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Halfway to the Hall? Cubs' Craig Counsell's mini-milestone is reason to wonder The Cubs’ Craig Counsell clocked in for work Thursday needing three more wins to hit the not-so-major milestone of 900 for his managerial career. There probably won’t be a parade to mark the occasion for the skipper ranked No. 78 on baseball’s all-time list. But Counsell is only 55 and, by the looks and sounds of him, has many years of “Ws” left in the tank. “You want a high-quality life and to live life to the fullest, but if you’re doing something you love to do, you keep doing it,” he told the Sun-Times. Let’s say Counsell were to keep managing without interruption until age 65, while maintaining his career winning percentage of .534. By then, he’d be in — or, at worst, right on the doorstep of — the top 20. And that’s Hall of Fame territory, especially, in Counsell’s case, if he were to add a World Series championship along the way to the two he won as a player. Related * Wrigley rat spooks Phillies, annoys Cubs brass * Cubs win eighth straight behind Matthew Boyd’s return, Ben Brown’s relief work Zooming past Al Lopez, Earl Weaver, Tommy Lasorda and more than a dozen others whose plaques reside in Cooperstown, N.Y. is kind of fun to think about, isn’t it? “I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it in those terms,” Counsell said. “The thing it really makes me think of is when you’re in a game and [the Reds’] Terry Francona’s on the other side or [recently retired] Bruce Bochy’s on the other side. No matter who you are, you have this respect for the longevity that they’ve achieved. I respect their longevity more than anything.” Francona, 11th on the all-time wins list with 2,049 entering Thursday’s games, is one of four active managers ahead of Counsell, the others being the Tigers’ A.J. Hinch (977), the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts (960) and the Rays’ Kevin Cash (909). Counsell is under contract with the Cubs through 2028. “We all think about our futures and our lives, of course, like, ‘How do I want to spend life?’ ” he said. “But I don’t have [a timeline] in mind. I’ve learned that these seasons, you take what’s in front of you and try to do the best you can at it and enjoy it and work hard at it, and then you move forward. I think long-term planning like that is useless, honestly, because life changes too fast, especially as you get older.” Does that mean we shouldn’t start inquiring about an eventual contract extension with the North Siders? “Man, that is so far away from me right now,” he said. “Definitely too soon.”

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Cubs win eighth straight behind Matthew Boyd's return, Ben Brown's relief work Matthew Boyd finally joined the party. Michael Busch left the premises for the first time this season. Ben Brown, the most reliable two-inning pitcher in a Cubs uniform, tacked a "W" next to his name for the first time in almost a year. And if you’re looking for somebody worth investing in on the prediction market, locker mates Alex Bregman and Pete Crow-Armstrong might be just the guys. The Cubs (15-9) won their eighth straight game Wednesday night, beating the Phillies 7-2 before a crowd of 29,951. “Go, Cubs, Go” is an earworm. The Cubs have not won eight straight in April since the 1970 Cubs won 11 straight in 1970, 56 years ago. That team finished in second place in an era where being runner-up didn’t buy you a wild-card invite. The lesson there? Enjoy how well your team is playing, but no need to set aside money for the playoffs just yet. The Phillies (8-16), who have been October participants in each of the last five seasons, have lost eight straight, including their last four meetings to the Cubs by a combined score of 40-13. They may one day view the rat who trod on their toes with the same superstitious terror that fans of the ’69 Cubs had of the black cat that stalked Ron Santo near the Shea Stadium dugout. Don’t believe in omens? Try telling that to the Phillies on a night that a ball originally ruled a home run, by Aroldis Garcia, was declared foul, center fielder Justin Crawford dropped a fly ball that acted possessed in the wind, and the game ended when ABS changed Hoby Milner’s final pitch of the night to strike three on Rafael Marchan. Boyd, who came off the 15-day injured list Wednesday night, allowed just two runs in 4 2/3 innings, ending his night by inducing Kyle Schwarber to hit into a double play when the Phillies were still in striking distance. Busch hit his first home run on his 83rd at-bat of the season, a third-inning solo shot that was followed two innings later by Seiya Suzuki’s two-run homer. Brown relieved Boyd and was credited with the win. All eight of his relief appearances have been at least two innings. And Bregman and Crow-Armstrong each collected three hits apiece. "Grateful to be back, grateful to be competing,'' Boyd said on a night four Cubs pitchers did not walk a batter while striking out 12. "[The streak] is awesome. It just speaks to the professional approach we have in this clubhouse--the experience of the guys we have in this clubhouse.'' Traffic jam If you thought the Cubs had an unusual amount of traffic on the bases Tuesday night, you were not wrong. While beating the Phillies 7-4 for their seventh straight win, the Cubs left 17 men on base. That matched the team record for a nine-inning game set July 3, 2010, and came within one of the National League record shared by multiple teams. The Yankees hold the big-league record of 20 set in a 13-7 loss to the Red Sox on Sept. 21, 1956. The White Sox are one of three teams to leave 19 men on base, back on April 7, 1977, when they lost 9-5 to Toronto in the first game in Blue Jays history. Latest on the Cubs Cubs Wrigley rat spooks Phillies, annoys Cubs brass Rodent that skittered through the ballpark Tuesday night is the talk of the town — even amid Cubs’ hot streak [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Gordon Edes read Cubs Shota Imanaga keeps strong starting pitching going, sparks Cubs to seventh victory in row Imanaga didn’t have the biting splitter he used to strike out a season-high 11 Phillies last week in Philadelphia. But with the guidance of catcher Carson Kelly, he found the right mix to yield only one run in seven innings. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Gordon Edes read Cubs Cubs manager Craig Counsell calls Shohei Ohtani rule ‘bizarre’ The Dodgers superstar is designated as a two-way player, which means he isn’t counted against the team’s allotment of pitchers. So, in reality, the Dodgers are carrying 14 pitchers. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Gordon Edes read

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Wrigley rat spooks Phillies, amuses Cubs fans The Canada goose that parked itself in the Wrigley Field outfield Monday night, now that was funny. The Norway rat that jumped off a bag of balls in the eighth inning Tuesday night, skittered across the shoes of Phillies manager Rob Thomson, sprinted the length of the visitors’ dugout, dashed past the photographers’ well and disappeared behind the Reynolds Wrap tarp rolled up along the wall? Funny might be a stretch, particularly for an unnerved Phillies bench, players jumping back in surprise. “Scared a little bit,’’ said Phillies catcher Rafael Marchan, unhappy to be so close to the trespassing rodent. And a camera operator stationed next to the dugout was rattled, saying he hated rats. Cubs management was anything but amused. When the Sun-Times called asking to speak with Patrick Meenan, senior vice president of operations, the call was routed to media relations. “We take the health and safety of our guests seriously,’’ the Cubs said in a statement that was released to those outlets who made inquiries. “As an open venue in a big city, rodent abatement is something we do year-round. We understand how important it is for our fans to have a positive experience and keeping our ballpark clean and safe is always a top priority.’’ The statement was issued “on behalf of the Cubs organization.’’ But while one official said the team preferred the focus be on the team’s winning streak — the Cubs were bidding for their eighth straight win on Wednesday — the rat was a singular sensation. A cellphone video posted on X by Marcus Leshock, a WGN-TV feature reporter on the station’s morning show, was viewed nearly two million times, according to the reporter, and retweeted all over cyberspace. Thomson took it in stride. No, he said, he’d never seen a rat on the field during a game. “He ran right, almost right over my toes,” Thomson said. “I could see him over there, sitting on that ball bucket, and I knew he was gonna keep on coming. Started running, came right by the dugout. “I’ve seen squirrels. Last year in [Citizens Bank Park], it was at night, a squirrel ran right over my hand.’’ Thomson thought a bit more. “I take it back,’’ he said. “I saw rats in Shea.’’ Cubs fans, like Gail Palmier, still have memories of the black cat that suddenly appeared in front of the Cubs’ dugout in Shea Stadium in September 1969, which some fans still interpret as a harbinger of the Cubs’ infamous collapse to the Mets. Gail and her husband have been Cubs season-ticket holders since 2014, with seats 10 rows from home plate. They noticed a commotion along the front row, then saw the rat make its dash. In the seven years they’ve occupied those seats, they’d never seen a rat during the game. “But when we’re walking back to our car after the game,’’ Gail said, “we see rats.’’ That should hardly come as a shock in a town that was voted “rattiest city in America’’ by the Orkin pest control people for 10 consecutive years until Los Angeles claimed the distinction last year. And rats in ballparks are hardly a new phenomenon. Jim Deshaies, the Cubs’ TV analyst, used to pitch for the Astros and recalls cats roaming in the bowels of the old Astrodome. “Feral cats versus the killer rats,’’ Deshaies said. “Didn’t know which side to hang with.’’ For the manager occupying the home dugout, it was almost a circle of life moment. “The rat’s got a job,’’ Craig Counsell of the Cubs said. “He’s got a job to do. He’s cleaning up some garbage, you know? The cat’s got a job — eat the rat.’’

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Shota Imanaga keeps strong starting pitching going, sparks Cubs to seventh victory in row Is there anything these days Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga can’t do? Manager Craig Counsell was talking about how he ran out of position players the other day and that Imanaga had let it be known he would like the chance to hit if the opportunity ever presented itself. No, he’s not secretly practicing in the indoor cages under Gallagher Way, waiting for that moment to come. But he had a pretty good notion of what he would do if it did. ‘‘I haven’t really been preparing to take swings,’’ Imanaga said through his translator. ‘‘But, you know, if I do step in the box, I know I’ll have three really good swings.’’ For now, the Cubs don’t need Imanaga’s bat, especially on a night they collected a dozen hits, drew 10 walks, had baserunners in every inning and delivered late thunder — home runs by Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki — in a 7-4 victory Tuesday against the Phillies before 30,651 fans at Wrigley Field. The victory was the Cubs’ seventh in a row, their longest winning streak since an eight-gamer in July 2023 and their first of seven or more games in April since 1989, when the ‘‘Boys of (Don) Zimmer’’ went to the National League playoffs. And continuing a pattern that has held fast for the length of the streak, starting pitching was a critical component in the victory. Imanaga (2-1) didn’t have the biting splitter he used to strike out a season-high 11 Phillies last week in Philadelphia. But with the guidance of catcher Carson Kelly, he found the right mix to go seven innings, his longest outing of the season. The only run he allowed was on former Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber’s blast into the right-field bleachers, and he yielded just three hits. Imanaga walked one and struck out one, a sure indicator he wasn’t inducing whiffs at the rate he did last week, when the Phillies connected only with air on 26 of their swings. But he still crafted a beauty, one that kept the Phillies at bay until the Cubs, who left 17 men on base, finally broke through. Moises Ballesteros accounted for the first run in the fifth after a pinch-hit appearance in which he faced down Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering’s 98 mph heaters until he worked a bases-loaded walk on a full count. After Schwarber tied the score with his 11th career homer against his former team in the sixth, Michael Busch blooped a two-run single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning before Hoerner and Suzuki went deep against Phillies reliever Tim Mayza in the seventh. Suzuki’s homer, his first of the season, carried onto Waveland Avenue. The 441 feet it traveled on a windless night was the longest homer struck this season by the Cubs and the fourth-longest of his career. ‘‘I think the swing itself was really good,’’ said Suzuki, who is emerging from the slow start that followed a spring training curtailed by a hamstring injury. But as satisfying as it was to see Suzuki leave the premises, Counsell said the starting pitching has been the story, not only Tuesday but throughout the winning streak. ‘‘Collectively, we did a really nice job offensively,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘I always say, let’s put pressure on the other team as many innings as we possibly can. And when you do that, something good is going to happen. ‘‘But I think the starting pitching has been the key to this. When you’re getting that deep into a game consistently — 6‰, seven innings, one run [allowed] each night — you’re putting your team in a really good position, right?’’ Right. And there’s no reason yet for Imanaga to grab a bat.

