 game stretch that'd be huge. A couple of series against solid teams in a row, while we're hurting, will be a real test as the Cubs have taken care of business against some lower teams recently.

Series 16 Cubs at Pirates

    Game 1

     The Pirates jumped on Arrieta early in this one. They scored 2 runs in the first on 3 hits a wild pitch. They added another in the second as Craig doubled and scored on Gamels' second hit of the game. The Cubs would start to chip away in the top of the third when Pederson hit a high long homer to right on a high-hanging changeup. Arrieta would start to settle down as well as he worked 5 innings with only the 3 runs given up. The Cubs would continue to get back in the game as Pederson golfed a low slider out to right-center to tie the game at 3. After Bryant flew out to right, Baez would double and Rizzo would single him home to get the lead for the Cubs. The bullpen would stay hot and shut the Pirates down for the rest of the game. Unfortunately, the injury bug would bit again as Hoerner left the game after a failed bunt attempt. It looked bad and hopefully, it's not as bad as it seems. This team continues to fight through injuries but they are reaching a point of not having enough guys so some good news on that front would be huge.

    Game 2

     The Cubs jumped out to an early lead in this one. Bote started it off with a 2 run homer in the second to straightaway center. The. Cubs would continue the inning as Sogard and Williams would single before Pederson flew out to deep center. Bryant would single home Sogard to extend the lead to 3 as Crowe was chased from the game early. Underwood would pitch a solid 3 and 2/3 for the Pirates while Williams was on his way to a great start lasting 6 innings with only 1 earned run allowed. The Cubs would add another run on a Bryant single in the sixth. The Pirates would get a run back in the bottom of the inning as Gonzolez singled home Newman. The Cubs bullpen would again shut their opponents down with 3 baserunners in 3 innings but 5 K's and no runs.

    Game 3

     The Cubs scored early again as Bryant hit a solo shot in the first to grab the lead. The Cubs would score again in the third on a wild play. With 2 outs and Contreras on third, Baez hit a grounder to third that was fielded but the throw was off so Craig went to tag Baez out. Baez would run back almost to the plate and then Craig threw it home to try and get Contreras out at home. Baez would streak to first where no one was covering and a throwing error would advance him to second on the play. This was an absolute bluster by Craig where he could have just stepped on the base to end the inning. The Cubs would score again when Happ would single in Baez. So all in all the Cubs got 2 huge unearned runs. Wisdom would get the Cubs another run on a solo homer in the fourth. Then the Pirates would start to fight back. Back-to-back homers by Reynolds and Polanco put them right in it after the fourth. Another solo homer in the seventh from Perez would have them trail by only one run. Hendricks would leave after the seventh pitching a solid 7 innings of 3 run ball all on solo homers. The Cubs would add an insurance run when Bryant grounded into a double play that scored Sogard. The bullpen would shut the Pirates down for a series sweep.

    The good

     A series sweep that keeps the Cubs right at the top of the division. The bullpen is continuing its dominance as it reaches new levels. They didn't give up a run and continued to hold the lead in three tight games. This group of relievers is pitching extremely well and the depth has been amazing. There have been injuries but it hasn't stopped their dominance of late.

    The bad

     Injuries continue to pile up and its only a matter of time before the full effect is felt. Hoerner going down in game 1 after such a hot start to the year is horrible. Continuing the close games is also nerve-wracking as it will be hard to keep winning all of them.

    Looking ahead

     Another series against a lower division opponent is on deck. Getting a series victory will be vital as the Cubs try to fight the Cardinals for division dominance. Also the longer they are competitive the more likely they find a way to sign some of the core that all Cubs fans have grown to love and want to see around longer.

Series 15 Cubs at Cardinals

    Game 1

     The Cubs started as best they could with Pederson hitting a leadoff homer to get an early lead. The Cardinals would tie the game in the third as Edman doubled home, Sosa. Both starters continued to be solid as the Cubs would scratch up another run on a double by Hoerner and two sacrifices by Hendricks and Pederson in the fifth. The Cardinals would tie it in the bottom of the sixth but Hendricks would get out of a bases-loaded jam afterward to keep it tied. The Cubs would get the lead right back as Hoerner singled and was moved over on another sacrifice by Hendricks and scored on a wild pitch. The Cubs would get another in the seventh when Bryant doubled home Pedersonafter he walked. The Cardinals would get a run back in the bottom of the inning as a Rizzo error opened the door for them to climb back into the game. The Cardinals would strand men on first and third though as the Cubs preserved the lead. The Cubs would blow the game open in the eighth as the Cardinals bullpen struggled mightily. The Cubs would plate 8 runs as an error by Arenado loaded the bases with no outs. Sogard would single home a run while Bryant and Contreras both walked with the bases loaded to get 2 more across the plate. Rizzo would double in 2 more runs as Contreras got caught in between third and home for the second out. Baez would single in Rizzo followed by Bote would single in Happ and Baez before being thrown out trying to advance to second on the play. The bullpen would shut the Cardinals down as the Cubs cruised the last 2 innings to an important game 1 win.

    Game 2

     The Cubs got off to a great start again in this one. After Pederson was hit by a pitch Baez would drive him in with two outs to grab an early lead. Alzolaay was cruising and looking strong in this one as well. The Cardinals would plate a run in the fifth with a 2 out rally. Sosa would hit a shot into the right-field corner that turned into a triple as he was just safe at third on a close play. Thomas would rip a hanging slider into center field and the game was now tied. Alzolay would not leave for a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh and stay in as his pitch count wasn't to 80 at that point. He had a battle with Molina to start the inning and Molina blasted a solo shot down the left-field line to give the Cardinals their first lead of the series late in game 2. The Cubs would threaten in the top of the eighth with two men on with one out. Gallegos would get Rizzo to strike out and Baez to fly out to left field to strand the runners. A fortuitous fair call on a Hoerner dribbler couldn't help the Cubs plate a run in ninth as the Cubs lost another 1 run ballgame.

