Cubs 7, Phillies 4

The book ⤵️

When Nico Hoerner hit his 4th homer of the year:

2020: N/A
2021: N/A
2022: June 24
2023: May 30
2024: June 30
2025: July 29
2026: April 21

Dansby Swanson has tied a career high with three walks tonight. He's done it eight times. This is his first three-walk game since April 19, 2023.

Over his last 15 games, the Cubs shortstop has as many walks (13) as strikeouts (13).

Great plate appearance in the 5th from rookie Moisés Ballesteros. Comes off bench as pinch-hitter with bases loaded and two outs to face Orion Kerkering. Draws a walk on a close full-count pitch. Tossed bat and gave hard clap of the hands en route to first base.

Put Cubs up 1-0 on Phillies.

Cubs updates

• Maton’s live BP today went well. Monitoring recovery.

• MRI on Palencia showed lat strain (not oblique). Doing well. Could throw before trip.

• Roberts, bullpen today. Rehab possible this weekend.

• Hodge: UCL reconstruction/brace. Out 12-14 months.

• Harvey: resume throwing Fri.

Cubs 5, Phillies 1

Here’s the book ⤵️

Matt Shaw joins the Cubs' defensive highlight reel tonight with a great diving catch in the ninth...

This just in from GooseCast. Waiting on exit velocity and flap speed.

Breaking: Local Goose Shows Michael Busch Where To Hit Baseball

Next, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner made a slick diving grab on a 106.4 mph grounder from Bryce Harper ⤵️

Nice defensive first inning for the Cubs, who came into the night second in MLB in Defensive Runs Saved (15).

First, left fielder Ian Happ tumbled over side wall while snaring foul ball off bat of old friend Kyle Schwarber ⤵️

Nico Hoerner has delivered 19 of his 21 RBIs out of the leadoff spot this season. Beyond his own knack for hitting with RISP (.346 BA/.905 OPS so far this year), credit is due to Chicago's 7-8-9 hitters. Collectively, they have a .341 OBP -- tied for third-best in MLB for that lineup segment.

Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is named the NL’s player of the week ⤵️

Matt Shaw (single) and Michael Conforto (double) each had pinch hits in today's win, upping the Cubs' showing to a .364 average (8-for-22) and 1.031 OPS in pinch-hitting situations so far this season.

Cubs were 1-for-19 with runners on base today, but still pulled off a 2-1 win in 10 innings.

The book ⤵️

Ian Happ has homered in back-to-back at-bats -- in the 8th inning on Friday and now in the 2nd this afternoon. Ties thins up, 1-1. He leads the Cubs with six on the season.

Nico Hoerner enters Saturday tied for the MLB lead in bWAR (1.7) and 3rd in MLB in fWAR (1.3). He's batting .342 with a .973 OPS and 172 wRC+ through 19 games. Hoerner is also near the top of the leaderboards in Outs Above Average (3) and Fielding Run Value (3).

The Cubs have selected the contract of righty Corbin Martin from Iowa. Cade Horton transferred to 60-day IL to clear a 40-man spot.

Counsell said Palencia’s morning bullpen session went fine today. His oblique flared up during running afterwards. Timetable unclear at this point.

The Cubs lost 4-3 in 11 innings to the Pirates last Saturday, going 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position that day. After the loss, manager Craig Counsell said of the offense: "It'll turn."

In the next five games, the Cubs hit .353 (24-for-68) with RISP and scored 47 runs.

The Cubs have scored at least 7 runs in at least five games in a row for the 14th time on record (B-R streak data goes to 1898). First time since July 22-27, 2023. The Cubs have gone at least six games with 7+ runs four times -- not since 1930.

Hoerner's minor swing adjustments paying major dividends for Cubs PHILADELPHIA -- The change that Nico Hoerner has focused on making with his swing over the past year is a subtle one. What is not difficult to see is the result, as the Phillies can attest after two s...

“He’s a machine right now.”

Nico Hoerner just hammered a 2-run homer. Here’s my story from Wednesday on his hot start, and a subtle swing change that has played a key role ⤵️

Less than 30 minutes from first pitch, the Cubs announce that they have placed righty Daniel Palencia on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain.

The hits keep coming for the bullpen.

Matthew Boyd said he is feeling good this morning — day after rehab outing. Barring anything unexpected, on target to be activated Wednesday for start vs. Phillies, per manager Craig Counsell.

Counsell noted that Cade Horton’s surgery on Thursday with Dr. Meister was a UCL revision repair with internal brace. Timetable of 15-16 months.

Shota Imanaga’s 26 whiffs (swinging strikes) tonight tied the most in one outing by a Cubs pitcher in the pitch-tracking era. Yu Darvish also had 26 on Aug. 23, 2020, against the White Sox.

Cubs 11, Phillies 2

The book ⤵️

With his three hits tonight, Nico Hoerner is now batting .330 dating back to Sept. 1 last season (.343 if you include the playoffs). Hoerner also now has the most regular-season hits (58) in that span in the Major Leagues.

Cubs top prospect Wiggins (right elbow) placed on Minor League IL PHILADELPHIA -- The Cubs came into this year with the hope that top prospect Jaxon Wiggins could impact their pitching staff at some point this summer. That may still be the case, but the ballclub is ...

Cubs' top prospect Jaxon Wiggins lands on Minor League IL due to right elbow inflammation ⤵️

Counsell noted that top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins’ Minot League IL stint is due to right elbow inflammation. Cubs taking cautious approach with it.