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Cubs bullpen injuries forcing manager Craig Counsell to be flexible Manager Craig Counsell had mixed news Sunday on the Cubs’ beleaguered bullpen. Phil Maton (right knee tendinitis) had a bullpen session Saturday that Counsell said went well. The next step for Maton, placed on the injured list April 10, will be a live session Tuesday at Wrigley Field. The update on Hunter Harvey (right triceps inflammation) wasn’t as positive. Counsell said Harvey, who landed on the IL on April 12, is still in the training room and not on the field throwing. There are still no plans for Harvey to undergo imaging. Those issues, combined with the recent absence of closer Daniel Palencia (left oblique strain) have forced Counsell to mix and match relievers. “When the names are changing quickly, then your plans are a little more flexible and they’re going to change a little quicker,” Counsell said. “We’ve got enough new bodies down there that, day-to-day, roles can change a little bit.” Counsell has still tried to map out a plan for his bullpen before each game. Sometimes he can go with it; other times he’s forced to change course. “Ultimately, you’ve got to go into a game with some structure in your head of how you think the game is going to go and who’s going to be utilized and you’ve got to stick with that,” Counsell said. “It’s not going to work every day with a healthy bullpen, but you have some structure every day going into the game.” In a pinch Michael Conforto has two big pinch-hits for the Cubs. There was Sunday’s game-tying double in the ninth, and his double last Sunday against the Pirates that began their game-winning rally. Conforto said he’s built a routine and stays loose during the game, making him ready for a potentially big at-bat. “I’ve had enough practice pinch-hitting over the past year or so to just hone in,” said Conforto, who went 1 for 13 as a pinch-hitter last year with the Dodgers. “You don’t want to do too much, you don’t want to overthink it. You want to make sure that you’re prepared, you know what you could see and then take a deep breath and be ready to go for pitch number one.” Conforto’s double followed the pinch three-run homer hit by Carson Kelly in the sixth inning of the Cubs’ 4-2 win Saturday. Wrigley business The ivy is starting to bloom, but a portion of the right field wall around the 368 ft. sign has noticeably less growth. That isn’t likely to last. Over the offseason, maintenance work was completed on the right center field wall and a portion of the ivy was temporarily removed. When the work was completed, the grounds crew restored the ivy, and the wall is expected to return to its usual look during the season. Monday is also the 110th anniversary of the Cubs’ first game at Wrigley Field. On April 20, 1916, playing at what was then known as Weeghman Park, the Cubs beat the Reds 7-6 in 11 innings on a walk-off single by Vic Saier. Sunday was the Cubs’ 8,620th game at Wrigley. They are 4609-4,011 at Clark and Addison.

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Cubs finish sweep of reeling Mets with late rally A former Mets prospect, Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong claimed he and his teammates weren’t too concerned about or aware of New York’s woes. One of the priciest teams in baseball, the Mets entered Sunday on a 10-game losing streak and were already fielding questions about the future of manager Carlos Mendoza and whether this season will be a chaotic failure in Queens. Regardless of the opponent, of if you entirely believe that Crow-Armstrong didn’t know too much about what’s happening with the Mets, the Cubs say their focus is basically the same. “Like any team, we’re just looking to step on their throat and play our style of baseball,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Whatever happens with that happens, but we’re not really paying attention to any other team’s happenings or what state they’re in. It’s about us.” It’s better to be in the Cubs’ state, especially after they rallied Sunday for a 2-1 win to sweep the Mets and extend New York’s losing streak to 11 games. Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto, who played 757 games with the Mets over seven seasons, tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with a double down the right field line. Helped by New York right fielder Tyrone Taylor struggling to pick up the ball in the corner, Cubs pinch-runner Scott Kingery was able to score from first. In the 10th, Crow-Armstrong was the Cubs’ free runner and advanced to third on a Craig Kimbrel wild pitch. With one out and first base open and slumping Michael Busch on deck, Mendoza elected to pitch to Hoerner, whose fly ball to right brought in Crow-Armstrong for the Cubs’ fifth straight win. The possibility of getting walked was on Hoerner’s mind, but he went up to the plate and got the ball into the air like he wanted. “I don’t know what goes into those decisions but I’m glad I got the opportunity,” Hoerner said. Conforto was more excited about his pinch-hit meant to the Cubs, not any notions of revenge against his former team. “It’s a big swing for us,” Conforto said. “The first sweep of the year. The offense being held to no runs up to that point. Our pitchers putting on a performance against a team that’s fighting for their lives. “Just a big moment. I was excited to be on the field [and] playing. It was a combination of everything.” That moment was made possible by the Cubs’ pitching, picking up for an offense that went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. Making his first start since giving up nine runs in 4 1/3 innings last Monday at Philadelphia, Javier Assad recovered. Assad did allow MJ Melendez’s fifth-inning home run to give the Mets a 1-0 lead but was sharp other than that. “After I watched the video [of the Philadelphia start], you move past it,” Assad, who pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up three hits and one run, said through a translator. “It’s great to get a win.” Once Assad departed, the Cubs bullpen threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings. Jacob Webb replaced Assad in the sixth and struck out Francisco Lindor with a runner on third to keep the Cubs’ deficit at one run, and then threw a shutout seventh. Riley Martin, Corbin Martin and Caleb Thielbar followed by making it through an inning apiece. “The story of the game was pitching; we pitched extremely well,” manager Craig Counsell said. “I’m proud of those guys, and definitely some confidence-building appearances for those guys.” The Mets don’t have that confidence. The Cubs do.

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Jameson Taillon doesn't discount struggling Mets, then holds them to one run in six innings It would have been easy to think silly thoughts and let the Mets’ losing streak get into his head. But Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon wouldn’t allow it on his drive Saturday to Wrigley Field. ‘‘I wasn’t going to fall into the trap of thinking this was a bad team or a struggling team,’’ Taillon said. ‘‘You look at the names up and down the lineup, I came in here not wanting to be the reason they got hot. I had that conversation with myself.’’ Taillon yielded one run and five hits, struck out four and walked three in six innings and was the winning pitcher in the Cubs’ 4-2 victory, thanks to a three-run home run by pinch hitter Carson Kelly in the sixth. The performance lowered his ERA to a respectable 3.97. ‘‘We’re trending in the right direction,’’ Taillon said. ‘‘I’m still not throwing as many strikes as I’d like, and there were some uncompetitive curveballs, stuff like that. But today was a really good step. I thought the stuff was crispy. The four-seam [fastball] had better carry, and the sweeper got better as we went.’’ Martin next man up in pen The Cubs selected right-hander Corbin Martin’s contract from Triple-A Iowa to take closer Daniel Palencia’s spot on the active roster. Palencia (strained left oblique) was the 10th Cubs pitcher added to a burgeoning injured list Friday. Right-hander Cade Horton, who had the makings of a staff ace, was moved to the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Martin. Horton had Tommy John surgery Thursday. The Cubs signed Martin, 30, to a minor-league deal for depth during the offseason. In parts of four seasons, he has a 6.54 ERA in 74⅔ innings with the Astros, Diamondbacks and Orioles. Martin is out of minor-league options and would be exposed to waivers if the Cubs try returning him to Iowa. Martin, who had Tommy John surgery in 2020 and surgery to repair a lat tendon in 2023, dealt with back spasms after pitching in Iowa’s opener and was out for two weeks before pitching again Tuesday. He allowed one earned run in two innings. He pitched in eight games during spring training, allowing six earned runs in 7⅔ innings with 10 strikeouts and five walks. ‘‘He pitched two innings in Iowa, so this is need-based,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. Jacob Webb, Ben Brown and Martin are the only right-handers in the bullpen. ‘‘We’ve had a lot of needs, and we wanted to get a right-hander here, frankly,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘Ideally, he would have pitched more in Iowa after the back injury, but we have a need.’’ PCA not moping Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong seems to be keeping his frustration over a .218/.265/.282 batting line to himself. Perhaps playing with multiple stars at the World Baseball Classic helped. ‘‘The WBC was a great experience for Pete in that regard,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘Being around those guys made him understand who he can aspire to be. I see he’s improving at it.’’ But Counsell said he doesn’t want Crow-Armstrong to be anything other than himself, which is someone who plays with his hair on fire. ‘‘There is a lot of good in that we don’t want to acknowledge, and that’s sometimes hard to understand,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘He needs to play with emotion, and we should not try to take that out of him. We should try to get it going in the right direction. It’s too much fun to watch.’’ Latest on the Cubs Cubs Carson Kelly's pinch-hit, 3-run HR sends Cubs to 4th consecutive victory Manager Craig Counsell called on Kelly to pinch-hit for Moises Ballesteros for the righty vs. lefty matchup he preferred, and Kelly was ready, launching the first pitch into the Wrigley Field bleachers. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Daryl Van Schouwen read White Sox Luis Robert Jr. — once the 'next Mike Trout' — just trying to get to 'pretty good' with struggling Mets Where has Robert’s All-Star talent gone? The Mets haven’t really seen it yet, much as the White Sox didn’t really see it after his 38-homer season in 2023. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Steve Greenberg read Cubs Cubs' Nico Hoerner doesn't feel pressure of new contract Hoerner wouldn’t be the first player whose numbers were affected by new money. But it’s certainly not making him complacent, and there are no signs of him succumbing to pressure to perform better. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Daryl Van Schouwen read