    Game 3

     Another tight game in the rubber match of the series. The Cardinals were hitting early with 4 doubles in the first four innings. Davies was excellent at getting out of jams as the Cardinals didn't manage to plate any runs on him in the 5 innings he went. The Cubs' offense was non-existent though. With a horrendous strike zone and Wainwright having great stuff, they didn't stand a chance. Wainwright would throw 8 scoreless innings for the Cardinals. The Cubs bullpen would match that even though the Cardinals created more chances. After not reviewing a clear miscall at third base the Cardinals had the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh. Tepera would work his way out of it with a groundout, a foul out, and a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed. The game would go to extras still scoreless. Rizzo would ground out to get Contreras to third to start the inning. Baez would get the big hit as he launched a 2 run homer to dead center to give the Cubs all the runs they needed. The Cardinals would get a run back in the bottom of the tenth as Goldschmidt advanced on a wild pitch and Arenado hit a deep sacrifice fly to plate him. That would be all they got as Kimbrel walked Molina and then struck out both Bader and Williams to end the game and the series.

    The good

    The starters were impressive in all three games. Hendricks and Alzolay worked deeper in the game and Davies worked out of trouble multiple times to keep the game scoreless. The bullpen continues to shine as the only run they gave up in the series was in extra innings so it was unearned. It has been the next man up as the IL continues to take relievers but the bullpen continues to be pristine. The offense wasn't stellar especially in games 2 and 3 but did tally 12 walks which is 4 per game and did enough to win the series. Getting early runs happened in 2 games and that is a nice trend that helps pitchers settle down and pitch well early. The Cubs also are showing grit as they have had a lot of players out with injuries throughout the year but continue to stay competitive.

    The bad

     Losing another one run is hard especially against your rivals. Not converting opportunities in that game was also frustrating. The lack of hitting against Wainwright is troublesome as well. Being in that game was fortuitous and the offense needs to be more consistent. Also, the umpires in Game 3 were bad. The strike zone was awful and influenced the game as Ross was ejected early but the strike zone continued to be awful. The umps also clearly missed an out at third as Bote was on the base and tagged the runner before he got there and was called safe. They also decided not to review it for some reason which is what review is here for anyway.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs get 2 series against the divisions cellar-dwellers before 3 tough series against some NL west competitors. Hopefully, another couple of good series will keep the Cubs in the chase before being challenged. The West Coast trip needs to be a split or better and that will show that this team is here for the long haul this season. As the trade deadline will eventually come I hope this team makes it as difficult as possible to trade any contributors and hopefully that leads to more re-signings in the offseason than trades in the summer.

Series 14 Nationals at Cubs

    Game 1

     The Cubs put the Rosey feelings aside quickly as they jumped on Lester for a run in the first and 2 more in the second. Rizzo had the sac fly to score the first and Heyward hit a 2 run shot to get the Cubs rolling. Turner would get the Nationals on the board with a solo shot in the 3rd. Contreras would answer with a solo bomb of his own in the bottom half of the 3rd. Then Schwarber would remind Cubs fans of why we loved him with a 2 run bomb in the fourth to get the Nationals within 1. Baez would add an insurance run with his solo shot in the 6th and Lester would leave the game afterward. The Cubs would get two more insurance runs in the 7th and eighth as the Cubs would cruise to a 7-3 victory.

    Game 2

    The Cubs got on the board first again in game 2. Contreras had an opposite-field single that plated both Hoerner and Bote after they were sacrificed over by Davies in the third. The Nats would tie the game up in the fifth though on a Turner single and then two more singles by Soto and Zimmerman. The Cubs would plate another run on an RBI infield single by Bryant in the bottom half of the fifth. The Nationals would respond right away with a solo shot from Castro to even things up again. Davies would leave after giving up a single to Harrison, but Thompson would clean up the mess to keep it tied at 3. The Cubs would quickly regain the lead on a 2-run homer by Bote. Happ would add an insurance run on a solo homer in the eighth. The Cubs would finish them off with Kimbrel getting the save with a perfect ninth with 2 K's.

    Game 3

     The Cubs would get another early lead in this one as Hoerner knocked in Bote in the bottom of the second only for Sogaard to then be thrown out at home. on an ambitious send from the third base coach. AAs has been the case in this series though there was a quick response. Turner singled in Robles in the Top of the third. Turner would then steal second and later score on a wild pitch from Arrieta giving the Nationals the lead. The Nationals would extend their lead to 4-1 with a run in the fourth and fifth inning. The Cubs would get a run back but squander a chance for more in the fifth. Happ had a bases-loaded single that only plated one run but there was only 1 out at the time. Contreras would then strike out followed by a long flyout by Bote to end the threat and leave the bases juiced. The Cubs would get another run in the ninth as Baez homered to make it a one-run game. It would end as such as Hand would strike out the side and the Nationals would end the Cubs' hope of playing for a sweep.

