'25

Well, the Cubs' 83-79 finish was frustrating but not unexpected, considering that they largely put the 83-79 lineup from 2023 back on the field. Craig Counsell, brought on board to squeeze a few more wins out of that roster, didn't. But, two new additions to that roster were bright spots:

Shota Imanaga:  15-3, 2.91 ERA, 174/28 K/BB, 173.1 IP, and

Michael Busch:  21 HR and a .775 OPS in 152 games.

But ... obviously, that wasn't enough. Despite a strong start – the North Siders were in first place on May 8 – they had dropped to last place by June 14, largely due to the bullpen.

"Heart Attack" Hector Neris blew five saves by June 17. Jose Cuas was an absolute disaster. By June 25, the bullpen's collective ERA was 4.55, third-worst in the NL. (By comparison, Cubs starters' 3.59 ERA was 4th best in the NL.) Injuries to Adbert Alzolay and Julian Merryweather didn't help, and by July 3rd, the last place Cubs were 13 games out of first.

Isaac Paredes, acquired from Tampa in a trade for fan favorite Chris Morel, really struggled (.633 OPS, 82 OPS+). Cody Bellinger's OPS dropped 70 points from 2023. Mark Leiter's performance also fell off.  Lackluster offensive production from the catcher position continued. And inexplicably, Miles Mastrobuoni and his .470 OPS and 35 OPS+ (!) continued to get at-bats throughout the season.

It took the front office far too long to right the ship, but, by August, Cuas (7.43 ERA), Richard Lovelady (7.94), Colten Brewer (5.66), Nick Madrigal (54 OPS+), Yan Gomes (18 OPS+), Leiter, and Neris were gone. The Cubs went 18-8 in August, climbing to 2nd place, but the damage was done. They went 13-13 in September, finished ten games back of the Brewers, and didn't make the playoffs.

As of this writing, the 2025 Cubs have added outfielder Kyle Tucker, catcher Carson Kelly, and reliever Eli Morgan while losing Cody Bellinger, Patrick Wisdom, Hayden Wesneski, Mike Tauchman, and Kyle Hendricks. Promising rookie Matt Shaw has a clear path to the starting third base job. Seiya Suzuki, the Cubs' best hitter in 2024, continues to shine. But while Tucker and Morgan are definite upgrades, the North Siders still have a crowded outfield, question marks at SP4 and SP5, a lack of production at catcher, and a bullpen in flux.

Jed Hoyer's ongoing (and obviously ineffective) commitment to "intelligent spending" has precluded them from going after top-tier free agents. The Cubs' refusal to seriously pursue top talent is understandably angering fans and even raising the eyebrows of prominent baseball journalists.

 

The Cubs should be under serious pressure from fans to put together a winner in 2025. Tucker will be a free agent at season's end. They haven't made the playoffs since 2020 and haven't won a postseason game since 2017 – despite annual assurances from Tom Ricketts about "championship caliber baseball."  Other big market teams like the Yankees and Dodgers don't rebuild, they retool. And they consistently win their divisions.

 

It's past time for Ricketts to put his (some would say OUR) money where his mouth is and put together a roster that can do the same in 2025.

 

Go Cubs go!

'25

That's it. With Saturday's Cubs loss and Mets win, the Cubs have been eliminated from the 2024 playoff race.

Look here for a season postmortem once the season is over.

Thanks for following!

E

The Cubs blew a 3-1 lead and lost 5-3 to the A's on Wednesday to be eliminated from the NL Central Division race.

 

Congratulations to the Brewers on their division title.

 

Wild Card Magic Number:  18

Wild Card Tragic Number:  3

 

The Nationals come to Wrigley to kick off a four-game series on Thursday. 152 games down, 10 to go.

 

Go Cubs go!

As in 2025, that is.

22

The Cubs lost to the A's 4-3 on Tuesday despite three hits apiece from Ian Happ (including two home runs) and Nico Hoerner. Unfortunately, the team went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and were unable to pick up Jordan Wicks, who gave up four earned runs in five innings of work.

The Brewers also lost on Tuesday, preventing the North Siders from being mathematically eliminated from NL Central Division title hopes. But, the Mets won, moving the Men in Blue six games back from the final NL Wild Card berth ... and the Mets hold the tiebreaker (season head-to-head record) over the Cubs.

