Saying Goodbye to Montgomery, Zobrist Returning? Heyward’s Offensive Outburst, and Other Bullets

In case you missed it last night, the Cubs dropped a sloppy one to the Reds at Wrigley Field … then made a fairly significant trade with the Kansas City Royals … and then put Willson Contreras on the Injured List.

It was a busy night.

  • In fact, I was walking down the NBC Sports Chicago hallway around 10:45pm last night (just before the news dropped), thinking about how Luis, Danny, and I would be forced to discuss yet another sloppy loss to the Reds on Outside the Ivy, when Ken Rosenthal broke the trade. We had about 5-10 min to go before our show started, which sorta blew up everything we had planned to discuss. Worse than that, I had the bright idea to bust onto the post-game set to let David Dejesus, Doug Glanville, and Luke Stuckmeyer know about the trade while they were filming, but when I opened the door all I got was disapproving glares from the sound/audio people. Which … oooooooops. I won’t be doing that again.
  • Speaking of the trade, we’ll have more on new Cubs catcher Martin Maldonado, later today. And if you’re looking for more in-depth conversations about why this deal went down and what it means for the team right now, I’d start with Brett’s two posts from last night here and here.
  • As for Montgomery, well, there have now been reports that he requested a trade earlier in the season. Apparently, he’d been hoping to go somewhere he could start (in service of his career), and with the Royals recent trade of Homer Bailey to the A’s, a spot in the KC rotation opened up just in time.
  • Which leads me directly into the other somewhat interesting part of this conversation: timing. Apparently, the Cubs and Royals had been discussing some form of this deal for a while now, and the Contreras injury simply pushed them over the top. We’ll have a lot more on this later, but just note that reality presents a whole series of implications that could act as a precursor to something larger – possibly between these two teams.
  • In any case, the Cubs have traded away Mike Montgomery, which doesn’t come without its significance. Not only has he been a big part of the rotation and bullpen for the last three years, he also got the last out of the 2016 World Series. None of us will ever forget that.
  • Here he is talking about the final out, and how his perspective has changed on it now that he’s got one foot out the door.
  • Kyle Hendricks on Mike Montgomery:
  • During his Cubs career, Mike Montgomery earned a 3.74 ERA (4.28 FIP) over 320.0 innings pitched, including 38 starts. Among his greatest statistical contributions, you’ll find his 53.8% ground ball rate and better than average contact management across the board. Farewell, Monty. I genuinely hope you kill it in K.C. … especially when you play the Cardinals in interleague play.
  • (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

  • Maldonado bid farewell:
  • Moving on (for now): Theo Epstein has been in contact with Ben Zobrist and anticipates speaking more specifically about “plans and timetables” soon. “We’re still hopeful that he returns. We need to make sure that can happen and then get a plan in place.” I must say, I thought there was no chance Zobrist would return this season, but the way the winds have been blowing recently … I’d say it could happen. He’ll need a Minor League rehab assignment, no doubt, but who knows … maybe he can help down the stretch, once rosters expand.
  • We’re running out of time to get into too much of last night’s sloppy loss to the Reds (let’s just say poor defense and bad base running did them in … again), so let’s stick with the positives – like, say, another two-hit night for Jason Heyward!
  • Heyward now has a five-game hitting streak (9 hits) brewing, and has moved his season-long slash line to an impressive .278/.361/.474 (116 wRC+). Before he came to the Cubs, his career slash line was just barely better than what we’re seeing right now (118 wRC+), so it’s hard not to be impressed (and remember, that wRC+ number accounts for the offensive advantages in this juiced ball era. It is not inflated. He’s just been so good.
  • And he’s feeling the love:
  • Heyward’s last 180 plate appearances (May 19th): .321/.389/.543 (140 wRC+).
  • Amazon’s Prime Day ends tonight, so go get the remaining deals while they last and support Bleacher Nation in the process: TV’s, Dyson vacuums, and Sonicare toothbrushes/water picks (I got one of those, it was life-changing) are all on sale.
  • One other positive from last night’s game was the way the Cubs forced in some runs back in the fourth inning. Jason Heyward was able to put the ball in play long enough for Kris Bryant to score, and then Anthony Rizzo did this a play later:
  • Yes, Anthony, you’re very fast.
  • At NBC Sports Chicago, you can listen to Cubs VP of Scouting and Player Development Jason McLeod discuss Robel Garcia, Nico Hoerner, Ryan Jensen, Kris Bryant’s future position, and a lot more on the Cubs Talk podcast.
  • Colin Rea is, uh, having a very good season …
  • I don’t know, though, man. He’s gotta bring that WHIP down. 
  • Yeah, okay, this is all the way adorable.
  • Remember when the Cookie Monster sang the 7th inning stretch? There’s more #content to it than what you’ve already seen:
  • ELIAS!!! Woo! Eli, our new lead writer at Bleacher Nation Bulls, made his TV debut last night and we’re all super happy for him. You did a great job, dude! Congrats and well done!
  • written by

    Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

    more cubs news

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Latest News

    MVC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

    There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Tuesday that feature MVC squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores.How to Bet on MVC Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

    Pac-12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

    There is one game featuring a Pac-12 teams on the Tuesday postseason college basketball schedule, the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores. Make sure you check out below for today's best bets!How to Bet on Pac-12 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

    Marlins vs. Pirates: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In their season opener on Friday, Andrew Jacob Puk will take the mound for the Miami Marlins against Martin Perez and the Pittsburgh Pirates, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM ET at LoanDepot park.See how to watch the Miami-Pittsburgh...

    Warriors vs. Hornets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Golden State Warriors (38-34) hit the court against the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 218 points.Dig into the best bets...

    Pacers vs. Lakers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) are 2.5-point underdogs as they look to extend a five-game win streak when they visit the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game airs at 7:00 PM ET on...

    Clippers vs. Magic Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Clippers (45-27) are slightly favored (by 1 point) to continue a three-game road win streak when they visit the Orlando Magic (42-30) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The point total in the matchup...

    Wizards vs. Pistons Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are slight underdogs (by 2.5 points) to stop a five-game road losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The over/under is 229 in the matchup.Check...

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    How to Watch Braves vs. Phillies: Live Stream or on TV

    Spencer Strider will take the mound for the Atlanta Braves when they square off against starter Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.The article below will provide you...

    more cubs news