Steele’s Stellar Streak, Swanson’s Emotional Day, Easter Arrives, and Other Cubs Bullets

Happy Easter to those who celebrate, either with eggs or church or both or anything else. I hope you have a nice Sunday in whatever you do. We’re lucky that we get to do a second day of Easter egg hunting with the kids (we did one at our house yesterday, and now at The Parents’ farm today). They love doing it, and I love watching them do it. And stealing their best candy.

  • Justin Steele couldn’t quite match Marcus Stroman’s two straight six-inning scoreless starts to open the season, but he allowed just one earned run over his six innings this time. Not too shabby.
  • And the streak Steele has been on going back to last year:
  • And you can go back even further to get this impressive list:
  • Although the Cubs’ win yesterday was outstanding and featured another great game from Dansby Swanson, the news around him wasn’t all good. Just before the Cubs game started, Swanson’s wife, Mallory, who is a star soccer player for the US Women’s National Team (and the Chicago Red Stars), injured her knee in a game in Ireland and had to be carted off the field.
  • Per the Tribune, Dansby Swanson was watching the game in the clubhouse with teammates when the injury happened, but did go on to play – quite well – in the Cubs game. No comments from Swanson after the game, though. I hope Mallory will ultimately be OK.
  • In the Cubs game, Swanson showed off exactly why people have long described him as a “winning player,” take advantage of a lackadaisical effort from the Rangers late to tack on an extra run, and getting PUMPED up in the process:
  • “I couldn’t imagine,” first baseman Trey Mancini said of Swanson’s emotional day, per the Tribune. “She’s just a few months out from the World Cup and been one of if not the best player on the (U.S.) team this year. Dansby talks about her passion for soccer and her mentality, how hard she plays. I see a lot of similarities from the way he describes her. That’s tough, right before a game, for her to get hurt. But he locked it in like he always does. That says a lot about him that he was able to do that. He was definitely thinking about her the whole time.”
  • Patrick Wisdom continues to have a really, really good start to his season, balancing contact and power:
  • The Cubs will go for the sweep today over the Rangers. As of THIS PRECISE MOMENT, the Cubs hold one of the three Wild Card spots in the National League. Can they make it deeper into the season than April 9 in a playoff spot?
  • The Tampa Bay Rays aren’t just undefeated to start the season, they are doing it in an ABSURD way:
  • Austin Meadows has had to step away from the Tigers again this year to address his mental health. It’s sad to know he’s battling through this, but it’s good to know he’s got the support of his organization:
  • 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

    Welcome Back to Iowa, Brennen Davis: Rocket Homer in His First Game Post-Rehab

    What a road it's been - continues to be - for Cubs outfield prospect Brennen Davis. The former top prospect was on a rocket ship to Triple-A in 2021, and then mostly lost the last two years to various injuries....

    CRAAAAAP: Cody Bellinger to the Injured List (UPDATES)

    So much for all those words of optimism and negative X-rays. After colliding with the outfield wall last night, Cody Bellinger fractured his rib (Update: It's actually TWO fractured right ribs) and will hit the injured list today. Chicago Cubs...

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: What is it, June 2023?

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs took Game 1 against the Houston Astros in convincing fashion last night. So tonight, they'll go for the quick series win against Spencer Arrighetti at Wrigley Field (it'd be a good idea to win...

    Bellinger Optimistic Post-Injury, Busch’s Defense, Almonte Stock Rising, Tauchman Slugging, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Ed. Note: Since this article was published, a CT scan revealed a rib fracture for Cody Bellinger, who is now on the Injured List. You can find all the details of that news in our most recent article right here....

    Cubs Outfield Prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong Coming Up

    With Cody Bellinger headed to the Injured List with a rib fracture, the Cubs are in need of another outfielder: center field prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong is coming back up to the big leagues for the second time. https://twitter.com/670TheScore/status/1783217891195625709 Crow-Armstrong, 22,...

