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Cubs Rotation is About to Become Lethal

Aldo Soto
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Cubs Rotation is About to Become Lethal

The Chicago Cubs have been without their ace for more than a month, but guess what they’re 18-11, leading the NL Central and Justin Steele is about come back to the starting rotation.

Steele went down on Opening Day, straining his left hamstring in the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers while fielding a bunt attempt. You never want to see your ace go down in the first game of the season, but in terms of injuries, the Cubs were obviously thankful that it wasn’t Steele’s pitching arm and the hamstring injury wasn’t severe.

Now, Steele is preparing to make a rehab start with the Iowa Cubs at Triple-A on Wednesday and the 2023 All-Star is eyeing a return to the big leagues soon after.

Via Meghan Montemurro.

As Justin Steele prepares to make a rehab start Wednesday at Triple-A Iowa, Counsell says they’ll see where he’s at, but it’s possible he returns to Cubs rotation after that outing.

Steele’s absence in the starting rotation was a huge hit to the team early on as Craig Counsell was trying to maneuver through a period when the rest of the starters weren’t going deep in games and the bullpen was being overused.

Through the first 15 games of the season, the Cubs only had two games when a starter completed six innings and that came in back-to-back games against the Colorado Rockies in April 1 and 2. However, the rotation is getting stronger and in the past 14 games, starters have gone six innings five times.

That may not seem like a big deal, but so far in 2024, just getting one out in the sixth inning by the starting pitcher has led to a Cubs win. Jameson Taillon only allowed one run in 7.1 innings Monday night against the New York Mets, which gave the Cubs offense an opening to come back late and win 3-1.

The Cubs are now 11-0 when a starting pitcher tosses at least 5.1 innings.

While the rotation looked like a weak spot early in April, the Cubs are getting healthier and now that Kyle Hendricks is out of the picture, it has the potential to become a real strength. Even with the latest injury to Jordan Wicks, the Cubs are thriving and will get better with Steele’s return.

Cubs Top Starting Pitchers
Shōta Imanaga: 27.2 IP, 0.98 ERA (5 Starts)
Javier Assad: 27 IP, 2.00 ERA (5 Starts)
Jameson Taillon: 18 IP, 1.50 ERA (3 Starts)

Rookie Ben Brown has been filling in this month and even with his clunker against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, the right-hander has a 4.30 ERA in 23 innings.

The Cubs are hoping that Wicks isn’t going to be out for too long after landing on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain and despite his overall 4.70 ERA in five starts, that’s mainly because of one bad start against the Seattle Mariners. Sure, you would have liked more innings from the rookie lefty, but he’s at least given the Cubs quality innings so far.

That brings me back to Steele and well the overall picture for the Cubs starting rotation. Through the first month of the season 4/5 of the rotation has been or is still on the injured list and despite that the Cubs have the 12th best starter ERA at 3.71 in MLB.

Imanaga has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year. Taillon’s stretch of good baseball goes back to last July and Assad has one of the lowest ERAs among pitchers with 100+ innings since last June.

Soon, the Cubs are going to be adding their ace back and the rotation should be lethal under Counsell’s watch.

(Previous Update)

Well, as if Opening Day couldn’t get worse, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters that left-handed pitcher Justin Steele is expected to go on the injured list after leaving Thursday night’s game against the Texas Rangers with a hamstring injury.

Steele got hurt when he fielded a bunt attempt in the fifth inning and although some fans held out hope that it was only a cramp or a minor injury after seeing Steele walk off the field without any help, he is now going to be sidelined for at least a couple weeks. Counsell said Steele will get an MRI.

Cubs may already be feeling the aftereffects of not pursuing any of the top two free agent starting pitchers that signed relatively low-risk deals late in spring training. Those two pitchers are of course Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, who both signed two-year deals with the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively.

The Cubs lost 4-3 to the Rangers on Opening Day, blowing a one-run lead three separate times throughout the game.

(Previous Update)

What the fuck man! Justin Steele just exited his Opening Day start after fielding a bunt in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers. The Cubs’ ace made the play, but in doing so Steele appeared to injure his left leg. He was grabbing the back of his leg.

The only good news and who knows at this point, is that Steele was able to walk off under his own power after getting checked out by the team trainer.

Here’s the play.

The Cubs are already beginning the season testing their pitching depth as veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon is currently on the 15-day injured list because of a back strain. Taillon didn’t pitch a single inning during spring training, first missing time with a calf issue and then he suffered a back strain in the middle of March.