So, to the surprise of no one who's followed this year's Cubs team, things aren't looking good on the north side of Chicago:

Magic Numbers

Division:  22

Wild Card:  18

Tragic Numbers

Division:  1

Wild Card:  5

151 games down, 11 to go. The series wraps up Wednesday at Wrigley.

Go Cubs go!

23

Holy cow! The Cubs beat the A's 9-2 on Monday behind a quality start from Shota Imanaga (6 IP, 2 ER, 11 K), 18 hits, and four RBI from Dansby Swanson.

 

Swanson went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer while three Cubs (Suzuki, Paredes, and Amaya) each had three hits on the night. Eight of their nine position players tallied at least one hit.

Wingenter and Neely combined for three scoreless relief innings to seal the victory for the North Siders.

Unfortunately, the Brewers and Mets also each won, putting the Cubs one game closer to elimination from both the division and wild card races.

 

Magic Numbers

Division:  23
Wild Card:  18

Tragic Numbers
Division: 3
Wild Card: 8

The series continues Tuesday at Wrigley. 150 games down, 12 to go.

Go Cubs go!

 

24

Hey hey! The Cubs beat the Rockies 6-2 on Sunday behind a quality start from Kyle Hendricks (6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 7 K), two homers from Michael Busch, and one homer from Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Meanwhile, the Brewers, Braves, and Mets also lost, keeping the Cubs slim playoff chances alive for another day.

 

Magic Numbers
Division:  24
Wild Card:  19

Tragic Numbers
Division:  4
Wild Card:  9

 

The North Siders kick off a seven-game homestand at Wrigley on Monday, with three games against the A's and four games against the Nats.

149 games down, 13 must-win games to go.

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

Magic number, as described below, is the sum of Cubs wins and rivals' losses needed to clinch the division or a wild card berth (Brewers, for the NL Central Division title, and the Mets, for the third NL Wild Card berth).

Tragic number is the sum of Cubs losses and rivals' wins needed to eliminate the Cubs from division (Brewers) or wild card (Mets) contention.

26

Well, the Cubs rolled into Denver with a sliver of a chance to make the playoffs. But after losing the first two games of the series, that sliver of a chance has dwindled to nothing more than historically unlikely mathematical possibility.

The bullpen imploded in both games -- a recurring theme that put the Cubs nine games under .500 by July 3 and has plagued the team off and on throughout the season. This weekend's performances once again highlighted both the bullpen's injuries (Alzolay, Merryweather, Lopez, Wesneski) and its construction (via Jed Hoyer's ongoing affinity for reclamation projects).

At this point, the North Siders' playoff chances have all but evaporated. Here's the math:

 

Division Magic Number:  26
Wild Card Magic Number:  21

And on the other hand:

Division Tragic Number:  4
Wild Card Tragic Number:  9

 

Any combination of Cubs losses and Brewers wins totaling four would mathematically eliminate the Cubs from NL Central title contention. Any combination of Cubs losses and Mets wins totaling nine would eliminate them from contention for an NL Wild Card berth.

The math hasn't said it yet, but I will:  wait 'til next year.

148 games down, 14 to go.

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

27

Holy mackerel! The Cubs came back to beat the Dodgers 6-3 on Tuesday behind a quality start from Imanaga (7 IP, 3 ER, 4 K), a five-run 8th, and THREE amazing catches from Pete Crow-Armstrong!

PCA had himself a night, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and making a spectacular running, diving catch in the 7th ... followed by a "how-did-he-do-that?!?" behind the back running, sliding catch in the 8th ... capped off with a leaping, home-run robbing catch to end the game in the 9th.

Nate Pearson picked up a hold with a scoreless 8th, during which his fastball routinely hit 100 MPH. Porter Hodge threw a hitless 9th to pick up his fifth save of the season.

 

Hodge gave his teammates and fans a scare when he stepped off of the mound with what was later reported to be a racing heartbeat. He took a break as he discussed it with the trainer, threw a few warmup pitches, and then finished the game. Hopefully all is well with him.

The series wraps up in LA on Wednesday. 145 games down, 17 to go.

 

The Cubs Magic Number for a wild card berth is 22.