    Game 4

    The Nationals jumped to an early lead in this one. After a walk and then a double play, Bell and Schwarber went back to back to grab a 2-0 early lead. The Cubs would get one back in the second as Bote and Hoerner got singles and Martini got a sacrifice fly to score Bote. The Cubs would take the lead in third on a 2-out 2-run homer by Happ. The Cubs would tack on one run when more was possible in the 4th as Pederson drove in Martini and Rizzo should have driven in Williams if not for confusion between Williams and third base coach Willie Harris. Baez would ground out to the pitcher to leave the bases loaded. Happ would hit another bomb in the fifth as the Cubs extended their lead to 3 after being down 2. The relievers pitched great and Kimbrel would finish the Nats off in the top of the ninth.

    The good

    Two relatively comfortable wins to start the series is always a positive. Seeing Schwarber and Lester return and get the reception they deserve was heartwarming as well. The bullpen was extremely solid throughout this series, totaling 16 and 1/3 innings with no runs given up. Averaging 5 runs a game and 2 homers a game is incredible for a 4 game series. Being over .500 is extremely nice going into a huge series with the Cardinals.

    The bad

    Not much to quibble over in this series overall. One minor problem was the starters not lasting long into the game. The bullpen pitched 4 or more innings in each game and that won't be sustainable throughout the year. Not taking full advantage of every opportunity could of bit them harder than it did in this series. Leaving the bases loaded cost us game 3 but there were other opportunities wasted that didn't feel as bad as the Cubs still won the other 3 games.

    Looking ahead

    This weekends series against the Cardinals just became more important. A series against a hated rival is always important, but as the top two teams in the division, there is more on the line. The Cubs need a series win to remain close and show they will be a competitor this season. A series loss puts us back to .500 and might signify that this is truly just a middling team.

Series 13 Cubs at Tigers

    Game 1

    Arrieta was solid in his return to the rotation, tossing 6 innings of 2 run ball. He also got support in the game as the Cubs started the scoring in the 3rd when Bryant hit a 2 run homer. The Cubs got 2 more in the 5th on a Rizzo double and Baez single. With a 4 run lead, the Cubs would ride Arrieta and the bullpen the rest of the way. The Tigers got 2 in the sixth from solo shots from Rogers and Grossman but that'd be it. The bullpen was efficient in 3 scoreless innings on 29 pitches. Kimbrel impressed with a 12 pitch inning where he struck out the side.

    Game 2

    This was a back and forth affair form the beginning. The Cubs got two in the first off a double from Rizzo. The Tigers responded right away though with 3 of their own in the bottom half. The Cubs would regain the lead in the third with a run on a Rizzo ground out and another on a Duffy double. The Tigers would get the lead back with 3 more in the fourth as Mills struggled as he replaced Williams in the 3rd. Not to be outdone the Cubs would get the lead right back as Duffy clubbed a 3 run homer in the fifth. The Tigers would tie it up in the 7th though and bring it to extra innings. The Cubs got a run in the top of the 10th as Duffy stayed hot and drove in Baez with a single. That wasn't enough though as the Tigers would get 2 of their own and walk it off after a single, steal, and another single won the game for them.

    Game 3

     Hendricks was solid after giving up two baserunners in the first. He cruised through 8 innings before giving up 2 more base runners in the ninth and getting pulled. Boyd also looked good for the Tigers but the Cubs took advantage of some subpar fielding from the Tigers. The Cubs got their first run in the third when Bryant grounded into a fielder's choice and Happ scored from second on heads up baserunning. They would get another in the fourth after an HBP, an error and a bloop double. The Cubs then pulled away a little in the sixth. Duffy led the inning off with an infield single and scored on a double from Bote. Hoerner would get a sac fly to score Bote and Happ capped off his great day with a solo homer. The Tigers would avoid the shutout in the ninth with a single run but the Cubs would get the W and take the series.

    The good

    Duffy continues to rake and is such a valuable part of the lineup. He does what is asked of him in every game and is showing his worth. Happ having a solid game coming back is huge. He is someone who needs to up his play for the team to succeed. Arrieta and Hendricks both had great outings and continue to be the rocks of the rotation. Pederson, Rizzo, and Baez all had good series as well. It seems like a couple of guys are starting to round into form. That'll be crucial for the offense to sustain its success.

    The bad

    Losing game 2 when we had multiple leads is bad. The pitching was bad as Williams struggled as did Mills and even Kimbrel. The continued close games are also troubling somewhat. It would be nice to see the Cubs put a team away more often.

    Looking ahead

    The Cubs start a 4 game series with the Nationals tonight. It will be emotional as Lester and Schwarber return to Wrigley. Lester will even start game one in his return. This is a battle of two teams that could go either way this year. Neither division looks too tough and it'll be an interesting summer if these teams continue to be middling.

Series 12 Cubs at Indians

    Game 1

    Alzolay was solid again in this outing. He lasted 6 innings with 3 runs allowed on 2 homers. The offense had chances in this game but couldn't produce enough clutch hits. The second inning was the inning that doomed them. After they had already scored 1 run they loaded the bases with no outs. Vargas would strikeout followed by Sogard grounding into a double play. Coming out of that with no runs would prove vital in a 1 run game. The Cubs would hit into 3 more double plays and blow multiple good chances including 2 on with one out in the ninth. The Indians got homers from Ramirez and Hernandez and that was enough.

    Game 2

    Another good start for Davies as he went 5 and 1/3 with only 1 run allowed. This game seemed like a repeat though as the Cubs created a lot of opportunities only to squander them over and over. The Cubs ended with 9 hits and 6 walks for 15 baserunners. While 7 of the hits came from Contreras and Pederson and Rizzo had 3 walks himself. Out of all of this, the Cubs could only get one run when Pederson hit an RBI double after Vargas had his double. The Indians would get a run back immediately on a Rosario double after Hernandez had doubled. The game would go to extras where the Cubs couldn't get a run as Vargas couldn't lay down a sac bunt. The Cubs would get 2 outs only for Rosario to get a single with the bases loaded to walk it off for the Indians.