Young lefty Jordan Wicks and third-year pitcher Javier Assad are already in the starting rotation and if Steele has to miss extended time, then we might see 24-year-old right-hander Ben Brown come up to fill in. Brown was stellar in spring training and would be at the top of the list for the Cubs to call on after Steele’s Opening Day injury.

Former Exec Gives Glowing Review Of Chicago Bears’ 2024 Draft

Erik Lambert
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Former Exec Gives Glowing Review Of Chicago Bears’ 2024 Draft

The Chicago Bears had to stick the landing. Everything they’d done over the past two years had led to this point. GM Ryan Poles overhauled the roster from top to bottom. He had good players emerging at several positions. Now, he held two 1st round picks in the 2024 draft. If he could nail those and maybe get some decent players with the other picks he had, the Bears would be in a position to challenge for the playoffs again. By most accounts, Poles did everything right. The combination of Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze alone is receiving universal praise.

Greg Gabriel worked in the NFL for 40 years. He was the Bears’ college scouting director for some of that time. He’s followed their rebuild closely for Windy City Gridiron. There was some uncertainty about what direction Poles was going. Gabriel felt the team should’ve kept Justin Fields and traded the #1 pick. However, that didn’t happen. After taking time to absorb and evaluate the latest draft class, he made a frank admission. The Bears knocked it out of the park.

“Every NFL Draft is important for each club, but this particular Draft was extremely important for the Chicago Bears. They had to get it right. Not only did they get it right, but I think they hit a home run with their picks.

Going into the Draft, the Bears’ needs were quarterback, wide receiver, depth for the offensive line, and a pass rusher. They not only filled all those needs but also picked up the best punter available in the last few Drafts.

The Bears went into the Draft with only four picks, two in the first round and a third and fourth-rounder. In order to get that extra pick, the Bears traded their fourth-round pick in 2025 to get a fifth-round pick yesterday. In the mid-rounds, that is an acceptable way of acquiring a draft pick that a club doesn’t have.”

The Chicago Bears made no obvious bad decision.

Every single pick made sense. According to almost every expert, Williams was the best quarterback in the draft. This wasn’t a Mitch Trubisky situation. Odunze had a case for being the second-best receiver in the draft, trailing only Marvin Harrison Jr., who most see as the best prospect to come out of college in maybe a decade. Amegdjie has size, length, power, and agility. The only thing holding him back from becoming a starting NFL tackle is polished technique. Tory Taylor was the most dominant punter in college football last year, setting multiple NCAA records. Booker only started one season in college, and despite that lack of experience still piled up eight sacks and 12 tackles for a loss.

Every pick met a key need. Every pick featured a talented player. There was never a sense the Chicago Bears strayed too far into the weeds for anybody. Guys either went where they were expected to or considerably later than expected. Poles found value in all three phases. It is hard not to call that a big win for the organization. The next step is giving them the necessary coaching and direction to reach their full potential. That falls at the feet of head coach Matt Eberflus.

Brewers Can’t Stop Crying Over Not Knowing MLB Rules

Aldo Soto
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Brewers Can’t Stop Crying Over Not Knowing MLB Rules

The Milwaukee Brewers suffered a 1-0 shutout loss Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays and their manager got ejected in the ninth inning, when he tried arguing a batter’s interference call made by the home plate umpire. Well, apparently Pat Murphy nor a lot of Brewers fans know the rules because as much as we all love to rag on the umps, Ryan Additon actually made the correct call.

Jake Bauers was at the plate with one out and runners at second and third in the ninth inning after the Brewers executed a double steal to get the tying and winning runs in scoring position against Tampa Bay reliever Jason Adam. On the 1-2 pitch, Adam unleashed one of his devastating sliders that Bauers whiffed on. The ball got away from Rays catcher Rene Pinto and the Brewers thought they had just tied the game on a wild pitch.

But, hold up, one other thing happened on the play. Bauers’ backswing clipped Pinto on the head and guess what that means, batter’s interference. I mean, I get it, terrible luck that Bauers just so happened to hit the catcher, but guess what Brewers fans, you’re not always going to get the breaks to go your way. Maybe don’t swing at a ball nowhere near the plate.

Murphy was angry, came out of the dugout, tried to argue and was promptly ejected from the game.

Murphy was adamant that the umps got it wrong following the game.

“I believe they got it wrong, but there was no question in their mind that they got it right,” Murphy said.