 

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  MLB

28

Holy cow! The Cubs downed the Dodgers 10-4 on Monday behind a 4-for-5, 3 RBI night from Michael Busch and a 2-for-4, 3 RBI night from Cody Bellinger.  Paredes, Hoerner, and Crow-Armstrong each had two hits.

 

Kyle Hendricks allowed 2 ER in 4.1 innings and the bullpen held LA to 2 runs over the final 4.2 innings.

 

The series continues Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

 

The Cubs Magic Number for a wild card berth is 24.

 

144 games down, 18 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

29

The Cubs avoided the series sweep by beating the Yankees 2-1 on Sunday. Isaac Paredes drove in both runs for the North Siders, and Jameson Taillon tossed a quality start (6 IP, 1 ER, 6 K) to pace the Men in Blue.

Nate Pearson threw two perfect relief innings and Porter Hodge added a scoreless 9th to pick up his fourth save of the season.

The Cubs kick off a six-game road trip Monday at Dodger Stadium.

143 games down, 19 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

44

This is an Anthony Rizzo appreciation post.

 

Tony returned to the Friendly Confines today for the first time since he was traded to the Yankees and received several well-deserved standing ovations from the Wrigley faithful.

Rizzo was the heart and soul of the team during the best stretch of Cubs baseball in 100 years.  During his ten-year tenure on the North Side, the Cubs made the playoffs five times, including two runs to the NLCS and, of course, a World Series title.

A three-time All-Star, he won three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger while pacing the Cubs with an .861 OPS and a 130 OPS+. He hit 30 or more home runs four times and also drove in at least 100 RBI four times.

It's a shame that the Cubs' inept front office traded him, as his 2022 and 2023 replacements paled by comparison and just one of the two prospects they received in that trade are still in the Cubs organization (Kevin Alcantara, AAA).

 

That aside, it was great to see Rizzo back in Chicago, where, at least among the fans, he is a Cub for life.

 

Image Credit:  Audacy

 

--

 

The Cubs Magic Number to win the NL Central is 32.

The Cubs Magic Number to earn an NL Wild Card berth is 27.

141 games down, 21 to go.

Go Cubs go!

35

Hey hey! The Cubs won their sixth straight game on Sunday to sweep the Nats, coming back to win 14-1 behind a nice start from Jordan Wicks (5 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 1 ER) on his 25th birthday, three RBI from Isaac Paredes, two RBI apiece from Cody Bellinger, Nico Hoerner, and Miguel Amaya, and four innings of one-hit ball from the bullpen.

Wicks looked sharp in his return to the rotation, throwing 47 of 69 pitches for strikes. Down 1-0 early, the Cubs answered to take a 3-1 lead after three innings. They took a 7-1 lead into the 8th and tacked on seven more runs to put the game well out of reach.

That makes two series sweeps and five series wins in a row for the North Siders, who are currently the hottest team in MLB.

Next up:  a six-game homestand that kicks off Monday, with three against the Pirates and three against the Yankees.

 

The Cubs currently sit nine games back of the Brewers for the NL Central title and three games back of the Braves for the third NL Wild Card berth.

The Cubs Magic Number for an NL Wild Card berth is 29.

138 games down, 24 to go. 

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  RFBleachers

38

Hey hey! The Cubs hung on to beat the Nats 7-6 on Friday behind a quality start from Shota Imanaga (6 IP, 3 ER, 8 K), a seven-run 2nd inning, and a clutch strikeout from Keegan Thompson in a one-batter appearance to close out the game.

The North Siders have now won four straight and seven of their last eight games. They are 17-8 in August after a 13-12 July.

18 of their remaining 27 games are against teams below .500, which presents the Men in Blue with a nice opportunity. On the other hand, their other nine remaining games will be more challenging, as they are against the division-leading Dodgers, Phillies, and Yankees.

While an NL Central division title is a longshot, a wild card berth still isn't out of the question.

135 games down, 27 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

44

Holy mackerel! The Cubs fried the Fish 14-2 on Saturday behind a dominant start from Shota Imanaga (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER), two home runs from from Seiya Suzuki, and two-run homers from both Pete Crow-Armstrong and Patrick Wisdom.

The win brought the Men in Blue back to .500 on the season, and they have won 14 of their last 21 games.

