Cubs Need a Stopper Already, Allergy Safety at Wrigley, Harper’s Return, and Other Bullets

Late Bullets, with apologies. I had to take The Little Boy for a doctor’s appointment this morning and it involved being more in and out than I expected. But I’m on the grid now, and ready to roll into a day of Cubs baseball …

  • The Cubs won just one of their first four games, and it was the one started by Jon Lester, who starts again tonight against the Braves. He’ll just have to play the part of stopper, I suppose, even though it’s only the fifth game of the season. The Braves’ lineup can do a whole lot of damage when it’s on, but maybe Ronald Acuña will be a little slow at the plate after celebrating his big extension.
  • Ah, but then, I suppose unless Lester is going to pitch a complete game, he’s going to need an assist at the back end from the bullpen. I think there are still plenty of guys out there who can get the job done … it just would be nice to see it tonight, mostly for my own psyche.
  • Bonus on Lester:
  • (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

  • Jon Greenberg does a good job here summing up why a 1-3 start (a tiny sample) for the Cubs this year feels much worse:
  • Kris Bryant won’t be on Twitter this season, as it became just too negative for him, and didn’t provide anything useful:
  • It sucks that this is such a common theme, where the negativity ultimately drones out the good stuff for some players (even if there actually *is* more positivity than negativity, it’s so cheap and easy to drop in the nasty stuff, and you get a little more numb to the good stuff over many years of success, that the increasing negativity sticks out).
  • The Cubs are hosting a peanut/allergy-free night on April 14, where 50 fans are going to be able to safely attend the game in an enclosed suite. For folks who don’t really understand just how serious and dangerous a food allergy can be, know that without a night like this, there are fans out there who flat-out cannot safely go to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs play baseball because of the peanut dust in the air. This is a very nice step in a direction of safely accommodating fans with serious food allergies.
  • Don’t worry everyone, as all the good teams stink:
  • Well … except the Brewers. Obviously. Sigh.
  • Also, I get that the Brewers have started out crazy hot and the Cubs have definitely not, but this is still quite funny to me:
  • What a return to DC for Bryce Harper, who was booed lustily all night by fans wearing things like this:
  • https://twitter.com/Cut4/status/1113249926929092608

  • But Harper had the last laugh, with three hits in the game, including a double and a shot that preceded this GLORIOUS moment:
  • https://twitter.com/flippingbats/status/1113275079964680192

  • Toys, teas, office needs, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon today.
  • Joe Maddon has a beer:
  • For the first time in years, the Bears’ draft caps are actually just good hats:
  • 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

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: Ian Happ Back in, PCA Sits

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs are back at Wrigley Field tonight against the Pirates, facing a 22-year-old fireballer who threw six strong innings against them last weekend, Jared Jones. Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for the rematch...

    MLBits: Red-Hot Rockies, Sticky Stuff Suspension, Salvy’s Patience Paying Off, More

    The longest active winning streak in baseball belongs to ... the Rockies. More on the red-hot Rox and more in today's MLB Notes. The Red-Hot Rockies? A little over a week ago, the Rockies were 8-28. Since then, they've won...

    The Cubs Are Coming Home to Face the Pirates

    Cubs vs Pirates — There's going to be a little deja vu here for the next week, as the Cubs play seven straight games against the Pirates and Braves after just wrapping up six games against ... the Pirates and...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 16, 2024: Brennan Davis Goes Yard in Iowa Loss

    Brennan Davis' fifth home run of the season was not enough for the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday as they fell to the Syracuse Mets in a rain-shortened affair. That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report |...

    Javier Assad is the Definition of Pitchability

    Like his rotation-mate Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad has reached the point where, after every single start, you want to say the same thing: wow, that was awesome, this guy is good. It gets a little stale, in an extremely desirable...

    Joe Buck is Returning to the Booth to Call a Cubs-Cardinals Game

    I know that Joe Buck is a polarizing broadcaster. Some people love him. Some people hate him. I also know that he seems to have gone through phases in his career where there were stretches I thought he was mutably...

    Pete Crow-Armstrong Put on a Show, and Continues to Make a Strong Case for Continued Playing Time

    Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a show last night, which I mean in the most literal sense. It was more like a performance than a baseball game. Bases-loaded HBP while showing bunt? OK, sure. Running easily to first on a dropped...

    Northwestern Returns to Wrigley Field TWICE This Fall

    Northwestern will be making a return to Wrigley Field not just once this season, but twice! Due to the construction of their brand new football stadium, the Cats will be playing five of their seven home games at its temporary...

    Impressive Fill-In Guys, Bullpen Health, Roberts, Javy, and Other Cubs Bullets

    The Cubs come back home from the Pittsburgh-Atlanta road trip having split it 3-3, and I gotta say, that's a pretty solid outcome when (1) you're facing Jones and Skenes, (2) you're playing three in Atlanta where they'd lost just...

    Brennen Davis Homered Again, Back-to-Back with B.J. Murray Jr. (Whom We Should Discuss)

    Just about as soon as I could talk about how Brennen Davis had homered for the third time in four games, he homered AGAIN, making it four times in five games. And this time, just for fun, B.J. Murray Jr....

    Latest News

    Minnesota Vikings Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    Under the helm of third-year coach Kevin O'Connell, the Minnesota Vikings embark on a new chapter. The departure of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who led the team for six years, marks a significant transition. During Cousins' tenure, the Vikings attained...

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: Ian Happ Back in, PCA Sits

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs are back at Wrigley Field tonight against the Pirates, facing a 22-year-old fireballer who threw six strong innings against them last weekend, Jared Jones. Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for the rematch...

    Miami Dolphins Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The top-ranked offense in the NFL from last season is back, led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Additionally, they've bolstered their roster during the offseason by adding talent such as Odell Beckham Jr.,...

    Indianapolis Colts Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2024 season with their eyes set on the playoffs. With a healthy Anthony Richardson at quarterback and a bolstered receiving core, optimism hangs heavy over Lucas Oil Stadium. Let's delve into their 2024 NFL schedule...

    Houston Texans Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The Houston Texans were the surprise team of the season last year thanks to the emergence of rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. and an excellent job by rookie head coach and offensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and Bobby Slowik....

    New England Patriots Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The New England Patriots are coming off their worst season in over three decades and have officially turned the page on the Belichick-Brady era by hiring Jerod Mayo as their new head coach. They’ve also hit the reset button at...

    My Favorite 2024 NFL Schedule Release Videos

    Schedule release day in the NFL is one of my favorite non-game days of the year. NFL social media teams work hard to create entertaining videos revealing their teams' schedules for the upcoming season. Here are my favorite 2024 NFL...

    San Francisco 49ers Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to an NFC Championship and their second Super Bowl appearance in the last five years in 2023. Will they pick up where they left off and continue to dominate the NFC this season?...

    Ope! The Bears Also Announced Their 2024 Preseason Schedule

    ESPN's Monday Night Football team will call the first game of the Caleb Williams Era when the Chicago Bears play the Houston Texans in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. This will mark the first time the Hall of...

    The Cubs Are Coming Home to Face the Pirates

    Cubs vs Pirates — There's going to be a little deja vu here for the next week, as the Cubs play seven straight games against the Pirates and Braves after just wrapping up six games against ... the Pirates and...

    more cubs news