Crew chief Chris Guccione talked about the play after the game to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and clearly stated why Murphy and the Brewers were wrong. Simply put, Murphy was arguing about the wrong rule.

Via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“In this situation, it was swinging strike 3,” Guccione said from the umpire’s room following the game. “The ball got away from the catcher, but on the batter’s backswing, hit the catcher in the helmet. At that point, once the play is over, the ball is then dead. Because in that case, the catcher still has an opportunity to make a play on the ball if the guy was stealing or if he had been there and gotten the guy out at the plate. So we leave the ball in play until everything is done. And then at that point, you have to enforce the backswing interference.

“So in this case, it was a third strike to Bauers and all runners go back to the original base at the time of the pitch. That’s the rule. In the official baseball rules, it’s 6.03a(3) and (4).”

Sucks to suck, Brewers.

Milwaukee has now lost three games in a row and five of their last eight. The Brewers have been outscored 31-8 during their three-game skid and guess who’s atop the NL Central entering Tuesday’s action.

The Cubs and Brewers will play each other for the first time this weekend at Wrigley Field.

Eloy Jimenez’s Bat Is Starting To Come Alive

Mitchell Kaminski
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Eloy Jimenez’s Bat Is Starting To Come Alive

Don’t look now but Eloy Jimenez is starting to heat up at the plate. 

On Monday the 27-year-old drove in his eighth RBI of the season. In his last seven games, Jimenez is hitting .321 with two home runs, five RBIs, and a .571 slugging percentage. The recent hot steak helps mask a slow start at the plate for Jimenez, who went just 2 for 21 in his first 23 at-bats. During the Opening Series against the Tigers, he slashed just .182/.182/.182.

But as Jimenez has begun to heat up so has the offense. During his recent five-game surge the White Sox offense has averaged 5.2 runs per game. Jimenez logged his first multi-hit game of the season on April 20th against the Phillies. In the seventh inning, he tattooed the first pitch he saw for a 106.9 mph ground ball into left field. In the ninth inning, he hit a line drive into left field for an RBI single. Jimenez picked up right where he left off the following day hitting a 421-foot line drive into the center field stands at Citizens Bank Park for his first home run of the year. 

All of his hits this season have either been pulled to left field or driven up the middle. There is even more room for improvement if Jimenez can cut down on his strikeouts. Currently, Jimenez owns a 23.5% strikeout rate, which is the highest mark of his career since 2021. His hard-hit percentage is also at a career low. However, his walk rate is up to 8.8%. 

Jimenez is on a mission to have a big season. He previously said his goal was to hit at least 40 home runs if he can stay healthy. The health goal was derailed early in the season when Jimenez injured himself running to first base and landed on the 10-day IL.  Since coming off the IL on April 15th the 2020 Silver Slugger winner is batting .277. 

During the offseason, the Dominican slugger worked on changing his batting stance, by moving his hands higher before his load. It has resulted in a nearly 24% line drive percentage which is the highest it has been since 2020. After belting a three-run homer 410 feet in a 9-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday some of his teammates began to take notice. 

“He’s starting to slug, and that’s what we need,” Gavin Sheets told reporters after Friday’s game. “You see some results, you start to feel better at the plate and then it gets guys going, and everybody feeds off it.” 

Everyone knows the type of hitter that Jiminez can be. In 2019 he led all American League Rookies with 31 home runs.  But for whatever reason his talent has failed to translate into consistent production. Part of this is due to injuries. With the White Sox missing Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert Jr., they need Jimenez to set the tone in the middle of the lineup. With a $16.5 million club option at the end of the season looming, this is a chance for Jimenez to raise his value on the open market if the front office chooses to cut ties with him.

Cody Bellinger is Returning A Lot Sooner Than Expected?

Aldo Soto
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Cody Bellinger is Returning A Lot Sooner Than Expected?

I don’t know about you guys, but when I first saw the Cubs say that Cody Bellinger had not one, but two fractured ribs after he collided with the outfield wall at Wrigley Field I thought he was going to be out for several weeks, possibly up to two months if not longer. But I guess it wasn’t actually that serious of an injury and the Cubs are now hopeful that Bellinger will return shortly after his 10-day IL stint is over.

Fans were clued in on Bellinger’s quick recovery when he was on the field at Fenway Park this past weekend, playing catch and taking some swings with the bat.

Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 24, and again when you hear fractured ribs you can’t help but fear a long recovery period. Yet, during Monday’s series opener against the New York Mets, Marquee Sports Network reporter Taylor McGregor gave Cubs fans even more optimism as she updated the current status of Cubs players on the injured list.

We already knew that Justin Steele is making a rehab start on Wednesday and that if all goes well he’ll be back in the Cubs starting rotation next week. Right-handed reliever Julian Merryweather is getting ready to begin throwing again on Friday, but the biggest headline here is that Bellinger could re-join the Cubs immediately after his 10-day IL stint without the need of a rehab assignment.

Via Taylor McGregor.

“Cody Bellinger has resumed light baseball activities as he ramps up. They’re just paying attention to the way his body feels. And Seiya Suzuki maybe a couple of weeks behind him – it’s been about two weeks since he suffered that oblique injury and still about two weeks out. He’ll probably have to go on a rehab assignment. And then quickly back to Cody Bellinger there is hope that as he ramps up he could come off of the IL not long after his 10-day stint.”

I certainly don’t want the Cubs to rush Bellinger back and they shouldn’t. The team continues to grind out wins and you don’t want Bellinger to come back too soon only to have him injured again. At the same time, boy would it be great to have him back because although the Cubs are winning games, the offense has been struggling and Bellinger’s presence in the lineup could help out everyone.

Bellinger went on the injured list right when he was getting hot. His overall season slash line is .226/.320/.440, good enough for a .760 OPS and 105 wRC+. However, in his last seven games before suffering the rib injury, Bellinger slashed .346/.433/.769, going 9-for-26 at the plate with more walks (4) than strikeouts (3) and three home runs. He was on a roll and then bam, banged into the bricks.

Fingers crossed that Bellinger will be 100% soon and if he is, then he could be back in the middle of the Cubs lineup as early as this weekend, when the team opens up a three-game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.

White Sox Sign Former All-Star First Baseman

Mitchell Kaminski
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White Sox Sign Former All-Star First Baseman

The White Sox have added first baseman Jared Walsh to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. Walsh is expected to report to Arizona before being assigned to the Charlotte Knights. 

Walsh has spent his first five seasons in the MLB with the Angels before joining the Rangers this offseason. He cracked the Texas Rangers Opening Day roster by producing a .827 OPS during Spring Training. 

The 30-year-old was waived by the Rangers in April after hitting just .226 with one home run in his first 53 at-bats. He struck out in 35% of those at-bats but did manage to produce an 11.5% walk rate. The Rangers decided to jettison him from the roster while he was in the midst of a slump as Nathaniel Lowe inched closer to a return.

Walsh owns a career .226/.317/.321 slash line with 59 home runs, 191 RBIs,  1.5 WAR, and 101 OPS+. The Georgia native was named an All-Star in 2021 after hitting a career-high 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. While he has struggled so far he has one of the hardest-hit balls in the MLB this season at 112.5 mph.

He gives the White Sox organization another left-handed bat. Walsh can also play right field but has spent the bulk of his time at first base logging 344 games there compared to just 29 in right field. He is considered a below-average defender by most metrics. Walsh is currently tied for fourth amongst American League first in errors with two. 

The move doesn’t fit White Sox general manager Chirs Getz’s theme of targeting defensive upgrades this offseason. But after a horrendous start to the season, Getz has been adding veterans to try and bolster the team’s depth while avoiding the dubious distinction of the worst record in MLB history. It is hard to see where Walsh will find playing time if he is called up to the big leagues. Andrew Vaughn is struggling but it seems unlikely the team will move off their former first-round pick this year. Meanwhile, his backup, Gavin Sheets has been one of the most productive hitters on the team in April.

Cubs’ Top Prospect On The Move

Tommy Erbe
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Cubs’ Top Prospect On The Move

After stealing a game back from the New York Mets on Monday night, the Chicago Cubs claimed the top spot in the National League Central Division. Jameson Taillon pitched lights out, and Christopher Morel played hero with a ninth-inning home run. This is the first division lead for the Cubs in 2024.

The injuries the Cubs sustained to begin their season should hinder their results. However, they continue to defy the odds and win ballgames. Many role-players have stepped up in the time of need to keep the ship afloat as big names like Justin Steele, Seiya Suzuki, and Cody Bellinger remain out. Although in first place, we have yet to see this Cubs team take the field at full strength.

Another thing keeping the Cubs moving right along is their depth of talent in the organization. Top talents Ben Brown, Alexander Canario, and Pete-Crow Armstrong are all on the major-league roster, contributing after starting the year in the minors. They are not the only ones so far, and they will not be the last by any means.