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Carson Kelly's pinch-hit, 3-run HR sends Cubs to 4th consecutive victory Cubs manager Craig Counsell pushed back on the suggestion that pinch-hitting for the left-handed-hitting Moises Ballesteros risks messing with the 22-year-old’s mind, feelings and development. “This is a team,” Counsell said. “And we’re going to put players in positions to have success, and that trumps the other thing.” And that was Saturday morning, before Counsell called on catcher Carson Kelly to pinch-hit for Ballesteros against Mets lefty Brooks Raley with two on and two out in the sixth inning of a tie game that afternoon. Counsell got the righty vs. lefty matchup he preferred, and Kelly was ready, launching Raley’s first pitch into the Wrigley Field bleachers for the second pinch homer of his career to fuel the Cubs to a 4-2 victory, their fourth straight victory. “Pinch-hitting is a hard thing to do,” Counsell said. “You go up there and say you’re going to be aggressive, and he got a good pitch to hit. You have to get your swings off.” It can be hard to be pinch-hit for, but such is life in the majors, as the sweet-swinging, red-hot Ballesteros is learning fast. Right-handed hitting Matt Shaw batted for him in Friday’s 12-4 Cubs win against the Mets after Ballesteros had two hits, including a homer. He is batting .381, easily the best average among rookies in the majors. He had another hit Saturday and is 10-for-12 with two homers and a double in his last six games. But Kelly, who was staying warm and prepping behind the scenes, was the right man for the job against Raley. “Heck of a job managing there,” said Ian Happ, whose sixth home run of the season in the second was the Cubs’ only run against tough right-hander Freddy Peralta, whom Happ went deep against in Game 4 of the NLDS with the Brewers last season. “Pinch-hit three-run homer, that’s a good day for the manager.” “There are no training wheels there, we’re going with the best matchups,” Counsell said. The Cubs (11-9) go for a series sweep Sunday against the Mets (7-14), who have lost a staggering 10 consecutive games, their longest skid since 2004. The Cubs are winning with contributions up and down the lineup and from a bench that Counsell is getting the most out of. “Guys are prepared, they know their role, and they are expecting to play every day,” Kelly said. And winning helps everyone from rookie of the year candidates like Ballesteros to veterans like Kelly to buy in. “It’s good when you have success doing it,” Counsell said. “That’s number one. And it makes everybody feel ready and feel part of it and know they’re going to get their turn at some point to get the big hit.” Right-hander Jameson Taillon (1-0) pitched six innings of one-run ball, allowing a homer to Mark Vientos in the second. Righty Ben Brown allowed one unearned run in two innings of relief and left-hander Caleb Thielbar struck out two in a perfect ninth, pounding the zone with 11 strikes in 14 pitches to earn the save with closer Daniel Palencia (oblique strain) spending his second day on the injured list. The save was Thielbar’s sixth career save and second as a Cub. Kelly, who is batting .340, was the hero, though, and he extended his on-base streak to 14 games since March 30. He’s batting .372 with two homers, three doubles and nine RBI during that stretch. “Just looking for a good pitch to drive there,” he said. “Staying prepared underneath, prepared to get that call and make a good swing when the pitch is there. It was cool. Very special. “This is a special group and it’s a culture we’ve developed. We pride ourselves on the next guy up and we’re here to win baseball games.”

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Luis Robert Jr. — once the 'next Mike Trout' — just trying to get to 'pretty good' with struggling Mets Luis Robert Jr. and the Mets will always have March 28, 2026. The team’s new center fielder hit his first “Amazins” home run in his new home ballpark that night, and it was a big one — a two-run walk-off golfed out to left against Pirates lefty Hunter Barco in the 11th inning. Citi Field exploded with joy. Robert circled the bases as a team of stars — Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta — prepared to mob him at home plate. The Mets, a team with World Series aspirations, were 2-0. After nine years in the White Sox organization, the last few a certain kind of purgatory, Robert seemed to have found baseball heaven. Great trade, Mets. How could you let him go, Sox? “His talent is unlimited,” Mets television analyst Ron Darling gushed that night. But then … oof. A 4-2 loss to the Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field was the 10th in a row for the Mets, their longest losing streak since 2004. At 7-14, they’re even worse off than Robert’s old team, the Sox, who are busy trying to avoid a fourth straight 100-loss season. As for Robert’s performance, the nicest way to put it is that he has been among the more productive hitters in an injury-depleted lineup that, as of late, couldn’t swing its way out of a wet paper bag with a spicy salami. In truth, Robert has been unremarkable at the plate — hitting .258 with two homers and seven RBI — except for his team-high 12 walks, which the Mets attribute to their insistence that the 28-year-old be more selective than he ever was with the South Siders. Related * Cubs couldn’t fall apart like these miserable Mets … or could they? * Cubs get 12-4 win over the Mets, but put closer Daniel Palencia on 15-day IL Where has Robert’s All-Star talent gone? The Mets haven’t really seen it yet, much as the Sox didn’t really see it after his 38-homer season in 2023. That could be why Robert blew off a couple of ink-stained Chicagoans a day after indicating he’d make time for an interview on Saturday, the middle game of this series. At least he looks healthy, as anyone who watched him bust it down the first-base line in the sixth and eighth innings would have noticed. Given the painful history of his right hip and hamstrings, with which Sox fans are all too familiar, that’s saying something. “Luis has been great from the moment we acquired him,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stears told the Sun-Times. “He’s really bought into what we’re about. He’s worked very well with our performance staff, our medical staff, our coaching staff, and now it’s about getting him to be a consistently healthy and productive player. We’ve seen stretches over the course of his career where he’s done that. “Our goal is keeping him on the field for the entire 162. We feel like if we can do that, he’s going to be pretty good and contribute to a good team.” “Pretty good” isn’t exactly “the next Mike Trout,” which is how ex-Sox teammate Eloy Jimenez famously described Robert before the latter player’s rookie season. Some still are wowed by Robert’s physical tools. The Mets’ prized rookie left fielder, Carson Benge, is one of them. “He’s just different in all aspects of the game,” Benge said. “He can affect it on the bases, hitting a home run, making a diving play to save some runs. He’s just one of the best players I’ve ever been around.” Reminded three weeks later of his "unlimited" comment, Darling wasn’t ready to make any revisions. “I think he’s been great,” Darling said. “He’s played really hard. His defensive play has been impeccable. He’s been one of the best hitters the Mets have had. I know he was hurt a lot with you guys and there was a lot of criticism, but I see all the boxes are checked so far.” Stearns, though, is measured on the subject of Robert. With good reason. “I think sometimes expectations for young players can get out of hand and at times can even do them a disservice,” he said. “I think in Luis’ case, he’s got a tremendous set of skills, he’s a very talented athlete, and sometimes it just takes time to put all of that together.” Robert has been a Gold Glove winner, a rookie of the year runner-up, an All-Star. For a while there, he made the Sox look quite good for giving him a $26 million signing bonus in 2017, the second-highest figure for an international amateur at the time. He certainly has the upside to make the Mets look pretty good eventually. These days, they’re hitting so little and losing so much that the folks at Citi Field won’t have much use for any of the Mets, Robert included. The boos there upon the team’s return from this disaster of a road trip could really be something to behold. The way Darling figures it, even boos are better than what Robert tended to hear at Rate Field. Silence. Apathy. Echos off empty seats. You get the idea. “Booing or cheering, it feels good because you’re excited to be at the ballpark,” Darling said. After a hitless streak spanning 17 at-bats, Robert lined a double to left in his final at-bat on Friday. His first two times up Saturday, he doubled and singled off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon, hitting the ball with authority both times. Maybe he’s beginning to heat up? If not, it could be another very long year. LUIS ROBERT JR. WALK-OFF HOME RUN 🍎 pic.twitter.com/3kYwV3BTav— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2026

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Corbin Martin added to Cubs' roster, Cade Horton to 60-day IL The Chicago Cubs have made an addition to their beleaguered bullpen, selecting the contract of pitcher Corbin Martin.

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Cubs' Nico Hoerner doesn't feel pressure of new contract The Cubs showed Nico Hoerner the money, and he’s showing them it hasn’t affected him in the least. In fact, the 28-year-old second baseman who signed a $141 million contract on Opening Day is demonstrating an even better version of himself since signing for six more years on the North Side. He hit his second homer in two games and third of the season while tacking on two singles and a diving play in the Cubs’ 12-4 romp over the Mets on Friday at Wrigley Field. In his last 11 games, Hoerner is batting .380 with three homers and 17 RBI. Hoerner wouldn't be the first player whose numbers were affected by new money, but it’s certainly not making him complacent, and there are no signs of him succumbing to pressure to perform better. “No matter where you’re at in your career there is always going to be a next thing, right?” Hoerner told the Sun-Times Friday. “Whether it’s debuting, being a starter, making an All-Star team, free agency. There’s always going to be a trap or the next thing you’re always putting pressure on yourself for. For myself, I’m still coming to terms with it but I have an understanding of what it means for me. It’s a responsibility and accountability in a good way.” Don’t think the contract and everything that goes with it hasn’t crossed his mind, and Hoerner is no shallow thinker. “It does feel different,” he said. “Whether it’s pressure, responsibility, accountability, or opportunity, there are a lot of great things that come from those emotions. Some of my best baseball has been when I felt nervous before a game, whether it’s a playoff or debut things like that. I view [the contract] as responsibility and a chance to do something really special.” Hoerner was the leadoff man in a lineup that thumped its opponent with double-digit runs for a third straight day for the first time since Sept 13-15, 2019. Ian Happ hit his team-high fifth homer onto Waveland Aveune, Moises Ballesteros extended his hitting streak to five games with two hits including his third homer — an opposite-field basket shot against Kodai Senga that gave Edward Cabrera (six innings of three-run ball) a 4-0 lead in the first. The Cubs (10-9) are above .500 for the first time. “Just a matter of time,” Happ, Friday’s cleanup hitter, said. “This offense is really good, top to bottom it’s deep, good hitters with good plans." “We scored a bunch of runs in the last game in Philadelphia [Wednesday] and I didn’t do anything. You can have a tough day and not have the weight of the world on your shoulders because other guys are picking you up. I wasn’t part of that and it takes pressure off.” Hoerner’s feeling no pressure to turn up his power production, but his new deal coincides with visions of doing just that for a two-time Gold Glove fielder and hitter who earned the contract by getting on base, stealing bases, hitting doubles and scoring runs. Manager Craig Counsell said Hoerner, who had 36 homers in his first seven seasons, has as much power as any Cub. “He’s become a better version of himself,” said Counsell, citing a Hoerner homer and single to right field in consecutive at-bats against the Phillies Wednesday. “Nico’s next step has always been, can he drive the baseball consistently?” The key is keeping his foundation of skills as a defensive hitter and “learning how to drive the baseball a little better. How he thinks about it.” “I always want to improve my game and that’s a space where I haven’t done that much,” Hoerner said. “The thing is, how much can you hold onto the skills that get you to this place in the first place but still add to your game." “The team has put a big commitment in for me. It doesn't have to be anything different, or change who I am, just another thing to hold me accountable to be a good version of myself every day.” Latest on the Cubs Cubs Cubs lose Daniel Palencia, get back Matthew Boyd, will be without Cade Horton for longer Friday was a good-bad-ugly kind of day for the health of the Cubs’ pitching staff. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Jeff Agrest read Cubs Cubs couldn't fall apart like these miserable Mets … or could they? If early-season disaster and despair can befall the $370 million Mets, it could happen to anybody. And the one-injury-after-another Cubs are vulnerable. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Steve Greenberg read Cubs Cubs get 12-4 win over the Mets, but put closer Daniel Palenica on 15-day IL Palencia last pitched Sunday, when he threw the ninth inning and earned the win in a 7-6, comeback victory against the Pirates. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Jeff Agrest read