    The good

     The amount of baserunners was definitely a positive for the offense. 15 baserunners in each game is great and shows that they are creating opportunities to score frequently. Both starters were solid in the series as Alzolay and Davies continue to look better as the season rolls along. Those two getting back on track will be important for the continued success of the team. The Bullpen was solid with only 1 run given up in extra innings for the whole series. Finding the right guys for the pen will be huge and it seems like that is starting to happen for the team.

    The bad

     Two close losses to a solid team always hurts. The lack of runs is concerning again as there were many opportunities. The Cubs hit an embarrassing 2-27 with RISP in the series and that's why they couldn't grab a W in either game. Bryant getting hit in Game 2 is concerning and hopefully he will be fine as he has been a top 5 player in the MLB so far this season. It seems as he'll be fine but even the fact he got hit and could have been hurt is scary for a team in need of offense.

     Looking ahead

     The Tigers series just became more important. The Cubs need to take at least 2 of 3 to keep the record close to .500. The Cubs should compete for the division but the Cardinals are hot right now. The Cubs need to keep within striking distance of them if they want a true chance at the division. The team seems to be taking shape and once it gets healthy I like their chances. While they are missing some key pieces it's important to stay competitive and beat teams like the Tigers though.

Series 8, 9, 10, 11 Cubs against Braves, Reds, Dodgers, and Pirates

    As my life has gotten busy and out of hand I've missed a couple series. I quickly recapped them to get back on track and hopefully be more diligent as the season goes on. So here are the last four series for the Cubs.

    Cubs at Braves Series

    This series was rough for the Cubs. Another bad outing from Davies had the Cubs playing catch-up in game 1. They would tie it at 5 but a Freeman 3 run homer gave the Braves the lead for good as the Cubs dropped game one. Then the offense produced zero runs in the next 2 games while the pitching gave up 15. The Cubs would salvage the last game in the series with a good outing from Alzolay and a balanced offense producing 9 runs.

    Cubs at Reds Series

    The Cubs would jump out to an early 2 run lead in game 1 only for it to be evaporated. The Reds tallied 7 runs off of Arrieta through 4 innings and that was the game. The Cubs clawed back to within 2 but their rally fell short in the ninth as Bote grounded out with the bases loaded and 2 outs. In the second game, the Reds jumped out to an early lead with 2 runs in the first. Davies only lasted 4 innings but gave up only 2 runs. The Cubs fought their way back as the bullpen held the Reds scoreless. Hoerner delivered a key 2 RBI single in the sixth to give the Cubs a 1 run lead to win the game. Game 3 was a slugfest with both teams mashing and the lead changing often. The Reds would eventually go up 12-8 in the seventh but the Cubs countered with 4 in the eighth to tie it. It would go into extra innings where the Cubs couldn't score and the Reds managed a walk-off single from Castellanos. The series was a difficult one to lose being in all three games.

    Dodgers at Cubs Series

    This is where the Cubs got going. Game one was rained out so that meant a doubleheader to start the series. The Cubs jumped on Kershaw in game one as he had the shortest outing of his career lasting only 1 inning. Hendricks looked strong and had a shutout bid denied in the seventh on a solo homer. The second game was much closer. Each team could only muster a solo homer to send the game to the eighth inning. The Dodgers would get 2 in the top and the Cubs answered with 2 of their own on a huge Baez homer. The game went to the ninth tied where Steele shut down the dodgers to give way to Big hit Bote delivering the game-winning single in the bottom half. Game 3 was a back and forth affair as well. Both starters looked great early but got into a little trouble in the middle innings. The Dodgers would take a 3-2 lead after the sixth though. The Cubs got the tying run in the eighth to send another game to extra innings. Each team would score one the tenth to send it to the eleventh still tied. The Dodgers scored a run in the top. The Cubs got the tying run and then Rizzo hopped in on his off day to become the hero with a walk-off single to completed the sweep.

    Pirates at Cubs Series

    Davies finally showed his potential in game 1. He had a solid and effective 7 shut-out innings. The Cubs scored 1 in each of the first 3 innings to give them a 3-0 lead for most of the game. The bullpen was wobbly at the end as the Pirates scored 2 in the ninth before Brothers came on to get the last out and secure a series-opening win. Williams was inefficient as he only lasted 4 innings in game 2 but only gave 2 runs on a Tom homer. The Cubs tied it in the fourth and Keegan Thompson came in to throw 3 scoreless innings. The. Duffy continued his hot hitting with a key pinch-hit RBI single to give the Cubs the lead. They would hold on to take game 2 of the series. Hendricks would again get rocked in the first inning as the Pirates jumped to a 4 run lead in the top of the first. The Cubs got a run back in the second but the Pirates responded with 2 more in the third to effectively seal the game. The Cubs would mount a strong rally in the ninth to get within a run. The rally would end there as the Cubs couldn't complete the sweep and settled for a second series win in a row and a .500 record.

    The outlook

     The season looked liked it was going sideways there for a second when the Dodgers rolled into town. The offense was still sputtering and the pitching had gotten rocky. The next two series turned it around though. As the starters were holding offenses the bullpen continued to impress. The offense woke up and has us fans believing again. Bryant is rolling and Alzolay is showing he's got the stuff of a solid starter. Getting Arrieta back will be key as the season continues. The Cubs are showing they have some life and that can't be counted out yet though. Hendricks continued struggles to start games is concerning though along with some hitters not getting going yet.