A pitcher in the Cubs organization has been rifling through the minor leagues ever since he was drafted. Today, the organization made a move that shows how much they believe in him and all but guarantees we will see him in Chicago sooner rather than later.

Cubs Promote Top Prospect Cade Horton To AAA Iowa

The Cubs announced on Tuesday that top pitching prospect Cade Horton is being promoted from AA Tennessee to AAA Iowa. The Cubs selected Horton in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2022 draft out of the University of Oklahoma. MLB.com expects the young right-hander to make his major league debut at some point during the 2024 season.

In 2023, Horton started 21 games in low-A Myrtle Beach, high-A South Bend, and AA Tennessee. He posted a 2.65 earned run average through 88.1 innings pitched with 117 strikeouts. In 2024 with Tennessee, he started four games with an ERA of 1.10 and 18 strikeouts. His last start was the longest of his season, going five innings and striking out six.

The Cubs will continue to get healthy as Justin Steele is slated to return within the next couple of weeks. After that, four of the five rotations spots feel solidified. The fifth is open for business between Jordan Wicks (currently also injured), Ben Brown, and potentially others. With Horton moving up quickly and seeing so much success, it is not unreasonable to believe he will find his way into that conversation sometime this summer.

Stats Prove Cubs Getting The Best From Jameson Taillon

Tommy Erbe
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Stats Prove Cubs Getting The Best From Jameson Taillon

Jameson Taillon started his second season for the Chicago Cubs on the injured list. He and the team were hopeful that 2024 would continue his progress from the closing months of 2023. Unfortunately, it did not start the way either side intended.

Taillon’s spring did not start on time after reportedly dealing with calf tightness and “mechanical issues.” When he was warming up for his first start of spring in mid-March, Taillon came up lame after a pitch and immediately grabbed for his back. He needed to be helped from the bullpen area to a cart to be taken to the training facility.

So, the season started with Taillon on the injured list. Then, the staff ace, Justin Steele, immediately joined him on the injured list. He bothered a hamstring during his start on Opening Day. The Cubs should have been in scramble mode. However, Shōta Imanaga, Javier Assad, and a cast of young arms from the minors have kept them afloat while they regained health.

After a couple of rehab starts in the minors, Taillon rejoined the Cubs in Chicago for his first start of the season. He has now taken the mound for the Cubs three times in 2024. It’s a small sample size. However, the Cubs have seen exactly what they were looking for when they signed him thus far.

Jameson Taillon’s Numbers Through Three Starts Are Exactly What Cubs Want To See

On Monday night in Queens, New York, Jameson Taillon took the mound for his third start of the season against the Mets. Had it not been for a dormant offense and the brilliance of the Mets’ starter, Luis Severino, Taillon might have been lined up for a win. He pitched 7.1 innings, giving up just one run on four hits. The Cubs went on to win the game. But it was a no-decision for him.

Monday’s outing was Taillon’s longest of the season, but he’s been giving the Cubs the innings they need from starting pitching. Through three starts, Taillon has 18 innings of work and an earned run average of just 1.50. Again, this is a small sample size to begin the year, but these are the numbers the Cubs and fans hope to see last through the season.

Taillon will remain an anchor for this rotation when Justin Steele returns from the injured list. With the brilliance of Shōta Imanaga and Javier Assad, the Cubs could put together a rotation that could be considered one of the best in the league – if everyone stays healthy and continues to trend in this direction.

Taillon’s next start will be his most important of the season thus far. He is slated to take the mound at Wrigley Field on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs currently lead the Brewers in the National League Central division by just one-half of a game.

How Garrett Crochet Can Elevate His Game With His Slider

Mitchell Kaminski
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How Garrett Crochet Can Elevate His Game With His Slider

There are plenty of similarities between Garrett Crochet and Chris Sale.  The pair of Southpaws were both drafted by the White Sox in the first round; made their MLB debut the same year they were drafted; spent at least a year in the bullpen before transitioning into a role as a starter; suffered season-ending arm injuries; and recorded 21 strikeouts in their first three starts. 

However, as former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski pointed out during Monday night’s broadcast on FS1, there is one difference between the two pitchers. The location of their slider. As Pierzynski pointed out, Crochet often leaves his slider on the outside corner and sometimes misses over the plate. Sale buries his slider on the back foot of righties. 