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Cubs couldn't fall apart like these miserable Mets … or could they? One really bad week. That’s all it would take to put the Cubs into the same uncomfortable shoes the miserable Mets — the National League’s most disappointing team — have been staggering around in. It probably won’t happen. The Cubs are too talented. The fans are too positive. Nico Hoerner is too hot at the plate. Clark the pantsless Cubs mascot is too cuddly. Sixteen-dollar craft beers are too delicious. As the Cubs were pummeling the Mets 12-4 Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field, the sunshine and warmth were too perfect. Nah, everything’s fine. Then again … If early-season disaster and despair can befall the Mets of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr., Freddy Peralta and the second-highest projected 2026 payroll in the sport — $370 million — it could happen to anybody. And though the Cubs (10-9) are swinging some hot bats and now have their first three-game winning streak of the season, they’re still in a position of heightened vulnerability. For one thing, they came into this seven-game homestand in last place in the NL Central. The Mets (7-13) aren’t the only preseason division favorite getting familiar with the whole caboose thing. More pressingly, Cubs pitchers can’t seem to stop getting hurt. Already, outstanding young starter Cade Horton and reliever Porter Hodge have been lost for the season. Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd is still working his way back from the injured list. The bullpen is in tatters, which was true even before closer Daniel Palencia went on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left oblique strain. Related * Cubs get 12-4 win over the Mets, but put closer Daniel Palenica on 15-day IL * Cubs getting back Matthew Boyd, lose Daniel Palencia, will be without Cade Horton up to 16 months How unlucky must a pitching staff be when one of its members, reliever Ethan Roberts, manages to slice up one of his pitching fingers on a loose, metal vent cover? Clearly, the Cubs can’t even count on Roberts for spot HVAC technician duty. Not by design, the Cubs bullpen is operating with a frightening dearth of right-handers these days. When your relief corps has more lefties than Greenpeace, you know you have issues to contend with. And who’s supposed to close games in Palencia’s absence? Will the task fall to one live arm, perhaps the ever-up-and-down Ben Brown? Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown? Charlie Brown? The Cubs have piled up 33 runs and pounded out 44 hits over their last three games, the first two of them in Philadelphia. Against the Mets, Moises Ballesteros belted a three-run homer in the first inning, and Hoerner and Ian Happ later tacked on two-run shots. The Mets, who can’t get out of their own way, came through with enough errors and wild pitches to make the game a laugher. Except the Mets are suffering, not laughing. Certainly, they are a cautionary tale for all aspiring contenders, including the Cubs. Right fielder Soto, he of the 15-year, $765 million contract, missed his 12th game of the season Friday. Shortstop Lindor, the purported leader of this team, came into the weekend batting .184. Before doubling to left off Jacob Webb in the eighth inning, Robert, the former White Sox disappointment, was hitless in his last 17 at-bats. Kodai Senga, whom the Cubs lit up for seven runs (six earned) in 3⅓ innings, ballooning his ERA to 8.83, is a shell of the starting pitcher he was supposed to be. It’s barely mid-April, and already the Mets have managed to get sucked into an almost unimaginably brutal nine-game losing streak during which they’ve scored a grand total of 16 runs. Infielder Bichette, a hero of the Blue Jays’ run to last year’s World Series, has had an eye-opening experience already, and not in a good way. When he signed with the Mets for an average of $42 million a year, it probably didn’t occur to him that fans at Citi Field would pelt him with boos during the very first series of the season. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is getting ripped by Mets fans morning, noon and night. Didn’t Stearns build some pretty darn impressive Brewers rosters in a past life? Speaking of which, wasn’t he supposed to lure then-Brewers manager Craig Counsell to New York? Counsell must be mighty relieved he didn’t make that move. “We need to play better, and I think we will,” Stearns said before the opener at Wrigley, not a month into his third season with the Mets and already fumbling with another grenade. “I’m very confident we will. And it could start today.” OK, fine, maybe tomorrow. “We believe in our players,” Stearns said, adding there’s “plenty of urgency” and “plenty of want.” Frankly, it all sounds plenty bleak. As much grief as Stearns is catching, the hottest seat in baseball must belong to third-year skipper Carlos Mendoza. “I think ‘Mendy’ is doing a very good job,” Stearns said. “I think Mendy is putting players in positions to succeed, and we need to go out and play better.” Last year’s Mets were obscenely un-clutch. They were the only team in baseball not to have a single ninth-inning comeback win. Far worse, they choked over the last two months of the season with a 21-32 record and missed the playoffs — eliminated on the final day. They’re swimming in the stink again. Call them a cautionary tale. For the Cubs, it could get so much worse. Ah, well, we’re sure it won’t.

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Cubs getting back Matthew Boyd, lose Daniel Palencia, will be without Cade Horton longer Friday was a good-bad-ugly kind of day for the health of the Cubs’ pitching staff. Left-hander Matthew Boyd said he’s on target to return to the rotation Wednesday, the team put closer Daniel Palenica on the 15-day injured list and manager Craig Counsell said Cade Horton could miss 16 months after undergoing elbow surgery. With a run of misfortune that has 10 pitchers on the injured list, the Cubs were due for some good news. They finally got it after Boyd, who has been out with a biceps strain, threw 3⅔ innings for Triple-A Iowa on Thursday. “Things went good. I feel really good today,” said Boyd, who allowed three runs, four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in Columbus, Ohio. “That’s the important thing. Everything feels normal for the day after a pitch. Excited for Wednesday, and we’ll build toward that each day.” Boyd last pitched April 1, when he threw 98 pitches in 5⅔ innings against the Angels and struck out 10. But the conditions — 39 degrees at first pitch with 21 mph winds — might have been a factor in the injury. He wasn’t wearing long sleeves. “It had nothing to do within the outing,” Boyd said. “I’m sure the weather had something to do with it, [and] sitting for 20-plus minutes in cold weather. You’re throwing more reps down below because you’re trying to stay ready for that inning. There’s always different little dynamics that can change, all these different stressors that are not consistent from start to start.” The Cubs had sent 10 men to the plate in a five-run third inning. “I have over my career pitched through a lot of things, and you learn from those experiences,” Boyd said. “You’re not asking to be on the IL. It’s more, ‘Hey, this is how I’m feeling, let’s monitor it. … Sometimes it’s better to take a breather.” Palencia will do just that after going on the IL with a left oblique strain, retroactive to Tuesday. The Cubs did not announce a corresponding move. Palencia last pitched Sunday, when he threw the ninth inning and earned the win in a 7-6, comeback victory against the Pirates. He has one save and hasn’t allowed a run in five innings this season. Meanwhile, Horton’s star-crossed Cubs career took another turn with the news that he could miss 16 months after having surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. Horton left his start April 3 after one inning, and the Cubs put him on the injured list with a right forearm strain. He had been expected to miss the rest of this season. “When something like this happens, the only thing you can do is worry about what’s next,” Counsell said. “Putting that on some big timeframe isn’t very helpful. [With] Cade, we talked about just worry about today and make today the best you can and keep doing that. That’s how you somehow speed this process along. If you get too far ahead of yourself, that doesn’t help.” Elsewhere, Counsell said reliever Phil Maton (right knee tendinitis) will throw a bullpen session Saturday. “It’s an important bullpen,” Counsell said. “We’ve reached the stage where this is the next test. We don’t know how he’s gonna feel off the mound. Can he drive off the mound the way he wants to?”

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Cubs put closer Daniel Palenica on 15-day injured list with oblique strain The hits keep on coming for the Cubs' pitching staff. In a surprising development, the team put closer Daniel Palencia on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left oblique strain. The move is retroactive to Tuesday. Palencia last pitched Sunday, when he threw the ninth inning and earned the win in a 7-6, comeback victory against the Pirates. He has one save and hasn't allowed a run in five innings this season. More to come ...

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Cubs return home to face struggling Mets The Cubs could not be returning home to a more favorable forecast this weekend. Temperatures are climbing, and the Mets, playing so miserably that Mr. Met has asked for a trial separation, blow into town. The Mets have lost eight straight, including a three-game sweep in Los Angeles that ended Wednesday night with Shohei Ohtani, appearing exclusively as a pitcher, toying with them through six innings, holding them to a run on two hits while striking out 10. Ohtani didn’t bring his bat to the game. No need for him to hit when the Mets aren’t. In seven of those eight losses, the Mets have scored two runs or fewer. They’ve scored thee runs in their last 38 innings. Their biggest bauble, Juan Soto, has missed the last 11 games with a strained calf and isn’t expected back until next week at the earliest. Fellow superstar Francisco Lindor is batting .184. Their biggest offseason prize, Bo Bichette, is batting .228. And former White Sox disappointment Luis Robert Jr. is hitless in his last 14 at-bats. “Guys have got to start playing better,’’ manager Carlos Mendoza, well aware of who will take the fall if they don’t, told reporters after Wednesday’s game. “It’s as simple as that. They’re too talented. But right now, we’re not seeing anything on the field.’’ Mets pitching hasn’t been much better. A yield of eight runs to the Dodgers Wednesday made it 44 earned runs in their 69 innings during the streak, a 5.74 ERA. Their erstwhile Japanese ace, Kodai Senga, who pitched so poorly at the end of last season that he was replaced in the rotation and sent to Triple-A, takes an 0-2 record and 7.07 ERA into Friday afternoon’s matchup against the Cubs, offering scant evidence that he has figured things out. Former Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, 9-3 lifetime against the Cubs with a 3.21 ERA, will offer a test Saturday, but the weekend wraps up with the Mets scheduled to send lefty David Peterson (0-3, 6.41 ERA) to the hill. Meanwhile, the Cubs arrive back home triumphantly after taking two of three from the Phillies, Philadelphia proving to be just the restorative the Cubs’ offense needed. Signs of stirring began with the wind blowing out in Wrigley on Sunday, when the Cubs scored seven runs in a come-from-behind win over the Pirates. Twenty-eight runs, 41 hits, 13 walks and four home runs followed in summer-like conditions in Citizens Bank Park, a refreshing change from the freezer burn the Cubs have been coping with the first couple of weeks of the season. Nico Hoerner, so hot he could hit in Antarctica, kept swinging it in Philly, including a 5-RBI game in the series finale. In the last four games, including Sunday against the Pirates, Hoerner is 7 for his last 19. But Hoerner now has backup. Dansby Swanson has homered three times in that stretch and is hitting .385. Moises Ballesteros is 5 for his last 7, Alex Bregman 6 for his last 16, Carson Kelly 5 for his last 11. How do you explain it? Is Fahrenheit the one metric that explains it? “There’s a multitude of factors,’’ Swanson said in a recent conversation about the subpar showing by many hitters, not only here but around the circuit. “I think April in certain parts of the country are just weather dependent. It makes thing more difficult, whether it’s cold here, the wind’s blowing in here, and we’ve also been in Cleveland, where it was really cold. “I would say also that every year, we as a sport evolve, and typically pitching is ahead of hitting. The nature of pitching is proactive and hitting is reactive. “I also think you’re seeing a higher value being placed on defense. For a while, the game was slug, slug, slug and you tried to build your team around that, especially when there was shifting and you could put your players where they didn’t necessarily have to have range.’’ The Cubs rank as one of the best examples of a team that places a premium on defense. “So I think, even if you hit the ball hard,’’ Swanson said, “it gets caught. There are a lot of good defenders out there, and a lot of good data points suggesting where they should play. The combination of those factors can limit hitting.’’ The key, Swanson said, is “staying committed to what you believe in, no matter whether the results come or not. It’s a funny game we play, isn't it? It’s different than any other sport.’’ Latest on the Cubs Cubs Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw dominate as Cubs grab series win over Phillies Hoerner and Shaw combined to go 6-for-9 with seven RBI. Shaw had three doubles. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Jed Hoyer to 'come up with real options' for Cubs' injured pitching staff Manager Craig Counsell announced that right-handed reliever Porter Hodge suffered a setback recovering from a flexor strain and will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Cubs' Nico Hoerner is 'engine that makes us go' Hoerner was 2-for-6 with three RBI in the Cubs’ 10-4 victory against the Phillies. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read