While Imanaga continues his dominance, other players are stepping up. PCA has an .893 OPS in August, and Miguel Amaya has an .848 OPS in August after posting an .872 OPS in July. The North Siders' bullpen has a 3.39 ERA since the All-Star break, second-best in the NL and fourth-best in MLB. Dansby Swanson has also stepped it up a bit of late, batting .281 with a .749 OPS in August.

May and June were rough for the Cubs, but they've been playing winning baseball in July and August. It could be too little, too late, but their remaining schedule is favorable, as 23 of their remaining 32 games are against teams below .500. A wild card berth is not out of the question.

The series versus the Marlins wraps up Sunday. 130 games down, 32 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

58

Holy mackerel! The Cubs beat the Twins 7-3 on Tuesday behind a dominant start from Shota Imanaga (7 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 10 K), two hits from Nico Hoerner, three from Dansby Swanson, and four RBI from new Cub Isaac Paredes!

There's plenty of good news to go around, as

• the North Siders have now won four of their last six and seven of their last eleven games,
• Dansby Swanson is hitting .353 with an .855 OPS over his last 15 games, 
• Seiya Suzuki is batting .316 with a .987 OPS over his last 15 games,
  
• the Cubs' pitching staff had the second-lowest ERA in the NL in July (3.14), and
• their team ERA is at 3.17 through six games in August.

There's still work to be done, as the offense continues to be inconsistent. However, the Men in Blue have a golden opportunity this month, with 11 of their next 15 games coming against teams below .500 (Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, and Miami).

116 games down, 46 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Photo Credit:  RFBleachers

59

Hey hey! The Cubs downed the Cardinals 6-2 on Sunday night to take the series three games to one. Justin Steele tossed another quality start (6.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 K) and the bullpen added 2.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to seal the victory.

Mike Tauchman and Miguel Amaya each had two hits including solo homers, and PCA also had a two-hit night.

The homestand continues Monday as the Twins come to town to kick off a three-game set.

114 games down, 48 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

62

Holy mackerel! The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 at Wrigley on Friday behind a nice start from Javy Assad (4 IP, 1 ER, 3 K) and home runs from Bethancourt and Busch.

Pete Crow-Armstrong stole another base, putting him at 21-for-21 in stolen base attempts this season. 

The North Siders have now won five of their last seven games. The series continues Saturday in Chicago.

112 games down, 50 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  RFBleachers

63

Holy cow! The Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the 9th to come back and beat the Cards 5-4 on Thursday night. Prior to Thursday, they'd lost the previous 53 games in which they trailed by multiple runs entering the 9th.

Down 4-2 entering the bottom of the 9th, Cody Bellinger homered with one out to put the North Siders within a run. With two outs, Nico Hoerner singled and stole second. A Dansby Swanson double scored Hoerner, tying the game. Mike Tauchman then pinch-hit for Pete Crow-Armstrong, and walked it off, doubling down the left field line to score Swanson and seal the victory.

The series continues Friday at the Friendly Confines.

111 games down, 51 to go.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

64

Hey hey! The Cubs crushed the Reds 13-4 on Wednesday behind a quality start from Kyle Hendricks (6 IP, 3 ER, 4 K), three RBI from Seiya Suzuki, and three hits and two RBI apiece from Ian Happ and Cody Bellinger.

 

All nine Cubs in the starting lineup had at least one hit, including a pair of doubles by newcomer Isaac Paredes.

The North Siders return home to kick off a seven-game homestand against the Cardinals on Thursday.

110 games down, 52 to go.

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

70

On Friday in Kansas City, the Cubs proved once again that you can't win if you don't score. They've been shut out ten times already in 2024, compared to only eight shutouts in the entire 2023 season.

On October 3, 2024, Jed Hoyer said "the key is to build a team that we feel like gives us a good chance to make the postseason." Indeed it is, Jed. Indeed it is.

105 games down, 57 to go.  

Go Cubs go!

 

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

 

 

 

83

Holy cow! The Cubs shut out the Angels 5-0 on Sunday behind a quality start from Hayden Wesneski (6.1 IP, 1 H), a two-run homer from Busch, and a clutch strikeout from Hector Neris to pick up the save.