    Looking ahead

    The Cubs have a quick 2 game series against the Indians before going to face the lowly Tigers for 3. It will be nice to reminisce about the World Series title in 2016 clinched in Cleveland on the trip. Getting a split there and winning the series against the Tigers seems like a solid realistic goal for this short road trip. The Cubs don't avoid Bieber so the second game becomes more important as Bieber is a tough one to beat. The off-day on Monday and Thursday this week helps as the Cubs continue to have a 4 man rotation until Arrieta comes back.

Series 7 Brewers at Cubs

    Game 1

    Hendricks gave up a hit and then a wild pitch got him to second to start the game. After that, he looked rock solid until he gave up two solo homers in the 6th. By that point, the game was in hand thanks to a surging offense. The Cubs started early with 6 runs in the first off of 6 hits that included 4 doubles. The highlight was a bases-loaded double from Marisnick that cleared the bases. They added 4 more in the second from two solo shots from Rizzo and Baez and a triple from Heyward. Marisnick added a solo shot in the 4th and the Cubs had 11 runs before the Brewers could get started. After the Brewers got their 2 in the 6th the Cubs responded again for 4 of their own. Romine got a double to score a run and then Contreras joined the party with a 3 run homer of his own. That finished the scoring with the Cubs blasting the Brewers 15-2. Kyle Ryan and Dillon Maples closed out the Brewers with good showings from the pen and the Cubs stayed hot.

    Game 2

    Alzolay let the first 2 batters reach before getting an out on a sac fly. He got out of the jam with a strikeout and lineout to end the inning. The Cubs got 2 runs in the 2nd when Hoerner hit another double to drive home Heyward and Sogard. Alzolay was rolling until the 5th. He left when 2 outs and men on first and third. Brothers came in and gave up 2 runs on a bases-loaded walk and hit by pitch. Chafin then gave up a 2 run homer in the seventh. The Cubs would get a run back in the eighth on a Heyward homer. Ross would get ejected after a terrible strike call on Marisnick as the Cubs were trying to make a comeback in the ninth. That would end the scoring as the Brewers eked out a 4-3 victory.

    Game 3

     The first 4 batters of the game reached for the Brewers in the first but Arrieta limited the damage to only 1 run which kept the Cubs in the game. Both pitchers were sharp after that as the Cubs had an opportunity in the fourth with first and second and no outs but could finish it off. Arrieta got 15 straight outs after the first 4 batters until he ran into trouble in the sixth again. A walk and a Baez error gave the BRewers first and third with no one out. Arrieta maneuvered his way through and came out unscathed. They went on without either team scoring until the ninth when the Brewers broke it open with 5 runs. The Cubs whimpered away in the ninth and lost the game and series.

    The good

    Game 1 was a lot of fun and continued to show the offense is capable of scoring runs in bunches. All three starters looked solid even with Alzolay getting the quick hook in his start. Hoerner has come back looking strong and ready to contribute to a weak offense. Seeing Kyle Ryan throw well in his return is encouraging as well along with Mills having a solid multi-inning outing in game 3.

    The bad

    Losing a series to the team right ahead of you is not a good look. The offense disappeared after a strong first game and the bullpen blew a lead in game 2 and let game 3 get out of hand in the ninth. Woodruff also looks like he has the Cubs number and he could be torturing us for years to come. The Brewers' peen also dominated and they look like a strong early leader for division favorite.

    Looking ahead

    Another series with the Braves is up next. Getting some momentum back and winning another series would be huge. The offense will need to be more consistent moving forward as they seem to have broken out of the early slump a bit. Now to get consistent and manufacture runs when the homers aren't coming.

Series 6 Mets at Cubs

    Game 1

    Both pitchers started off looking good in this one. The conditions were pitching friendly and they took advantage. The Mets gifted the Cubs a run in the 3rd. Sogard walked was sacrificed to second and then Davis made an error on a routine grounder that gave the Cubs the lead. The Cubs would get 2 more runs in the 4th when Heyward got a hit, stole second, and scored on Sogards single to left-center. The Cubs then loaded the bases and Contreras walked to get another run before Rizzo struck out to end the threat. The Mets would get a run back in the 5th when Davis redeemed himself with a long solo homer. That would be Arrieta's last inning as he had another solid start with 1 run in 5 innings. The bullpen held the Mets down and Kimbrel was nervy for the first time but got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth with a strikeout and groundout.

    Game 2

    The Mets started off hot in this one. Lindor hit a solo shot in the first and Davis double drove in a run in the third. The Cubs went off in the fourth for 7 runs. Everyone got involved as they combined for 6 hits a walk while the Mets had 3 errors. Quite the inning with the 5th yielding 3 more runs for the Cubs after the Mets got 2 of their own on Alonso's 2 run homer. Then the Cubs got another 4 runs on a Baez Grand Slam! The Cubs added 2 runs on the 8th for good measure. Mills was solid from the pen with 3 scoreless innings as well as Miller adding a scoreless inning.

    Game 3

    The Cubs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third in this one. Contreras had an infield hit and Bryant had 2 run-scoring double. The Mets responded in the 4th with 2 runs on an Alonso homer. The teams traded zeros for a while as Williams had another solid outing with 2 runs in 5 innings. The Mets tied it up in the seventh though when Davis hit a double and Villar scored. Neither team could score as the Cubs blew a golden opportunity when Marisnick Tripled to lead off the eighth. Romine pooped out, while Happ and Contreras struck out. In the tenth Winkler got out of it without any runs after an early wild pitch getting a strikeout followed by a double play after walking two men to load the bases. In the bottom half of the inning, The Cubs got men on second and thirds following a sacrifice bunt by Bote. The Mets intentionally walked Sogard to load the bases and the Cubs would walk it off on Heyward's pinch-hit single to right!