    Is Mike Tauchman the Best Player in Baseball? An Exploration

    Hey, we're just having some early-season fun. So allow me to present the 'Mike Tauchman Is Clearly Better Than' list. As of this moment, Mike Tauchman has ... ... a higher wRC+ (151) than Pete Alonso, Fernando Tatis Jr., and...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 24, 2024: Kevin Alcántara Cannot Miss Right Now

    Name a player hotter than Kevin Alcántara right now. Go ahead, I'll wait. (He's already raking again today. Literally as I type this.) More on Alcántara's big day and the Smokies home run parade last night in today's Cubs Farm...

    Oof: Blake Snell to the Injured List Just Three Horrible Starts into His Giants Career

    Just three starts into his San Francisco Giants career, Blake Snell is heading to the injured list with a left-adductor strain. Oof. You hate to even say it — and who really knows if this was related — but early...

    It’s Gotten Impossible to Not Comment on the White Sox Making Futility History

    In 1997, I was a miserable Chicago Cubs fan. I mean, that was true a lot of the time, but I mean it in a very specific way that year: the Cubs had started the season 0-14. They had literally...

    My God, Jordan Wicks … Save Some Awesomeness for the Rest of us!

    Cubs rookie starter Jordan Wicks has been impressing us all season long with his apparent offseason transformation (which led to more velocity on his heater and movement on his slider). But last night against the Astros? That was a whole...

    Latest News

    Welcome Back to Iowa, Brennen Davis: Rocket Homer in His First Game Post-Rehab

    What a road it's been - continues to be - for Cubs outfield prospect Brennen Davis. The former top prospect was on a rocket ship to Triple-A in 2021, and then mostly lost the last two years to various injuries....

    Wurth 400 Odds from NASCAR Dover Motor Speedway: Betting Bubba Wallace at the Monster Mile

    The Monster Mile roars to life this Sunday and the 2024 Wurth 400 odds have been revealed! Dover Motor Speedway welcomes NASCAR for its annual racing weekend and unlike last week’s Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway, the race favorites are...

    2024 Zurich Classic Tee Times, TV Channel, Live Stream

    The fleur-de-lis flags are flying, and the beignets are hot! The 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans tees off this Thursday, bringing back the PGA Tour's electrifying two-man team format. TPC Louisiana is set to be buzzing with a unique...

    Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese Officially Introduced, And She Sounds Motivated

    The new face of the Chicago Sky franchise officially arrived on Wednesday. Angel Reese met with media members at the Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield. The former LSU standout and NCAA National Champion is only nine days removed from hearing...

    Cubs Outfield Prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong Coming Up

    With Cody Bellinger headed to the Injured List with a rib fracture, the Cubs are in need of another outfielder: center field prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong is coming back up to the big leagues for the second time. https://twitter.com/670TheScore/status/1783217891195625709 Crow-Armstrong, 22,...

    Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Thunder – NBA Playoffs Game 2, Wednesday, April 24, 2024

    On Wednesday at 9:30 PM ET, the New Orleans Pelicans meet the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and Jonas Valančiūnas' 3-pointer prop for this clash requires just one trifecta.Jonas Valančiūnas' Three-Pointer...

    CRAAAAAP: Cody Bellinger to the Injured List (UPDATES)

    So much for all those words of optimism and negative X-rays. After colliding with the outfield wall last night, Cody Bellinger fractured his rib (Update: It's actually TWO fractured right ribs) and will hit the injured list today. Chicago Cubs...

    And Now Penei Sewell Has Signed a MASSIVE Extension With The Lions

    Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is hard at work today! It's fitting that just a day before the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off in Detroit, the Lions have locked up two franchise, homegrown cornerstones just hours apart. This morning,...

    San Jose Sharks Fire Head Coach David Quinn

    When you finish with the worst record in the NHL, it's hard to keep your job. Even when the front office strips your roster to the bare bones, apparently. And on Wednesday, David Quinn found out the San Jose Sharks...

    Chicago Bulls Contracts: Decisions That Have to Be Made This Offseason

    While the NBA offseason will not officially start until June, it still can't hurt to familiarize ourselves with the Chicago Bulls' summer outlook. The organization finds itself at quite the crossroads, and it's not only because they disappointed fans with...

    more cubs news