Luke Little struggled in the 9th, loading the bases after retiring the first two batters he faced. Neris came into the game with the tying run on deck and got the strikeout to seal the victory for the North Siders.

The win gave the Men in Blue their first series win since taking two of three from the Giants June 17-19.

The Cubs kick off a seven-game road trip Tuesday in Baltimore, where they'll play three games before heading to St. Louis for a four-game weekend set against the Cardinals.

 

91 games down, 71 to go.

 

Go Cubs go!

 

Photo Credit:  RFBleachers

 

86

Hey hey! The Cubs beat the Angels 5-1 on Friday behind Justin Steele's first career complete game (9 IP, 1 ER, 7 K). Steele needed only 95 pitches to get through the afternoon, supported by a two-run homer from Seiya Suzuki, a 2-for-3, two RBI day from Ian Happ, and some stellar defense from Miles Mastrobuoni.

Happ is on fire, with 38 RBI and eleven home runs over his last 36 games.

The series continues Saturday at Wrigley.

89 games down, 73 to go.

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

87

Holy cow! ! The Cubs crushed the Phillies 10-2 on Thursday behind a career day from Ian Happ (4-for-4, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and a dominant start from Jameson Taillon (7 IP, 2 ER, 7 K). Seiya Suzuki reached base four times in five plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with two walks.

With the win, the North Siders avoided getting swept; they haven't been swept in a series this season.

The Men in Blue head to Chicago to kick off a brief three-game homestand against the Angels that starts Friday.

87 games down, 75 to go.

Happy Independence Day and go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

89

Monday in the NL Central:  Cubs idle, Brewers lose, CMN drops.

The North Siders kick off a six-game homestand Tuesday with a game against the Phillies, during which Cubs fans can lament the fact that the Cubs' front office let Kyle Schwarber go while getting absolutely nothing in return.

85 games down, 77 to go.

Go Cubs go!

90

Holy mackerel! The Cubs beat the Brewers 5-3 on Saturday behind a quality start from Justin "Wake the Eff Up" Steele (6 IP, 3 ER, 5 K) and two-run homers from Michael Busch and Ian Happ.

Happ has had a great June, with five home runs and a .900 OPS. The North Siders' bullpen put together another nice outing, with three relievers combining for three innings of scoreless ball.

 

After a couple of Cubs defensive miscues, Steele returned to the dugout fired up, shouting "wake the f*** up" to no one in particular. This fan thinks it's way past time for someone to show some fire on this club, considering the number of baserunning blunders and fielding gaffes this team has had. It was encouraging to see Steele taking a leadership role. Here's hoping that it fires up the Men in Blue.

The series wraps up Sunday in Milwaukee.

84 games down, 78 to go. Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

92

Holy cow! The Cubs beat the Giants 5-3 in 10 innings Thursday behind a quality start from Imanaga (6 IP, 3 ER, 3 K), a two-run homer from Nico Hoerner, and a game-winning 10th inning two-run shot from Ian Happ.

Four Cubs relievers combined to toss four innings of one-hit, seven-strikeout scoreless ball.

The Men in Blue head to Wrigley North on Friday to kick off a three-game weekend set against the division-leading Brewers. Here's hoping that they can gain some ground.

82 games down, 80 to go.  Go Cubs go!

95

Friday in the NL Central:  Cubs lost, Brewers lost, CMN dropped.

 

The series against the Mets continues Saturday at Wrigley.

76 games down, 86 to go. Go Cubs go!

96

Hey hey! The Cubs beat the Giants 6-5 on Wednesday behind a nice start from Kyle Hendricks (5.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 K) and home runs from Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson.

 

The North Siders continue their longest homestand of the season Friday as they kick off a three-game weekend set against the Mets.

 

75 games down, 87 to go. Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

 

98

Holy cow! The Cubs beat the Giants 5-2 on Tuesday behind a quality start from Justin Steele (6.2 IP, 2 ER, 8 K), a two-run homer from Swanson, a three-run 8th inning rally, and 2.1 perfect innings of relief from the bullpen.

Steele has been stellar in his last five starts, allowing a total of four earned runs over 31.2 innings, a 1.15 ERA over that stretch. 