    The good

    There was a lot of good in the Series. First off sweeping a contending team and getting back to .500. Also getting good starts from Arrieta and Williams continues to be encouraging as they have kept the team in close games. The offense was opportunistic in the bookends while exploding for 16 runs in the second game. The bullpen was solid with 3 runs in 14 innings combined. Getting a momentum of not only a series win but a sweep could be huge for this team going forward.

    The bad

    Davies start in the second game is discouraging. Lasting only 4 innings is not good enough going forward. The injury to Pederson is also not great. The outfield is a little thin now and hopefully can hold up while he's out. The offense was also not great overall with only 10 hits in the bookend games combined.

    Looking ahead

    The Cubs have a crucial series with the Brewers this weekend. The Brewers are the only team ahead of the Cubs in the standings and a series win would be big. That would close the gap and make the Cubs true contenders early in the season. The Cubs also don't have another off day until May 6th so the depth of the team will be tested during this stretch as every series is against a contending team.

Series 5 Braves at Cubs

    Game 1

    The Cubs started the game with a run in the 2nd inning on Sogards sacrifice fly. The Braves got a run back in the 3rd with d'Arnaud singling in Freeman. The 4th was where it got even worse. The Braves got 5 consecutive hits which gave them 3 runs to give them the lead for good. The Cubs got a consolation run with a Contreras homer in the 5th. The Cubs had multiple opportunities to get back into the game but squandered those opportunities going 0-8 with runners in scoring position. The Braves tacked on an insurance run for good measure in the seventh and the game ended 5-2 Braves.

    Game 2

    That was cathartic. The Cubs' offense finally had itself a game. 14 hits, 13 runs, and 6 home runs. This game was such a relief and showed the potential of this offense when it is rolling. Contreras and Bryant each had 2 bombs with Baez and Bote adding the others. Pederson was the only starter without a hit, but he had 2 walks that resulted in 2 runs scored. Williams had a good start and while he ran into trouble in the 6th it resulted in one run in 5+ innings. The bullpen was solid other than Miller who had another disappointing outing giving up 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks in 1 inning. Hopefully, this will be the game that sparks the offense into life and gets the season going in a positive direction.

    Game 3

    Hendricks got the start and was abruptly smashed for 4 homers and 6 runs in the 1st. He lasted 4 innings with only 1 more run given up. Rizzo blasted one of his 2 homers in the first but the bullpen didn't help allowing 6 more runs to let the Braves run away with the game.

    The good

    Saturday was the kind of game the offense needed to have. The offense has potential and gave us hope. Rizzo hitting a couple of bombs on Sunday was also good to see. The bullpen had a couple of rough innings but Kimbrel still hasn't given up a run and they've been solid overall.

    The bad

    Outside of Saturday not much went right. The offense was a bit stale in the other games and both starters were rocked a bit. Even seeing Acuna have to leave the game hurts. He's on fire and the face of the game so injuries are never what you want to see. Hendricks was especially concerning after he got scratched and then got blasted in his start. He will need to be an anchor and he hasn't quite been that yet.

    Looking ahead

    The Cubs start a 3 game series against the Mets on Tuesday. The Mets have started hot and look to be a true contender this year. The Cubs will have to be on their A-game to have a chance. It's baseball though so anything is possible.

Series 4 Cubs at Brewers

    Game 1

    The first 5 innings looked promising. The offense was still stagnant but Alzolay was dominating. Bryant supplied a homer and all looked well. Then the sixth inning caught us. a couple of hits and Chafin getting rocked and the game was instantly out of hand. Altogether the Brewers scored 6 runs in that inning and 0 the rest of the game. The Cubs got a couple of consolation runs in the ninth but it was too little too late.

    Game 2

    Hendricks was a late scratch due to sickness and extreme caution with COVID. Mills stepped in brilliantly and provided 4 innings of 2 run ball. The offense was still stuck in park for most of the game though. Bryant hit a sac fly that got the Cubs on the board in the 4th and the big hit came in the 8th. Contreras hit a 2 run shot that was a no-doubter. He got his revenge for all the HBP he has taken from the Brewers in the best way. The bullpen would hold the lead as Kimbrel got a 4 out save to continue his stellar start to the year and the Cubs got the W.

    Game 3

    This was rough from the get-go. The Brewers got 2 early runs in the first. They got another in the third but Arrieta held them to only 3 in 5 innings as he tried to give the bullpen a little rest. Shelby Miller was called up and his debut was disastrous. With 2 hits and 3 outs, he was pulled before he recorded an out. 4 of the five batters he faced ended up scoring and the game was put to bed. The offense didn't do anything to inspire anyway. With only 4 hits and no walks they couldn't muster up any runs and they look like they need a jolt.

    The good

    Well not much good in this series honestly. It was nice to see Strop back pitching well along with most of the bullpen. Outside of two innings, the bullpen was solid again. Contreras blasting that homer after being hit was a pleasant sight as well.

    The bad

     The offense still can't get going at all and at this point it seems like it could be a season-long problem. Shelby Miller getting rocked in his debut is alarming especially since he's probably our 7th starter this year. Hendricks and the COVID problems are also concerning. This team is not deep enough to sustain a long absence because of COVID.

