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.