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Nico Hoerner, Matt Shaw dominate as Cubs grab series win over Phillies PHILADELPHIA — Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner formed quite the duo in the Cubs' Wednesday’s 11-2 win. Shaw would double, and Hoerner drove him in. Hoerner's table-setting ways have been pronounced in the last two games of the Phillies series. His eight RBIs over the past two games were the most he’s recorded over a two-game span. The offense is at its best when it strings together hits and has productive at-bats, particularly from the bottom of the order. On all three of Shaw’s doubles, Hoerner drove him in. “I thought it was a big night for Matt,” manager Craig Counsell said. “When your No. 9 hitter gets three doubles, that's a good sign.” Hoerner was 3-for-5 with a career-high five RBIs. Shaw was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. The ideal version of the Cubs’ lineup involves production from the entire lineup. With first-round picks at six spots, the group has the pedigree and talent to be a problem on a daily basis. If the hitters start producing towards their career norms then the offense should be able to carry the bulk of the responsibility while the pitching staff is depleted. “We should go out there and expect to have good at-bats,” Shaw said. Things are starting to fall a little bit, so t's awesome to get some momentum and have the boys run.” Imanaga dealing As of late, left-hander Shota Imanaga has resembled the pitcher who took MLB by storm in 2024. Wednesday’s start got off to an inauspicious start. Imanaga allowed a leadoff homer to Trea Turner, but that was the extent of the damage he allowed Wednesday. Imanaga regrouped and mowed through the Phillies’ lineup. He allowed one run on three hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts. His four-seamer sat at 92 mph. “We talk so much about velocity in general,” Hoerner said, “I think it is different with him throwing 93 instead of 90. Every bit of life on that four-seamer he has is a huge deal.” Imanaga is pitching with the confidence he seemingly lost toward the end of last season. His 26 whiffs were tied for the most in one outing by a Cubs pitcher in the pitch-tracking era — Yu Darvish also recorded 26 against the White Sox in 2020. Injury report The Cubs’ injury report seemingly grows longer by the day. Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that right-hander Porter Hodge would miss the rest of the season after having UCL reconstruction surgery. • Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd is headed to Ohio and will pitch on Thursday for Triple-A Iowa. That puts him on schedule to return to the Cubs around next Wednesday to finish a seven-game homestand against the Phillies. • Left-hander Jordan Wicks (left elbow inflammation) is scheduled to pitch Saturday for Triple-A Iowa. He’s been out since spring training. • Right-hander Hunter Harvey (right triceps inflammation) is likely going to take longer than the 15 days on the IL. Counsell that Harvey is in strengthening mode. • Right-hander Phil Maton (right knee tendinitis) had an optimistic update. Counsell said he’s recovering each day. Phil didn’t stop throwing after he was placed on the 15-day IL, so now it’s a matter of getting the arm back to game action.

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Jed Hoyer to 'come up with real options' for Cubs' injured pitching staff PHILADELPHIA — Injuries have put Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer on the prowl for starting pitching. “You just immediately feel sorry for the player, but then you just process like, ‘Who’s up next?’ ” Hoyer said before the game Wednesday against the Phillies. “You have to move on quick mentally. It sounds cold-hearted, but that’s the nature of the job. The games go on, you have to find replacements.” Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that right-handed reliever Porter Hodge suffered a setback recovering from a flexor strain and will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. He began the season on the 15-day injured list and was seen as a player who could help the team. Hodge, whom the Cubs thought could rebound from a rough 2025 season (6.27 ERA), now joins promising right-hander Cade Horton as pitchers lost for the season. Hoyer said that Hodge felt some discomfort early in spring training. With relievers Ethan Roberts (middle finger laceration), Hunter Harvey (right triceps) and Phil Maton (knee) all sidelined, the Cubs’ bullpen has become increasingly unbalanced with an unusually large number of left-handers. Given the sheer number of injuries, it’s fair to wonder if the Cubs are assessing their own pitching processes. “You have to take a look because you wouldn’t be doing your job if you didn’t,” Hoyer said. “A lot of guys go down these days. Guys throw so unbelievably hard, but we’ll do a deep dive and see if there’s a commonality to the injuries.” Entering Wednesday, Cubs relievers had the 15th-best ERA in baseball (4.04). Left-hander Riley Martin has helped the Cubs survive this stretch (4„ scoreless innings). Hoyer said that the club is looking at the injuries as an opportunity for others to emerge. Hodge wasn’t on the Cubs’ radar early in the 2024 season, but he received a chance to show how he could deliver in the majors and ran with it (1.88 ERA). “There’s opportunities being created for guys,” Counsell said. “Through this process, we’re going to find some guys that are going to help us this year, and so that’s how you’ve got to look at it. That’s a great thing. That’s a positive out of all this.” The offense’s improvement also should help the pitching staff. The way hitters were aggressive and opportunistic in Tuesday’s 10-4 win over the Phillies is how many envisioned the offense before the season. Right-hander Colin Rea, who pitched six innings and allowed three runs, said the offensive production made it easier for him to pitch. “Somehow, our run-scoring numbers aren’t that bad,” Hoyer said. “But I think [when] we look up and down the lineup, you have so many guys that are so far below career norms, especially in [slugging] — I look at it as a real opportunity. I’m almost excited about it because we’re 17 games in [and] only a couple guys are sort of above their projections.” As the offense finds its footing, Hoyer has to survey the market for capable replacements. “The schedule’s not gonna stop,” Hoyer said. “We gotta find ways to come up with new guys and come up with real options. Hopefully, some of those guys can step up.” Latest on the Cubs Cubs Cubs' Nico Hoerner is 'engine that makes us go' Hoerner was 2-for-6 with three RBI in the Cubs’ 10-4 victory against the Phillies. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson heating up by simplifying approach at plate Swanson entered the game Tuesday batting .250/.423/.600 in his last six games. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Cubs not good enough in any phase of game in blowout loss to Phillies The Cubs failed to execute on the mound, on offense and on defense. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read

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Cubs' Nico Hoerner is 'engine that makes us go' PHILADELPHIA — Nico Hoerner coming through with runners in scoring position is becoming a trend for the Cubs. Hoerner was a key catalyst as the Cubs cruised to a 10-4 win over the Phillies. In the sixth inning, Hoerner singled on a ground ball up the middle after falling behind 0-2, driving in two runs and giving the Cubs a 5-3 lead. Hoerner has continued his strong start to the season. "He's the engine that makes us go right now," manager Craig Counsell said. Hoerner was 2-for-6 and drove in three runs. On the season, Hoerner is batting .303 with a .852 OPS. His ability to deliver in big moments has stood out as the Cubs' offense struggled to find its footing early in the season. "About as high as they get," center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said of the team's confidence level in Hoerner with RISP. "He's the most complete player in baseball." Hoerner can sometimes fly under the radar. He has first-round pick pedigree, a Gold Glove and a six-year, $141 million extension. But he doesn't have the All-Star status and World Series ring of a Dansby Swanson, nor the electrifying play style of a Pete Crow-Armstrong. But Hoerner just delivers when the team needs him. "It's important for us at the bottom of this lineup to be able to turn it over and give him opportunities to produce because more often than not, he does," said Crow-Armstrong who went 2-for-4. "And even a couple of the outs he made tonight were were really good swings." Pitching injuries The Cubs’ pitching injuries are piling up. They put right-handed reliever Ethan Roberts on the 15-day injured list with a cut on his right middle finger. Counsell said the injury happened before the game Monday when a vent fell and Roberts cut his hand while trying to block it from scratching his leg. The Cubs’ pitching depth has been depleted, especially among the right-handers. ‘‘It’s happening at a rate which is not good,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘It’s happening to all right-handed pitchers, so that’s why we’re with a lot of lefties right now. And we’ve had some stuff happen at Triple-A [Iowa] with some expected reinforcements, too. That’s how you get to this bullpen constitution. This is not a strategy against the Phillies or anything like that.’’ The Cubs have five left-handed relievers on the roster with Caleb Thielbar, Luke Little, Riley Martin, Hoby Milner and Ryan Rolison. Little is getting another opportunity to show he can harness his powerful fastball. ‘‘We know the story with Luke: It’s [throwing] strikes,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘I mean, he’s got to throw strikes. There’s not much to say past that. Some guys struggle, [and] they have to add velocity. Or some guys, they have to get another pitch. He’s got the repertoire. He’s got the arsenal. He’s got the velocity. ‘‘But he’s a big man, and a lot of times the thing that big people in this game often work with is being consistent with their mechanics. That’s just a product of the gift of size. [It] can also [make the] mechanics become a little more difficult.’’ Roster moves The Cubs optioned left-handed reliever Charlie Barnes to Iowa and recalled Rolison from there.