    Looking Ahead

    The Cubs get the Braves next and hopefully Hendricks will be able to make his next start. The Cubs need to find a way to take one of the next series. The offense will have to find something or the season could be a long one. It has helped that the pitching has been excellent and is keeping this team close enough to pounce once the offense heats up(if ever).

Series 3 Cubs at Pirates

    Game 1

    Finally some offense. Bryant started early with a homer in the first. The Brewers took the lead with 2 runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Cubs continued to get baserunners but couldn't convert until Baez scooped a low ball for a 2 run shot to give the Cubs the lead again in the top of the sixth. Rizzo added an insurance run in the top of the eighth with a solo blast. The Pirates loaded the bases with 3 walks in the bottom of the eighth. Then Kimbrel came on and got 5 outs in a row to shut that down and close the game.

    Game 2

    The Cubs got a run in the first but it was all downhill from there. Davies had a rough go in this one. The Pirates pounced on him for 7 runs in the second as he didn't finish the inning. The Bullpen held down the Pirates for the rest of the game but the damage was done. The Cubs got a late run but couldn't muster up enough to climb back into the game.

    Game 3

    Baez hit a homer in the second to take a brief 1-0 lead. Again it went downhill after that. Williams struggled through 3 and 1/3 innings giving up 5 earned runs. The Cubs' offense blew early chances with multiple runners on in the 3rd and 4th but didn't threaten after that. Again the bullpen did a good job keeping it in range until Tepera gave up a 2 run shot in the 7th to seal the game for the Pirates.

    The good

    The offense didn't produce enough runs but it started to move in the right direction. 24 hits in a series is solid and hopefully, they can improve on this initial performance. The long balls were flying as well with 4 in the series along with a couple of other extra-base hits. The bullpen continues to excel with 3 runs in 14 innings including a masterful 5 out save from Kimbrel. He got out of a bases-loaded jam and looks to be back at his best early this year. Arrieta was also a bright spot. He gave up some hits but held the Pirates to 2 runs in 6 innings to help the Cubs to their only win in the series.

    The bad

    Again the offense is nowhere to be found. There were times it seemed it was going to turn it around but overall it is not producing runs. They blew too many scoring chances with runners on base in this series. Also, the offense only drew 4 walks in the series and that cannot continue. The starting pitching was also disappointing in this series. Only Arrieta lasted at least 4 innings and by the time the others were out of the game, it was almost as good as done. This rotation will need to be more consistent to get the results this team wants.

    Looking Ahead

    The Cubs head to Milwaukee for their second series against the Brew Crew. They got a series win against St. Louis and are starting to roll. Taking 2 of 3 would be big and hopefully, the Cubs hit a little better against them this time. The next month is vitally important for the Cubs as they have 2 series against both the Brewers and Braves along with series against the Mets, Reds, and Dodgers. Keeping the record close to .500 or better will go a long way to competing in the division as the schedule lets up.

Series 2 Brewers at Cubs

    Game 1

    Williams came out strong and delivered another solid outing from our starters. After rolling through 6 innings he ran into trouble in the seventh. He came out with 2 runners on and they both scored on the Navarez home run. That wasn't enough for the Brewers as the Cubs had some homers of their own. Contreras, Baez, and Bote all went deep in the fourth. That was enough but they added an insurance run in the seventh.

    Game 2

    The less said about this game the better. Alzolay gave up a couple of early homers and that was pretty much it. The offense never got going with only 1 hit and 5 walks. They weren't in the game after the first. At least the bullpen was solid with 4 innings of scoreless ball with 8 strikeouts.

    Game 3

    Another game where the bats went missing. Hendricks was solid with 6 scoreless innings. The offense was completely absent though. Both teams had solo home runs to send the game to extra innings tied at 1. In the tenth Cain blasted another homer but a 3 run shot to give the Brewers a 4-1 lead. The Cubs managed a run in the bottom half to lose the rubber game 4-2.

    Overall performance

    Well, the offense was absent for most of the series. The pitching was solid and gave the team a chance in each game. The most concerning thing is hits. This team cannot get baserunners and that spells trouble for the season. The pitching is better than expected but will need to be near perfect until the offense decides to show up.

    The good

    Hendricks was solid in his second start and the bullpen pitched a lot of solid innings in the series. If the bullpen continues pitching this well there won't be many games the Cubs aren't in this year.

    The bad

    The offense. 4 hits in 2 games is never going to cut it. After a little power surge in game 1, there wasn't much to cheer about in the final 2 games. The pitchers allowed too many homers as well. 5 homers in the series accounted for all of the Brewers runs.

    Upcoming Series

    The Cubs go to Pittsburgh for their next series. After taking 2 of 3 from them to start the season the Cubs will look to get back on track against them. The Pirates got blasted by the Reds in their last series and look to be at the bottom of the NL Central. The Cubs need to win the series and take advantage of the Pirates still missing Hayes as well.

Series 1 Pirates at Cubs

    Game 1

    This game could not have started worse. A walk from Hendricks to the first batter and then Hayes hit a 2 run homer. It didn't get much better for Hendricks either. It took him 63 pitches to go 3 innings with 3 runs allowed. The bullpen did its best to keep the Cubs in the game allowing 2 runs in the last 6 innings. That wasn't enough as the Cubs could only muster 3 runs without many opportunities. Only getting 2 hits is not going to cut it.

    Game 2

    Arrieta gave up 2 hits and walk in the first as it looked like it could be another long day. Not so fast though because Arrieta was stellar after that. With 6 innings of one-run ball, he shut down the Pirate offense. With offense producing 5 runs, that was plenty for the first W of the season. Bryant and Heyward went deep while Baez dazzled with a couple of hits and a couple of stolen bases. Also encouraging was the performance from Kimbrel, striking out the side in the ninth.