Both pitchers have shown top-of-the-rotation stuff while wearing a White Sox uniform. Sale owns four of the White Sox top 10 single-game strikeout records. Crochet became just the third pitcher in MLB history since 1901 to record 30 or more strikeouts and four or fewer walks in his first four career starts. But Crochet can elevate his game to another level if he locates his slider on the back foot of righties more often like Sale. 

The slider has been Crochet’s second favorite pitch this season. He throws it 24% of the time.  While using his slider Crochet has generated a 36% whiff rate and 38% strikeout rate. However, according to Baseball Savant, it has a -4 Run Value, the lowest of his four pitches. 

When looking at all of the home runs Crochet has allowed this season off his slider, nearly all of them missed over the inside corner of the strike zone to righties. When looking at all the sliders used to retire a strikeout the vast majority are low and inside to right-handers. 

  • Home Runs Off Crochet’s Slider
  • Strikeouts With Crochet’s Slider
  • Hits Off Crochet’s Slider

This is not only a trend with his slider. The vast majority of cutters he has thrown that have resulted in hits were left over the heart of the plate. Some of this is because Crochet attacks hitters. Over half of his pitches (53.6%) have been in the strike zone this season. Because of this, he is bound to give up hits. But missing high with a slider is asking for trouble if it hangs over the strike zone. A high slider out of the strike zone is also easier for a hitter to lay off. 

On Monday the 24-year-old tossed five innings of two-run ball against the Minnesota Twins. He only allowed two hits and a walk while striking out seven. The runs he allowed came courtesy of a slider that was left over the inside corner of the strike zone and sent 392 feet by Carlos Santana for a two-run homer. He didn’t lean much on his slider after that, only throwing it five times in 77 pitches.

If can locate his slider low and inside to right-handers and away from lefties more consistently he could see his already gaudy strikeout numbers increase while minimizing damage.

Cubs Break Crazy Franchise Record, Continue To Defy Odds

Tommy Erbe
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Cubs Break Crazy Franchise Record, Continue To Defy Odds

Sunday night felt like the game that got away for the Chicago Cubs. After Mike Tauchman’s game-tying home run in the eighth inning, they were in the perfect position to steal one from the Boston Red Sox. Instead, the Red Sox stole it right back in gut-wrenching fashion.

Monday brought questions about whether “luck” was running out after dropping two consecutive games. The Cubs have multiple All-Star contenders on their injured list. The defensive effort has been lackluster at times. The offense was starting to slump. Everything was formulating towards a stretch of tough times and hanging on for dear life.

On Monday night, Jameson Taillon pitched a brilliant game. However, there was no run support. The Cubs entered the eighth inning against the New York Mets hitless against starter Luis Severino. Dansby Swanson put the Cubs in the hit column with a single to center field. Pinch-hitter Nick Madrigal helped the Cubs tie the game at one by legging out a would-be double play.

In the ninth, the Mets sent out revered closer Edwin Diaz to shut the Cubs down and give the Mets a chance to walk it off. Enter Christopher Morel, who sent a ball to the left field seats that might still be in the air. Hector Neris escaped trouble in the bottom of the ninth, and the Cubs stole one from the Mets in New York.

Not only did the Cubs win, but the Milwaukee Brewers lost their game against the Tampa Bay Rays. With those results, the Cubs have claimed first place in the National League Central division. They continue to write their own script and have now made franchise history in their remarkable start to 2024.

Cubs Take First Place In Historic Fashion

Before Monday night, it had been since 1992 that the Cubs had won a game in which they were no-hit through seven innings of play. Additionally, no Cubs team had won more games before the end of April than the 2016 team that eventually won the World Series. Both of those marks were discontinued after the Cubs’ resilience in Queens.

Players like Mike Tauchman, Javier Assad, and Christopher Morel have fully seized their opportunities to be critical factors in the Cubs’ successes. Rookies Shōta Imanaga, Michael Busch, and Ben Brown have proven their belonging in MLB with their efforts thus far. Veterans Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Ian Happ are helping keep things afloat while we all wait for these injuries to heal.

The Cubs are doing all this damage, and some of their most important assets are unable to play. They continue to defy the odds in the face of adversity nightly. They have fought hard and reclaimed the lead in the division they feel they should fully control. All this is happening, and we have not even seen a full-strength team take the field in 2024.

When the injuries subside and this team does get to full strength, watch out for the Chicago Cubs. They might end up being the most dangerous team in baseball.

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