The Cubs Lose Once Again After an Off-Day and Other Bullets

loss flagThe Taylor Family air conditioner crapped out this week, and I fear that the sump pump is suffering the same fate. It’s been awfully rainy and I haven’t heard it kick on in a while. I wish I were more handy, because I frequently find that I don’t even know what I don’t know.

  • So, the Cubs have been pretty terrible following off-days this year. The sample is still too small to mean anything, but in 11 games following an off-day, a rainout, or the off-day before Opening Day, the Cubs are just 4-7. Moreover, even in the four wins, the Cubs have scored a total of 10 runs, a full half of those coming in one game against the Reds. Let’s not go too far with any of that, of course, because, again, we’re talking about only 11 games. It’s just an oddity that sticks out when the Cubs are 30-17 in all of their other games.
  • Jake Arrieta gave up six walks last night for the first time since his final big league start back in 2011 on July 31. It was clear that Arrieta was off, but was he also getting squeezed? Well, here’s Arrieta’s chart from last night:
  • I count five strikes that were called balls and four balls that were called strikes. In an era of the ever-expanding strike zone, that’s a pretty rough night. Does that account for Arrieta’s struggles? I’m not making that claim. I will point out that Trevor Bauer had just two strikes called balls, and three balls called as strikes.
  • For his part, Arrieta wasn’t going to blame the calls (though he conceded that he had a beef with some of them, per ESPN). The good news is that he didn’t feel like anything was too terribly off – just didn’t make some pitches, gave up some walks, etc. As I said last night, Arrieta’s been so good for so long now that a start like this doesn’t really concern me. It’s just a bad outing, which figures to be a rare occurrence for him.
  • No real word on Zac Rosscup just yet, with Joe Maddon saying after the game that the lefty felt stiffness in his shoulder and couldn’t get loose (ESPN). That could be nothing, or it could be an actual shoulder injury. You can figure the Cubs will have him looked at further today, and will probably want to know whether he’s going to hit the DL before tonight’s game begins so that they can bring in a fresh arm.
  • It sounds like Keith Law likes the Cubs’ draft, seeing Ian Happ and Donnie Dewees as two of the best college hitters in the draft, with Happ being a better athlete than some have indicated.
  • If you missed Michael’s look at an interesting Cubs’ strikeout pro, don’t.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 7, Cubs 0 – May 14, 2024

    Not every game is a referendum on a team. Actually, come to think of it, a single game is NEVER a referendum on a team. Anyway, point is, a whole lot of teams are going to get stomped by these...

    Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

    Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (6:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs were shutout in the opener against the Braves last night. And it doesn't figure to get any easier against a resurgent Chris Sale tonight. Here's how Craig Counsell will line 'em up against the 35-year-old...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Jed Hoyer Speaks: New Reliever, Bullpen Issues, Imanaga, Morel, Swanson, Bat Data, More

    The Chicago Cubs' President of Baseball Operations just hopped on 670 The Score On the Bernstein & Holmes Show, discussing a number of Cubs-related items. He led things off with a discussion of newly-acquired reliever, Tyson Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hes1lI-8ZCI So, then,...

    Shota Imanaga Favored for NL Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, Nobel Peace Prize, and an Oscar

    There is nothing Shota Imanaga can't do. Going up against one of the best teams in baseball — and best overall offenses versus LHP — on the road, without his best stuff, Shota Imanaga tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in Atlanta, with...

    MLBits: ShĹŤta and ReyLo Duel, New MLB Pipeline Top 100, Investigating the New Statcast Swing Metrics, More

    Baseball's top two pitchers in the ERA department squared off last night and did not disappoint—that and more in today's MLB Notes. Shōta Imanaga Was Awesome (Again), But So Was Reynaldo Lopez I've watched a lot of Reynaldo López, given...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 14, 2024: Top 25 Prospect Stock Report

    The Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates were off on Monday, so it's time to take stock of some recent hot (and not-so-hot) performers inside the Cubs Top 25 prospects down on the farm in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm...

    Did You Ever Wonder What Happened to Frank Schwindel?

    I've gotten back into baseball cards, which, among other things, sends me down a lot of Memory Lanes. You pull a particular card, you think about that player, and you have various memories. It's part of the fun. The other...

    Latest News

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 7, Cubs 0 – May 14, 2024

    Not every game is a referendum on a team. Actually, come to think of it, a single game is NEVER a referendum on a team. Anyway, point is, a whole lot of teams are going to get stomped by these...

    Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

    Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

    Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

    You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

    WATCH: Caleb Williams is Already Making Connections with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen at Halas Hall

    Caleb Williams clips, however brief, will always grab my attention. Because while I can tell myself over and over again that I will not get googly eyes over spring practice videos, the reality is that I can't wait to see...

    How to Watch Phillies Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    If you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan and looking to catch their games, you can watch most of them on TV with a cable subscription or via streaming with one of the many different apps. Let’s break down the cable...

    Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

    Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

    How to Watch Yankees Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

    The Bronx is booming! Yankee Stadium crackles with energy as the New York Yankees chase another World Series title. Whether you're a die-hard Yankees fan bleeding pinstripes or a baseball enthusiast captivated by the American League East race, their remaining...

    Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

    I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

    Kiran Amegadjie Reportedly Signed His Rookie Deal (UPDATE: It’s Officially Official)

    Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie is reportedly signing his rookie deal. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson has details on the contract, which includes: A $1.121 million signing bonus Annual workout bonus of $50,000 per year from 2025-27 Total deal worth...

    2024 PGA Championship Prize Purse and Payout Breakdown: How Much Money Does the Winner Make?

    The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated PGA Championship. As the second major of the 2024 calendar, this prestigious event will grace the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, from May 16-19. This year marks the 106th edition of the championship,...

    more cubs news