I suppose in the same way that it was reasonable to expect the Cubs to lose a game eventually after the break, it was also reasonable to expect them to lose a few games in a row at some point.
Today’s game had all the hallmarks of a loss that sticks in your craw, what with a disappointing loss last night, no offense today (save for a Javy Baez homer), another concerning Carl Edwards Jr. appearance, and more diminished velocity for Kyle Hendricks.
On that last point, at least Hendricks was once again effective. Unlike when he sat at 87-88 mph and we were confident that he could still be effective with his movement and command, I do not have that same confidence at 84-85 mph. However, he’s making it work for now.
It wasn’t enough today, though, as the two homers Hendricks gave up (and that’s your biggest concern when a guy loses that much velocity) were the difference in the game, and they both came courtesy of Daniel Murphy.