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Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson heating up by simplifying approach at plate PHILADELPHIA — Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson needed to get out of his own head. When he was in a slump, Swanson used to watch endless videos in an effort to identify the problem. A player who stands out defensively because of his tremendous instincts and reactions had become too mechanical at the plate. During the offseason, Swanson worked on mindfulness. He wanted to quiet the self-created noise in his head by simplifying his approach at the plate and avoiding tinkering. ‘‘The biggest thing is trusting myself and getting out of a space of overthinking [and] just going out there and really just trusting my ability,’’ Swanson told the Sun-Times. After finishing with a 105 weighted runs created-plus in 2023 — 100 represents the major-league average — Swanson finished at 97 in 2024 and 99 last season. A member of the vaunted class of free-agent shortstops in 2022, the Cubs had bet on Swanson’s mix of athleticism and defense aging well through his early 30s. The underlying numbers didn’t portend an immediate decline, but Swanson — who has had four seasons of 20 or more home runs in his career — thought he was leaving some production on the table. To be the best version of himself, he had to do some serious self-evaluation in the offseason. ‘‘I’m a pretty stubborn person, so that took its own work,’’ he said. ‘‘It was about removing myself a little bit.’’ That required Swanson to overhaul his view of hitting. He no longer could be beholden to expected numbers or obsessed with watching videos of his at-bats and moved away from drill-based work, which he thought was taking away from his natural ability as a hitter. So far, the results haven’t shown up in the box score for Swanson. Entering the Cubs’ game Tuesday against the Phillies, he was batting .173/.323/.365. Unswayed by the lack of success, Swanson said he has to trust his new approach will lead to success sooner or later. He looks to his walk rate — an unsustainably high 18.5% — as evidence that he’s heading down the right path. Swanson has been a streaky hitter throughout his career, so he’s staying disciplined and avoiding the temptation of searching too hard for answers. ‘‘As athletes, we want to be good so bad that sometimes that can almost work against us,’’ he said. ‘‘At times for me, that’s been a thing where it’s like: ‘I didn’t hit this or get a hit today by doing it this way. That means tomorrow I need to do something different in order to be good.’ ‘‘Sometimes you need to make it really elementary, and that’s kind of what I’ve been able to do over the last week or so. And I think the more you vocalize it and talk about it and speak your mind to people, it helps them hold you accountable to those same principles. That’s been the focus.” In his last six games entering Tuesday, Swanson was batting .250/.423/.600, including an opposite-field homer Monday. Returning to a more fundamental approach has been good for him as he looks to avoid the dry spells he seemingly endures every season. Decluttering his mind by talking with coaches and jotting down his thoughts on paper has made him more confident in his plan at the plate than in years past. ‘‘Being able to have those conversations [with people] allows for the clarity to come,’’ Swanson said. ‘‘You can work your way through the problems instead of holding it in your head and going down your own rabbit hole.’’ Latest on the Cubs Cubs Cubs not good enough in any phase of game in blowout loss to Phillies The Cubs failed to execute on the mound, on offense and on defense. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd nearing return from strained left biceps The Cubs’ Opening Day starter is poised to come back during their home series next week against the Phillies. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Jameson Taillon fights the wind, gives Cubs six innings Taillon gave up six runs and three home runs, including a grand slam, but worked deep into the Cubs’ victory Sunday against the Pirates. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Brian Sandalow read

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Ethan Roberts to IL, Luke Little to Cubs in roster move frenzy The Chicago Cubs made a series of roster moves prior to their Tuesday game against the Phillies, including sending Ethan Roberts to the injured list.

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Cubs not good enough in any phase of game in blowout loss to Phillies PHILADELPHIA — The Cubs were outclassed in their 13-7 loss Monday to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. They failed to execute in all three phases of the game. The pitching was subpar, the offense was listless until the game was well out of reach and the defense wasn’t nearly sharp enough as the Phillies capitalized on every Cubs miscue. The Phillies already led 4-2 in the fifth — on the strength of two home runs by former Cub Kyle Schwarber — before loading the bases on a walk and back-to-back singles. Brandon Marsh followed with a two-run double to make it 6-2, but the Phillies didn’t stop there. They kept applying pressure and extending the lead against Cubs starter Javier Assad. Alec Bohm knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly, Bryson Stott had an RBI single and J.T. Realmuto delivered another run-scoring single before Cubs manager Craig Counsell pulled the plug on Assad, who allowed career highs of nine runs and 11 hits in 4⅓ innings in his second start of the season. ‘‘I just don’t think he got his sinker going and didn’t execute with his fastball,’’ Counsell said afterward. The Phillies routinely hit the ball hard, running up the score and stringing together productive at-bats. The game got so out of hand that both teams started subbing guys out in the seventh. The Phillies scored in six of the eight innings in which they batted. The Cubs were still in the game, trailing only 4-2, when they squandered a prime scoring opportunity in the fifth. They had runners on first and second with one out and Ian Happ, who leads the team in homers with four, at the plate. Instead of keeping the line moving, however, Happ grounded into a double play to end the threat. Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez used his sinker and changeup to keep the Cubs’ hitters off-balance all night. ‘‘We gave ourselves some chances but weren’t ultimately able to come through with the big hit,’’ shortstop Dansby Swanson said. The Phillies routinely came through with the big hit. They were 8-for-14 with runners in scoring position; the Cubs were 4-for-16. Sanchez is one of the best pitchers in the majors and entered the game having allowed only three runs in his first three starts. He wasn’t at his sharpest against the Cubs, but they let him off the hook. When the Cubs did get hits against him — six in six innings — five were singles. The only runs they scored against him came on a two-run homer by Swanson in the fourth. Sanchez struck out eight and walked three. Despite the blowout loss, Swanson remained confident in the Cubs’ ability to put up runs. He said they are putting themselves in position but aren’t taking advantage of the scoring chances. Through 16 games, the Cubs have yet to produce a consistent stretch of good baseball. ‘‘Early in the year, we can all get caught [up] when it’s a small sample size,’’ Swanson said. ‘‘One hit can completely change what that sample size and data point looks like; we just haven’t consistently gotten it. But the more you keep putting yourself in position to be successful, the better off you’re going to be. Our group does that consistently, and I’ve got no worries that it’s going to happen.’’

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Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd nearing return from strained left biceps PHILADELPHIA — Opening Day starter Matthew Boyd is getting closer to a return from a strained left biceps. The Cubs put Boyd on the 15-day injured list April 6 (retroactive to April 3) but didn’t seem too concerned about his injury. Boyd said that it was taking him longer to bounce back from starts and that he was dealing with soreness in the biceps. He said that if it hadn’t been early in the season, he likely would have pitched through it. Manager Craig Counsell said Monday that Boyd threw a bullpen session Sunday and that ‘‘everything went great.’’ He will go to Triple-A Iowa for a rehab start and is lined up to return next week at home against the Phillies. The Cubs need Boyd at his best as they navigate this season without promising right-hander Cade Horton, who is going to miss the rest of 2026 after having surgery on his pitching elbow. Boyd’s last start was a 10-strikeout masterpiece against the Angels. His ascent into an All-Star pitcher last season was one of the driving forces behind the Cubs making the playoffs. Bullpen puzzle Figuring out the bullpen is a constant challenge for Counsell and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. Bullpens are fickle and change from season to season. Only Daniel Palencia and Caleb Thielbar returned from the bullpen that ended last season. The constant flux has become normal for the Cubs, but they already have hit a couple of roadblocks with their relievers after injuries to Phil Maton (tendinitis in right knee) and Hunter Harvey (inflammation in right triceps). Maton was the rare reliever to receive a multiyear contract under Hoyer’s tenure, and though the Cubs knew Harvey had a lengthy injury history, they thought signing him was worth the risk. Now that they’re down two key bullpen pieces — and with Colin Rea having shifted to the starting rotation in the short term — the Cubs recently have received admirable efforts from Riley Martin and Ethan Roberts. ‘‘Riley’s made a big move with his opportunity, and we’ve got to make sure we get him some rest,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘But he’s pitching great. He’s pitching great, and he’s pitching with some confidence for somebody that’s only pitched three big-league innings.’’ Both pitchers’ preparation has stood out. Entering the game Monday against the Phillies, neither had yielded a run. ‘‘They both have stuff that really stands out and can be really tough on hitters,’’ Thielbar said. ‘‘It’s really just about going out there and executing.’’ Kelly’s hot start Entering the game Monday, catcher Carson Kelly was batting .308 with an .810 OPS. He delivered the walk-off single Sunday against the Pirates and has been one of the Cubs’ more consistent offensive performers while others have started the season slowly. ‘‘He’s taken a lot of the opposite-field hits all over the park,’’ Counsell said.

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Jameson Taillon fights the wind, gives Cubs six innings Cubs starter Jameson Taillon saw what everybody else did Sunday at Wrigley Field: the flags snapping straight out. “It’s not ideal for what I do and my profile,” Taillon said. “A lot of fly balls, but it’s part of playing here. I’ve [benefited] plenty of days when the wind blows in. Taillon gave up three home runs, including Oneil Cruz’s drive to begin the game. The most damaging one was the second-inning Brandon Lowe grand slam. And what bugged Taillon about the grand slam was putting runners on base and falling behind hitters to get into a bad spot, not the pitch itself. “The homer was kind of, whatever,” Taillon said. “I understand on a day like today it can happen, but getting us in that situation with the bases loaded was not ideal.” Lowe, who added a fifth-inning home run, hit the grand slam with a 97.3 mph exit velocity and 39-degree launch angle. On many days, especially early in the season, that’s a fly ball to right. Sunday was unseasonably warm and the wind was not a pitcher’s friend. Somewhat counterintuitively, Taillon said it’s more important to attack the zone in Sunday’s conditions. “The lesson to be learned is, no matter what the wind is doing it’s on me to be aggressive and still fill up the zone and not let guys get on and get in bad counts,” Taillon said. After giving up five runs over the first two innings, Taillon bore down and gave up one over his last four. Taillon’s line won’t help his final statistics, but he gave the Cubs the length they needed. “After [the second] inning, it can’t really get any worse,” Taillon said. “There’s almost a little bit of weird freedom in that. ‘I’ve got nothing to lose, let’s be super-aggressive here and see what we can make out of this day.’” Harvey hurt When the Cubs signed reliever Hunter Harvey to one-year, $6 million contract, they knew his injury history. In 2025 with the Royals, Harvey only pitched 12 times and was twice placed on the injured list, adding to his unfortunately lengthy resume of health problems. It didn’t take long for another issue to crop up this year, adding another challenge to the bullpen after Phil Maton was placed on the IL on April 10. Harvey was placed on the 15-day IL with right triceps inflammation, retroactive to April 9. The 31-year-old righthander pitched April 3 at Cleveland, was rested until April 8 at Tampa Bay and wasn’t recovering, leading to Sunday’s move. “We’re trying to get stuff before it gets too bad here,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Hopefully, it’s just a little bit of soreness in the triceps and we can get rid of it in 2-3 weeks and move on.” Counsell said Harvey’s past was a factor in the Cubs being conservative with his health. The way Harvey was recovering, Counsell added, sent up red flags that the Cubs needed to be careful. For now, Harvey is not scheduled to undergo any imaging on his arm. To replace Harvey, the Cubs selected the contract of lefthander Charlie Barnes from Triple-A Iowa. Barnes was 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA in three games with Iowa.

