The Cubs offense comes up empty in a 1-0 loss.
Stop me if you’ve heard any of this before. The Cubs offense was completely ineffective in a Cubs loss. The net result, they wasted a terrific pitching performance by Jameson Taillon. Two Cubs relievers followed. With the bullpen showing heavy usage among the top relievers on Sunday and Monday, Taillon gave the team 7⅓ innings. Unfortunately, in the eighth he allowed a couple of hits and that was ultimately his demise.
This is the kind of loss that a team on its way to a 90-win season shakes its head about and then just gets back at it the next day. But for a team that is going to struggle to even reach 82 wins, this is one more loss on a growing pile of frustrating losses. This team has let just too many games get away that were there for the taking. This team has wasted the efforts of a largely dominant starting rotation.
It’s all frustrating and disappointing. This is definitely a season that feels like it could have been quite a bit more. But the reality continues to be that this team has fumbled away too many games. With seven games left before the trade deadline passes, the Cubs need to win six of seven just to be .500 at the deadline. All seven of those games are against playoff hopefuls and six of them are on the road. Don’t go betting your life savings on that.
This one had all of the usual culprits. A Cub called out on strikes in a key situation on a pitch that appeared well out of the strike zone, a ton of runners left on base and the Cubs lack of any productive bench depth being on display. Am I the only one that doesn’t particularly care about Michael Busch’s platoon disadvantage and doesn’t want to see him removed late in the game for a pinch hitter? Then there was Miles Matrobuoni following a nice long at bat from Dansby Swanson hitting a lazy fly ball on the very first pitch.
Oh yeah, there were also the usual haul of warning track fly balls. Way back when Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer were brought to Chicago, they began prioritizing elite bats in the first round. In trades and free agency, they added other bats. For a while, I thought they were trying to put together a juggernaut offense. Boy was I here for that. Obviously, the 2016 team could light up a scoreboard. But even then, this team has generally be carried by pitching. I do love me some pitching, don’t get me wrong. But it feels long past due that this team field at least a consistently competent offense.
Alas. Wait til next year. Let’s find the positives in defeat.
- Jameson Taillon. This was a gutty performance and he’s been terrific this year. He ended up allowing four hits and three walks and the game’s only run. But he held a pesky Brewers offense in check for seven innings. He should be one of the best starting pitchers potentially available at the deadline.
- Nico Hoerner had a pair of hits, one a double. He was one of two Cubs to reach third base. He also made the last out of the game with a runner in scoring position and with the bases loaded in the second. Nico is a sneaky trade candidate. You would break up the dynamic middle infield defense of this team and he’s under control beyond this year. But, the Cubs have a ton of bats that could slot at second base this year and beyond.
- Dansby Swanson arguably could be a step higher in this one He too had a pair of hits and also stole a base. He started a two out rally (that came up empty) in the second with a single. He also singled and stole second in the ninth. It’s hard to imagine anyone even kicking the tires on Swanson. That contract looks to be just too much for what he offers.
Game 103, July 24: Brewers 1, Cubs 0 (49-54)
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Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
- Superhero: Jameson Taillon (.321). 7⅓ IP, 26 batters, 4 H, 3 BB, R, 3 K (L 7-5)
- Hero: Dansby Swanson (.167). 2-4, SB
- Sidekick: Jorge Lopez (.038). IP, batters, H, BB, K
THREE GOATS:
- Billy Goat: David Bote (-.198). 0-1
- Goat: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.157). 0-3, BB
- Kid: Seiya Suzuki (-.143). 1-4
WPA Play of the Game: Brian Turang’s two-out single with a runner on third in the eighth inning yielded the game’s only run. (.238)
*Cubs Play of the Game: Julian Merryweather came up with a strikeout of Garrett Mitchell one batter earlier to preserve the scoreless game. (.140)
Rizzo Award Cumulative Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
- Shōta Imanaga +15.5
- Seiya Suzuki +12.5
- Ben Brown +11
- Jameson Taillon/Michael Busch +9
- Dansby Swanson -7
- Miles Mastrobuoni -8
- Adbert Alzolay -10
- Kyle Hendricks -12
- Christopher Morel -19.5
Rizzo Award Cumulative Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
- Shōta Imanaga +15.5
- Jameson Taillon +12
- Seiya Suzuki +11.5
- Ben Brown +11
- Michael Busch +9
- Miles Mastrobuoni -8
- Pete Crow-Armstrong -8.5
- Adbert Alzolay -10
- Kyle Hendricks -12
- Christopher Morel -19.5
*Taillon up to second place, Swanson escapes the bottom five at -5, Lopez up to +3. Bote down to -0.5, PCA drops into the bottom five, Suzuki dips to third.
Up Next: The finale of the three-game series. Modern baseball schedules are so alien to me. This is the final game of the season series between these two teams. The Brewers have won seven of 12 so far. Justin Steele (2-4, 3.07) starts for the Cubs. It looks like the injured Joe Ross (2-4, 4.50) might come off of the injured list and give the Brewers at least a few innings. He left after one inning on May 20 in his last appearance for the Brewers.