Busch, Bellinger, and Happ each notched two-hit nights, but it was the North Siders' bullpen that really made Cubs fans happy last night:  Tyson Miller closed the door on the Giants and Keegan Thompson struck out the side in the 9th to earn his first save of the year.

74 games down, 88 to go. Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

102

Holy mackerel! The Cubs held on to beat the Rays 4-3 on Wednesday behind a three-run homer from Cody Bellinger and a nailbiting save from Hector Neris.

 

Seiya Suzuki also homered for the North Siders as part of a two-hit night. Michael Busch and Bellinger each also had two hits.

 

Neris's save was not drama-free, as he gave up a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth to put the Rays within one. The rest of the Chicago bullpen was stellar, as Miller and Smyly combined for 3.1 perfect innings.

The series wraps up Thursday at Tropicana Field before the Cubs return to Wrigley Friday to kick off their longest homestand of the 2024 campaign.

The fourteen-game stretch leading up to their month-end series against the Brewers offers the Cubs plenty of opportunity, as all fourteen of those games come against teams below .500 with nine of them at home.

68 games down, 94 to go.  Go Cubs go!

Photo Credit: RFBleachers

104

Hey hey! The Cubs salvaged a game in Cincy on Sunday behind another quality start from Shota Imanaga. Ian Happ drove in three to help Chicago grab a 4-2 win on getaway day.

The Men in Blue wrap up the road trip with a three-game set against the Rays that kicks off Tuesday night. Their longest homestand of the season -- nine games -- starts Friday against the Cards.

66 games down, 96 to go. Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

106

Holy mackerel! The Cubs came back again on Wednesday to beat the White Sox 7-6 on Mike Tauchman's walk-off home run. Down 5-1 in the 4th, the bullpen pitched four innings of one-run ball as the offense chipped away to complete the sweep of the two-game series.

Tauchman and Dansby Swanson each had two-hit nights, and Porter Hodge continued to impress in his rookie season, tossing another scoreless inning to keep his ERA at 0.00 after his first five appearances (4.1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 7 K).

The Cubs kick off a four-game weekend series at Cincinnati on Thursday before wrapping up their road trip with a three-game set in Tampa next week.

Their next 20 games could be pivotal, as they include the season's longest homestand (9 games) and no games against teams over .500.

 

62 games down, 100 to go.  Go Cubs go!

Photo Credit:  RFBleachers

108

Hey hey! The Cubs came back to beat the White Sox 7-6 on Tuesday behind a game-winning two-run double by Ian Happ and two-run homers from Chris Morel and Patrick Wisdom.

Happ had a big night at the plate, going 3-for-4, while Shota Imanaga struck out six over 4.1 innings. A Morel error led to four unearned runs, but the bullpen picked up both of them, tossing 4.2 innings of one-run ball.

The series wraps up Wednesday before the Cubs head to Cincinnati to face the Reds (again!) for four games this weekend.

 

The upcoming stretch of Cubs baseball could be, as Pat Hughes might say, a turning point for the season. Their next 21 games contain:

• the season's longest homestand (9 games)
• 1 more game against MLB's worst team (White Sox)
• 0 games against teams over .500.
  

After that, they head to Milwaukee for a three-game showdown. The Cubs simply must take advantage of this stretch.

 

61 games down, 101 to go.

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  RFBleachers

110

Well, it finally happened -- the Brewers lost a game on Monday, lowering the CMN. The Cubs had a rough weekend series against the last place Reds, dropping two of three despite strong starting pitching in two of the three games.

Saturday's contest was messy and memorable:  a rain delay of more that three hours pushed first pitch back to 9:35 p.m., despite a steady rain that fell well into the 11 o'clock hour. Seiya Suzuki's three-run error in the top of the 2nd allowed the Reds to climb to an early 4-0 lead, but his thrilling grand slam in the bottom of the frame tied the ballgame.

Dansby Swanson's two-run homer gave the Cubs the lead for good at 7-5.

Other weekend highlights included another nice start from Assad on Friday (5.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 K), four scoreless relief innings from the bullpen on Saturday, including a three-strikeout inning from Wesneski, and Nick Madrigal's long-overdue demotion to AAA accompanied by David Bote's long-overdue return to Wrigley.