    Game 3

    Davies made his first start with the Cubs and looked good. He rolled into the sixth without giving up a run and stumbled a bit at the end but 2 runs in 5 2/3 was another solid outing needed for this team. With 2 runs in the first, the Cubs would never give up the lead. Happ added a homer and Bryant scored an important insurance run after a double and a miscue by the Pirates defense. This game also saw another quality performance from Kimbrel going 1,2,3 with 2 K's in the ninth in a one-run game.

    Overall performance

    After the first game went sideways the Cubs recovered nicely. While Hendricks didn't have a solid outing both other starters did great. The offense produced enough to get a series win. While scoring 3, 5, and 4 runs isn't great it's nice to see them score a couple of runs by getting guys over and sacrificing to get the run. This is what has to continue for the offense to be successful.

    The good

    Bryant looks like he is locked in with a solid first series. He had 3 hits including a double and a homer and 3 walks. Kimbrel looked like the pitcher we thought we were getting at the beginning of the deal. He faced six batters and struck out 5 without giving up a baserunner. The starters other than Hendricks were impressive as well. Both going into the sixth at least and only 3 runs given up combined is great and what they need going forward. The bullpen also was strong with 3 runs in 12 and 1/3 innings. Getting walked and having quality at-bats was also good to see. Drawing 15 walks this series is huge and shows a commitment to help the team and wait for our pitches. Also, there were more productive outs in this series than we've seen from this offense recently which will hopefully continue. Winning a series against a division rival is always key and we go into next week tied atop the division. Lastly having fans back at Wrigley was a welcome sight even in a reduced capacity. They added to the vibe and will make this season hopefully seem more normal than last.

    The bad

    Hendricks start to the season was quite problematic. He walked 3 and only went 3 innings. He has to be the stud of the staff, so hopefully this is just a blip. Walks from the pitching staff was also an area of concern. The bullpen alone issued 9 walks in their 12 and 1/3 innings. Davies and Hendricks walked 3 each and that is just too many. We cannot give the other teams free baserunners at this rate and succeed. The offense as a whole was lackluster. 12 hits the entire series is abysmal. While getting free passes helps, you have to be able to get hits as well as an offense. As a team, the Cubs hit only .143 this series and that number will obviously not cut it in the long run. It's a testament to the pitching that the Cubs won 2 out 3 while hitting this poorly.

    Looking Ahead

    The next series is a 3 game homestead against the Brewers. The Brewers dropped 2 of 3 to the Twins and weren't impressive in many ways. Some of their role players stepped up to win their only game and were the biggest contributors in their series. The power was lacking and the pitching staff didn't deliver for them. This is an important series as the Brewers look to be a contender in the division. A series win would be nice and show that the Cubs are real and ready to fight for the division this year.

Cubs Seasons Preview

    As baseball season bears down on us hope springs eternal. Cubs fans have had a offseason to forget and are ready to watch the team on the field. With names like Rizzo, Bryant, and Baez still here there is hope for the offense to progress and be more like it was in our run in 2016. Spring training has also been encouraging with many players excelling. The bullpen will need to find some productive players for the Cubs to succeed as well. Another thing that will be exciting is fans! Wrigley will have around 9,000 fans allowed to start the season and hopefully more as the year goes on! Fans in the stands and product with possibilities has fans hopeful.

    The starting lineup will look close to this

1. Happ 2. Bryant 3. Rizzo 4. Contreras 5. Baez 6. Pederson 7. Heyward 8. Bote.

The bench will be Marisnick, Romine(if healthy), Sogard, and Duffy. Sogard and Duffy will be the backups in the infield and also have to help in the outfield with Marisnick the only backup outfielder. Romine should be a solid backup catcher with Higgins behind him if Romine faulters. While the lineup looks very similar and hasn't produced enough latley, it has the potential to succeed. Rizzo and Contreras have been solid and mostly consistent. The others in the lineup have high ceilings and low floors but defintely should prodcue more than they did last year. With Horner most likely coming up sometime in May that should also be another bat to add if anyone falters too much. Some hitteras have also shown they will contribute on Offense. The Pederson signing looks good and Marisnick should also fill in nicely all over the field. With those two additions, the loss of Schwarber will not be felt as much.

    The starting rotation will be

1. Hendricks 2. Arrieta 3. Davies 4. Williams 5. Azolay.

Davies, Arrieta, and Williams have all been impressive on the mound in the spring. For the Cubs to excell this year we need those guys to be consistent and continue to give us good innings once the year starts. With Hendricks the know number 1 those 4 following will be a huge boost to a pitching staff that has come into the year with a lot of unknowns. With Miller, and Mills both waiting and ready if injury or ineffectiveness happens. I think the starting rotation has the pieces to be a solid piece to the team even if it is not dominant. The bullpen has a lot of names and should be able to find guys who can give solid innings. With Pitchers still trying to get into shape to throw long outings having Mills in the pen will be nice. hopefully the amount of bullpen players will help with strecthing out the starters at the beginning of the year.

    Overall this roster seems to have potential and gets to compete in one of the weaker divisions it looks like going into the year. Having consistency on the mound and getting the hitters to match early production will be keys for this team moving forward. They will have hard decisions to make on contracts and trades at the deadline though. The better they start the harder those decisions will be but the happier the fans will be. Getting fans in the stadium and having a full season will be exciting and truly shows that hope alwasy springs eternal.