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Slumping Michael Busch helps Cubs rally past Pirates for 7-6 win Michael Busch and the Cubs really needed Sunday. Benched after an 0 for 30 slump, Busch’s eighth-inning pinch-hit single led to the Cubs tying the game. Carson Kelly’s ninth-inning single gave the Cubs a 7-6 win over the Pirates, helping them avoid a sweep after two games of missed opportunities and poor situational hitting. “That win was pretty big,” Busch said. For the first time in a while, Busch played a part in a Cubs victory. Expected to be a key cog in the Cubs offense after a strong 2025 when he hit 34 home runs with a .343 on-base percentage, Busch’s start to 2026 hasn’t been ideal. Entering Sunday’s game, Busch was hitting .118 with an OPS-plus of 15. His advanced stats didn’t indicate he’s having bad luck – Busch’s average exit velocity of 87.0 mph was in the 26th percentile of MLB and his 5.0% barrel rate was in the 33rd percentile. “It’s been pretty frustrating, but putting one foot in front of the other each day and continuing to work,” Busch said before the game. “Starting to feel a little better as of late, but obviously not getting the results I want.” Busch’s hit Sunday wasn’t a screamer – it left his bat at just 68.2 mph – but he and the Cubs weren’t too concerned about that. They were glad to see him break through. “It lets you take a big exhale,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It doesn’t give you anything tomorrow or the next day but it lets you take a big exhale and you contribute to a win. For every guy in there, you desperately want to do that.” Busch was not the only Cubs player who helped them recover from an early 5-0 deficit. Dansby Swanson homered in the third and made two alert plays on the bases. With the bases loaded and one out in the seventh, Alex Bregman popped to the Pirates’ Brandon Lowe at second. Lowe made the catch but fell backward, allowing Swanson to score. In the eighth, Swanson came around from first to score the tying run on Busch’s single when Pittsburgh left fielder Bryan Reynolds made an errant throw back into the infield. Swanson said he’s been taught his whole life to run with his eyes up and on the ball. That gave the Cubs two important runs Sunday. “Your instincts can tell you to go quicker than someone can tell you to go, for you to listen and then be able to go,” Swanson said. “A lot of it is just enjoyment. I get a lot of joy out of running bases.” There hadn’t been a lot of joy around the Cubs during the first two games with Pittsburgh. They were shut out Friday and frustrated Saturday, going 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position and stranding 16 runners on base in a 4-3, 11-inning loss. From the outside, Sunday looked like it would be no different. The Cubs were down and not maximizing opportunities. Inside the dugout, the vibe was different. Relievers Riley Martin and Ethan Roberts combined for two scoreless innings, buying the Cubs time until they rallied. “I never saw our guys waver or falter today,” said starter Jameson Taillon, who pitched six innings and allowed six runs, including Lowe’s second-inning grand slam. Because of Busch and others, the Cubs ended a rough series in a good mood. “Every day is a must-win,” Kelly said. “We just continue to keep putting good days on top of good days. We control what we can control and just continue to keep hitting the ball hard, play good defense and pitch well.”

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Cubs roster moves: Hunter Harvey to injured list, Charlie Barnes called up The Chicago Cubs made a pair of roster moves prior to their Sunday finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates, placing pitcher Hunter Harvey on the injured list.

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Ex-Cub Kyle Kendricks in no rush to figure out what comes after baseball; says, 'Not knowing, it's awesome' A year ago on April 13, Kyle Hendricks had his first rough go with his boyhood team, the Angels, taking it on the chin in Houston for his first loss of his only major league season pitching for anyone other than the Cubs. There would be more games like that in the ensuing months, enough that when Hendricks hit the finish line with an 8-10 record and 4.76 ERA at age 35, he decided to shut it down for good, calling it a career with a 105-91 record that probably didn’t do justice to how excellent he’d been at his finest in 2016 and for four or five seasons after that. But the whole lot was enough for him. Now 36, he’s enjoying what he calls a “transition stage” in Arizona, where he’s a stay-at-home dad to his and wife Emma’s 2-year-old son, Luca. “I would love to grow the family, but right now, really it’s just nice to not have everything be crazy,” he told the Sun-Times. “Your whole life being baseball, it’s always just go, go, go. I feel so lucky, all the experiences I had.” Those who covered “the Professor’s” Cubs tenure, which lasted 11 seasons, saw the bookish, whip-smart Ivy Leaguer as a natural to move into coaching or even onto a front-office track after his pitching days, but Hendricks isn’t sure that’s for him. “It’s amazing to me that people even thought that, but my dream was to be a player,” he said. “You know the game comes to an end at some point. You’re still so young. At that point, you’re blessed with what you get.” But maybe? “I’m not writing anything off, for sure,” he said. “But I knew I was going to be a player. Now, not knowing, it is awesome. Of course I love baseball, love the game, loved pitching. But coaching? All those days away? I don’t want to do any of that. But I’m not closing any doors.” Related * Confident Kyle Hendricks — a ‘lock’ for Angels’ rotation, GM says — eager to prove himself again * Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks on uncertain future: ‘I want to be part of this for as long as I can’ * Cubs’ Hendricks: the right guy at the right time for Game 7 task One supposes Hendricks could always become an astronaut. That’s not him talking, but rather a writer who remembers him in 2016 — when he led the majors with a 2.13 ERA and took the mound for the Cubs in Game 7 of the World Series — reading diligently about outer space in between starts. He also was hopelessly hooked on the Netflix sci-fi show “Stranger Things.” A mish-mash of intellectual curiosity and regular-Joe-ness, he was. As the Cubs celebrate their only championship since 1908 throughout this season, it’s worth remembering how vital a pitcher who overhauled his mechanics, adding a killer curveball and four-seam fastball to his previous mix, was to the whole 2016 shebang. Hendricks trailed Jon Lester, John Lackey and Jake Arrieta around like a puppy for much of that season — the dinners, none of which he dared take the lead on, were legendary — but he became one of them and more than held up his end. And in Game 7 in Cleveland, when home starter Corey Kluber had a chance to become the first pitcher to win three starts in a World Series since Detroit’s Mickey Lolich in 1968, it was Hendricks who stared down what he’d called, the night before, the “ultimate dream” and delivered. Cubs manager Joe Maddon infamously yanked Hendricks from that game in the fifth inning, even though the stoic righty was rolling along. Hendricks never has complained publicly about the missed chance at earning the win in the biggest Cubs game of ’em all, but now he’s kicking back with nothing to lose. So how about it? “Nah,” he said. “I’ve never changed with that, really never have. It was Game 7, the heat of the moment. It was how it was supposed to go. Who knows? If I would have stayed in the game, maybe a couple pitches here and there and then — boom — give up a homer.” A gracious take. And very much in character, as ever. Hendricks had an 18-start streak of allowing two or fewer earned runs that season, which boggles the mind. He outdueled Dodgers great Clayton Kershaw in the National League pennant clincher at Wrigley Field. He was automatic — and the most surprisingly great Cubs player of all in the year that changed everything. One would hope he has put his feet up and watched his 26-year-old self do all that. But no, not entirely. “I did allow myself, I will say, to watch a lot of the World Series on MLB Network, the key moments I hadn’t watched,” he said. “I’ve sat around with my family and enjoyed that. “But the whole season? No, I haven’t. I think it’s still too close. I haven’t gotten selfish in that way. But I think eventually I will. I’ll want to see that, especially with my son.” The son of an astronaut? Probably not. But there’s a stay-at-home dad with an other-worldly story to share.

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Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar has key error, but why was Matt Shaw playing first base? There can be no disputing that a throwing error by Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar in the 11th inning allowed the deciding run to score in the Pirates’ 4-3 win over the Cubs, especially after the Cubs failed to capitalize on a similar wild throw by Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez in the bottom of the inning, leaving the bases loaded. But dig deeper, and you discover a connection between the error and an 0 for 30 slump by Cubs first baseman Michael Busch, which is twice as long as any o-fer he has ever had in the big leagues. Take away Busch’s slump, and maybe the only defense between Thielbar’s throw and right field isn’t a guy, Matt Shaw, wearing a first baseman’s mitt for the first time in his professional career. “Yeah, I mean Michael’s struggling,’’ manager Craig Counsell said of Busch, who hasn’t hit safely since his seventh-inning single against the Angels here on April 1, eight games ago. “I mean, he’s struggling, and you know, he’s struggling.’’ Sometimes, no other word suffices. “We’re working on it,’’ Counsell said. “We’re trying to figure it out. He’s trying to figure it out. But you know, we got to take a look at, maybe a harder look, at what’s going on.’’ With the Cubs desperate to string together rallies to overcome the 3-0 lead starting pitcher Edward Cabrera spotted the Pirates through three innings, Counsell lifted Busch, who was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a groundout, for pinch hitter Carson Kelly with a runner on third , one run in, and the Cubs down, 3-2. Kelly popped out on the first pitch. In the bottom of the ninth, after Dansby Swanson walked and took second on a passed ball, Kelly also walked. Counsell lifted him for a pinch-runner, Shaw, hoping the Cubs could end matters there. Alex Bregman flared a game-tying single, but Shaw was stranded on third when Ian Happ lined out. That means Shaw went into the game at first base in the 10th. The Pirates, who left 13 men on base. left two on in the top of the inning. The Cubs, who left 16 on base—10 in the last four innings—left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning. Thielbar, who had given up a two-run homer to Bryan Reynolds for the only runs in the Pirates’ 2-0 win Friday (“They just beat me”), appeared on cruise control in the 11th, striking out the first two batters he faced. Then, after an intentional walk to O’Neil Cruz, who had hit safely in his first four trips to the plate, Thielbar fielded Brandon Lowe’s tapper in front of the plate—and threw it wide of the bag, allowing ghost runner Alex Gonzales to score the go-ahead run. “I work on that play every single day…I fielded it nice, came out of the glove nice…I mean, it makes me sick.’’ Shaw had little chance of making the play. “I thought afterward that maybe I should have come off the bag,’’ he said, but the run would have scored anyway. Could Busch with his longer reach and right-handed glove been able to make the play? We’ll never know. For now, the Cubs remain in search of their first come-from-behind victory in 2026. “We just gotta execute,’’ said Bregman, looking for his first big moment as a Cub and thought he might have had it with his game-tying hit. “We’ll do it better. We’ll do it better.’’ Notes Seiya Suzuki was not in Saturday’s starting lineup, but pinch hit for Moises Ballesteros in the sixth, singled and remained in the game for three more at-bats. He popped out in foul territory with the bases loaded to end the game. • The Cubs have not announced their rotation for the Phillies series, but it would appear likely that Javier Assad, Colin Rea and Shota Imanaga will pitch in that order.