The Cubs kick off a two-game set with the White Sox Tuesday night at Wrigley before hitting the road to face -- you guessed it -- the Reds. After a travel day next monday, they'll take on the Rays in Tampa before heading back to the Friendly Confines for their longest homestand of the year, nine games, which starts on June 14.

60 games down, 102 to go. Go Cubs go!

Some of RFBleachers' photos from last weekend's series:

Friday, June 1

 

Saturday, June 2

Saturday, June 2's Long Rain Delay

 

Saturday's Late Night Result

RFBleachers on a tour of Wrigley

Yep, those are bricks behind that ivy!

View from the Press Box

112

Cubs had a rough road trip but are back at the Friendly Confines on Friday.  RFBleachers is in the house to cheer for the North Siders!

57 games down, 105 to go.

Go Cubs go!

114

The Cubs dropped Monday's series opener to the Brewers 5-1, their fifth straight loss, despite a dominant start from Justin Steele (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 8 K). The Men in Blue managed just five hits, all singles, while the bullpen imploded yet again.

The North Siders now have an MLB-worst 6.17 ERA in the eighth inning this season.

Meanwhile, Nick Madrigal's OPS is down to .542 while Luis Vasquez languishes on the bench and PCA, Matt Mervis, Alexander Canario, Brennan Davis, Jake Slaughter, and even David $5.5M Bote are all raking at Iowa.

The series continues tomorrow at Milwaukee.

54 games down, 108 to go. Go Cubs go!

115

Wednesday in the NL Central:  Cubs lost, Brewers lost, CMN dropped.

 

The Men in Blue kick off a weekend set in St. Louis on Friday. 

 

51 games down, 111 to go!

 

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

116

Hey hey! The Cubs walked off the Braves 4-3 in the 10th inning Tuesday on Nico Hoerner's RBI single! Luke Little picked up his first career win by tossing a 1-2-3 10th.

The North Siders' bullpen combined to throw 5.1 scoreless, one hit, no walk innings to keep the Cubs in the game while Tauchman and Swanson each tallied two hits. Tauchman also drove in two on the night.

The series continues Wednesday at the federal landmark. 

49 games down, 113 to go. Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

117

The Cubs were idle on Monday, but the Brewers lost, dropping the CMN.

The Men in Blue host Atlanta for a three-game series that starts Tuesday.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Bleed Cubbie Blue

118

Sunday in the NL Central:  Cubs dropped the series finale to the Pirates and the Brewers lost to Houston, dropping the CMN.

 

The Men in Blue have an off day Monday before Atlanta comes to the Friendly Confines to kick off a three-game set on Tuesday.

 

Hopefully the offense will also arrive on Tuesday, as the Cubs have scored just 17 runs in their last seven games, with seven of them scored in one game.

 

48 games down, 114 to go. Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

121

Holy mackerel! The Cubs beat the Braves 7-1 on Wednesday behind a quality start from Assad (6 IP, 0 ER, 7 K), two RBI from Pete Crow-Armstrong, and home runs from Seiya Suzuki and Mike Tauchman.

Assad has a 1.98 ERA since July 1, the lowest in MLB (minimum 120 IP). Nick Madrigal had a 3-for-4 game and the North Siders piled up 13 hits on the night.

The Cubs kick off a seven-game homestand tomorrow, as the Pirates head to Wrigley.

44 games down, 118 to go.

Go Cubs go!

122

Monday in the NL Central - Cubs dropped the series opener at Atlanta while the Brewers lost to the Pirates, lowering the CMN.

The North Siders are back in action Tuesday versus the Braves.

42 games down, 120 to go. Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

123

Hey hey! The Cubs beat the Bucs 5-4 in extras on Sunday behind a nice start from Kyle Hendricks in his return from the IL (5 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 K) and home runs from Chris Morel and Patrick Wisdom.

The victory gave the North Siders another series win and kept them within a half-game of the Brewers, who lost on Sunday.

The Men in Blue head to Atlanta on Monday to kick off a three-game series before returning to the Friendly Confines for an unusual seven-game homestand that includes rematches against both the Pirates and the Braves.

41 games down, 121 to go.

 

Go Cubs go!

 

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs

 

125

Sunday in the NL Central:  Cubs are in action at Pittsburgh while Milwaukee hosts the Cardinals. Stay tuned.

Go Cubs go!

Image Credit:  Chicago Cubs