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Big contract before making an impact? The Cubs' Scott Kingery has been there They would seem worlds apart. Cubs infielder Scott Kingery, No. 12 on your scorecard and 32 years old at the end of the month, has played just 74 games in the big leagues this decade, just three pinch-running appearances so far as a Cub. His big-league existence is day to day. He has spent almost all of the last three seasons in the minors. In the other dugout, Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin, the anointed one, 20 years old in a dozen days, a shortstop of considerable size (6-foot-3, 222 pounds), limitless potential, and almost unimaginable financial security for a player of his experience. Five days into his major-league career, Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract, so confident are the Pirates that he is destined for stardom. “He’s super talented,’’ said Jed Hoyer, the Cubs’ president of baseball operations. “Obviously, he was a guy we talked about in the draft, and he's had as fast a development path as I can ever remember. He's an exciting young star in the game, and it'll be fun to watch him in person.’’ Hoyer is not the only member of his family enchanted by Griffin. He said his kids went on the Pirates’ website, looking for gear. “I think [the Pirates] just dropped their City Connect yesterday, and my kids were looking at it and his stuff, and it was sold out in almost every imaginable way,’’ Hoyer said. “It’s great for baseball to have young players like this, that people are so excited about.’’ You can look far and wide in the Wrigleyville souvenir shops, and you won’t find a Scott Kingery Cubs jersey. But it wasn’t so long ago, when Kingery was known as Scotty Jetpax, he was being favorably compared to former MVP and four-time All-Star Dustin Pedroia and was the toast of Philadelphia. Scott Kingery was judged a star in the making, even before he had played a single day in the big leagues. At the end of spring training in 2018, the Phillies signed Kingery to a six-year, $24 million deal. He was 23 years old when he made a successful big-league debut, with two hits and a stolen base. He was on his way…until he wasn’t. His rookie season was a struggle, compounded by playing an unfamiliar position [shortstop instead of second base]. He rebounded in 2019 with his best season in the big leagues, posting a .788 OPS with 19 home runs, but was wiped out in the pandemic in 2020, contracting a virulent case of coronavirus. When he struggled in spring training in 2021, he was demoted to Triple-A and the road back proved a hard one, complicated by ineffectiveness and a string of health issues, including season-ending shoulder surgery in 2021 that caused him to miss the start of the following season. In 2024, Scotty Jetpax was traded to the Angels, where he played just 19 games. The Cubs signed him as a minor-league free agent last December. In a quiet Cubs clubhouse the other morning, Kingery reflected on his experience of not meeting exalted expectations, the security that came with the contract and the pressures written into the fine print. “I think at first people are going to be excited to get a look at the person who just signed the contract,’’ Kingery said. “If you go out on the field and ensure that you can play a little bit, I don’t think they think about the contract. For me, I think that came a little later.’’ The contract became a cudgel when Kingery struggled. “I think a lot of people would look at it and say, you just signed a contract, you have guaranteed money,’’ he said. “No need to worry, just go and play baseball. For me, since I had never played in the big leagues, I think there was a little more pressure on myself to prove that I was worth what they just paid me, to live up to the contract and play up to the contract. “But looking back on it, when I was on the field I wasn’t thinking about that. I was super excited, but at the same time it was like, ‘OK, they pay me for a reason, I want to go out in the field and show why.’’ For Connor Griffin, just as there once was for Scott Kingery, the line between dreams fulfilled and hopes dashed is a narrow one. Cubs veteran second baseman Nico Hoerner, for one, believes the risk is worth it for the Pirates. “We’ve seen players in the past that debut at a young age and go on to have amazing careers,’’ Hoerner said. “Obviously the organization has a ton of confidence in him, and his skill set is so impressive across all parts of the game, from defense to base running and power. He seems like an easy player to believe in overall.’’

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Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera adds to rotation's domination Edward Cabrera, who grew up in the mountain town of Santiago in the Dominican Republic and still lives there, turns 28 on Monday. Maybe by then he’ll have given up a run. Cabrera, who came to the Cubs from the Marlins in a trade that cost the team top outfield prospect Owen Caissie, makes his third start of the season on Saturday afternoon against the Pirates in Wrigley Field. In his first two starts, Cabrera, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 217 pounds, has been a monster. He has thrown 11 2/3 scoreless innings combined against the Angels and Guardians. The Angels managed one hit in six innings, a single, in Wrigley Field. The Guardians, despite stacking their lineup with eight left-handed hitters, also managed just one hit, a double by CJ Kayfus. In two starts, he has induced 23 swings and misses, his curveball, slider and changeup regularly drawing air. So far, the Cubs’ starting rotation, though reeling from the loss of Cade Horton for the season, has dominated opponents. After Shota Imanaga held the Pirates hitless in six innings Friday, Cubs starters have held opposing hitters to 35 hits, the fewest allowed by any starting staff. Yes, Cabrera said that when the team was in Florida earlier this week, he missed the warmth. But beyond that, he said through translator Freddy Quevedo (“The best,’’ Cabrera said), he is becoming acclimated to his new team. “I thought it was going to be more difficult to feel comfortable,’’ said Cabrera, who had been in the Marlins’ system since signing as a 17-year-old in 2015. “But really, the trust of myself by my teammates has made it that much easier.’’ Cabrera missed the start of the previous two seasons because of injury, a right shoulder impingement in 2024 and a blister on his middle finger last season, so he welcomed the chance to be in the Cubs’ rotation from the outset. He said a coach asked him how many innings he would like to pitch this season. He answered 200, but believes 180 innings to be a more reasonable target. The Cubs would be ecstatic, especially given the loss of Horton, who is due to undergo ulnar collateral ligament surgery soon. Roster moves The Cubs made a series of roster moves, in part to create a roster spot for outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who singled and walked in four trips Friday and handled two chances in right field. Outfielder Dylan Carlson was designated for assignment, making room for Suzuki. Reliever Nick Maton, who has tendinitis in his right knee which is inhibiting his ability to push off the mound, has been placed on the 10-day injured list but is expected to continue throwing, manager Craig Counsell said. To take Matlin’s place in the Cubs’ bullpen, the Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Ethan Roberts, who retired all four batters he faced in Friday’s 2-0 loss. Taking it easy with Suzuki Counsell said he intends to give Suzuki some days off as he works back into the lineup. Suzuki, who sprained his right knee while playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, missed the season’s first 12 games before batting fifth and playing right field on Friday. He hit into a fielder’s choice, singled, struck out and walked in his return. “I’m very happy to be back,’’ Suzuki said. Suzuki spent a few days in Double-A Knoxville on a rehab assignment before being activated Friday. The most memorable part of his stay there? “The brisket,’’ said Suzuki, who said he treated his teammates to at least one postgame spread. Latest on the Cubs Cubs Shota Imanaga doesn't allow any hits over six innings, but Cubs still lose 2-0 Twice the Cubs loaded the bases and failed to score. Twice they left two runners on. They had six hits, all singles. They drew seven walks. They put the leadoff man on base four times. And they came up empty each time, combining to go 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Gordon Edes read MLB Percentage of Black MLB players increases in consecutive years for the 1st time in two decades The Cubs are among six teams without a Black player. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By AP read Cubs Cubs' Nico Hoerner staying true to himself, which leads to early-season success Hoerner is off to a blistering start at the plate, batting .333 with a 1.000 OPS and a team-leading six doubles. He has two-plus RBI in three consecutive games. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read

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Shota Imanaga doesn't allow any hits over six innings, but Cubs still lose 2-0 Shota Imanaga gave the Cubs six innings of no-hit pitching Friday. The Cubs, despite the return of slugger Seiya Suzuki to the middle of their lineup, gave themselves no hits when even one might have made the difference between winning and losing. The result was predictable. Despite what ranked among Imanaga’s best starts as a Cub — six hitless innings, one walk, and just one batter faced over the minimum — the Cubs were beaten, 2-0, by the Pittsburgh Pirates on a desultory afternoon in Wrigley Field overstuffed with missed opportunities. Twice the Cubs loaded the bases and failed to score. Twice they left two runners on. They had six hits, all singles. They drew seven walks. They put the leadoff man on base four times. And they came up empty each time, combining to go 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position which gave a crowd of 28,811 little to cheer about. “It’s one of those offensive days,’’ manager Craig Counsell said, “where you do a lot of things right and then you walk away and you’re just, ‘How did we not score today? How did we have a zero on the board?' And so, it’s frustrating.’’ It was a particularly galling day for Pete-Crow Armstrong, who hit into a double play in the second, flied out with two on in the fourth, struck out with two on in the sixth, and avoided hitting into another double play in the eighth only because shortstop Konnor Griffin’s relay was wide. Imanaga had thrown 100 pitches through six innings, so there was no thought by Counsell to have him continue. “Easy decision,’’ he said. His best outing as a Cub? Imanaga wasn’t prepared to call it that. “I can’t recall every single start that I’ve made,’’ he said, “but thinking back, I can’t say for certain this was the best.’’ This was the eighth time in his 57 starts as a Cub that the left-hander has pitched at least six innings without allowing a run. “I think Shota has really had three good starts, minus one pitch,’’ Counsell said, alluding to the three-run home run Imanaga gave up to the Nationals’ Joey Wiemer in his first start. “And that’s great news for us.’’ On Sept. 4, 2024, Shota threw seven no-hit innings against the Pirates in what would become a combined no-hitter in a 12-0 win at Wrigley. The Pirates had just three holdovers in Friday’s lineup from that team — Bryan Reynolds, Nick Gonzales and Oneil Cruz — and it was Reynolds who combined with newcomer Ryan O’Hearn to make sure history would not repeat itself. O’Hearn hit reliever Caleb Thielbar’s third pitch into right field for a single. Reynolds hit Thielbar’s next pitch, a hanging curveball, into the left-field bleachers. Thielbar was not in the Cubs’ clubhouse, which was bereft of both bodies and music after this loss. Alex Bregman was deep in conversation with a staff member in front of his locker. Carson Kelly, who was on base four times — a single and three walks — talked about Shota’s start — and Suzuki discussed his return from his hamstring injury. Otherwise, crickets. When a club has just been shut out a second time and three regulars are nearly 50 at-bats into a season and are all hitting under .200 ( Bregman, Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson, the low man at .140), having to answer questions can be a painful exercise. Jed Hoyer, chatting with reporters before the game, said taking the temperature of a team this early in the season is an unproductive exercise. He likened it to an NFL team trying to draw conclusions after one game or the equivalent of playing the first hole in a round of golf. “Our offense projects to be an excellent offense,’’ he said. “We’re [6 and 7] and we haven’t really hit yet. I think that actually excites me, because we have really good players that haven’t gotten going yet, and at the end of the day, they’ll get to where their baseball card says they should be.’’ Latest on the Cubs MLB Percentage of Black MLB players increases in consecutive years for the 1st time in two decades The Cubs are among six teams without a Black player. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By AP read Cubs Cubs' Nico Hoerner staying true to himself, which leads to early-season success Hoerner is off to a blistering start at the plate, batting .333 with a 1.000 OPS and a team-leading six doubles. He has two-plus RBI in three consecutive games. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read Cubs Cubs' offense 'clicks as an entire group' to win series vs. Rays The Cubs totaled 15 runs in the last two games. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] By Kyle Williams read

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