The Cubs were involved in four walk-off games of the six they played against the White Sox and Mariners over the past week.
Unfortunately, since the latter series was on the road, the Cubs won only two of those four walk-offs.
And even though they went just 3-3 on the week, they scored 39 runs in the six games — though the last five of those were off Mariners position players. Nevertheless, they count just the same.
Here’s who was hot and not for the Cubs over the past week.
Three up
Pete Crow-Armstrong does it all
PCA led off a game with a first-pitch
home run. PCA walked off a game with a home run. And that was the same game! [VIDEO]
Overall for the week, the Cubs center fielder batted .375/.483/1.083 (9-for-24) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBI, six runs scored, five walks and two stolen bases. That might just be enough to win him another NL Player of the Week award. He’s now up to 8.1 bWAR (8.7 fWAR).
David Peterson continues to shine
Peterson, temporarily moved to the bullpen when Edward Cabrera temporarily returned to the rotation, threw a key 1.1 scoreless innings last Monday against the White Sox, then returned to starting and threw six innings against the Mariners Saturday, allowing two runs and striking out eight [VIDEO].
Since his disastrous start against the Cardinals July 3, Peterson has a 2.20 ERA and 1.195 WHIP in eight games (seven starts) covering 41 innings. Even including that awful Cardinals game, he’s got a 3.93 ERA and 1.311 WHIP in 10 games (nine starts) with the Cubs.
Aaron Civale has quietly been very good with the Cubs
Civale kept Sunday’s game in order with four one-hit innings until the Cubs bats turned it into a blowout. He also kept last Wednesday’s game against the White Sox close with 1.1 scoreless innings, though the Cubs ultimately could not come back and win that one.
He has a 1.80 ERA and 1.050 WHIP (2.84 FIP) in nine games for the Cubs covering 20 innings, with five walks and 18 strikeouts. He also threw well in five games for the Cubs last September.
If Civale would agree to come back to the Cubs in 2027 in this role, I think he’d be quite good at it.
Hat tip to Ian Happ, who went 6-for-20 with two home runs over the six games. If this is the start of one of Happ’s hot streaks, it’s coming at a very good time.
And another H/T for Alex Bregman: .360/.414/.760 (9-for-25) with three home runs in the six games. Bregman’s season OPS is up to .767.
Three down
Where’s the Kevin Gausman the Cubs traded for?
In three starts for the Cubs, Gausman has one good start, one mediocre outing and one bad one. This past week was the mediocre game, seven hits and three runs in 4.1 innings, with 86 pitches thrown.
He’s going to start tonight against the Diamondbacks. Hoping for better things.
Back to the drawing board for Ryan Zeferjahn
In his two appearances for the Cubs in these six games, Zeferjahn blew a save against the White Sox (in the game PCA won with his 10th-inning walk-off homer) and gave up the game-winning hit to Leo Rivas of the Mariners Friday.
Zeferjahn has talent, but… maybe the Cubs will have to wait until 2027 to make the best use of it.
The entire American League is killing the Cubs
The Cubs are 54-32 (.628) against NL teams and 21-24 in interleague play.
The Brewers are 54-35 (.607) against NL teams and 27-15 in interleague play.
Thus the entire difference between the Cubs and Brewers can be accounted for in their record vs. American League teams. The Cubs are the only National League team currently in a postseason position to not have a winning record in interleague contests.
Perhaps fortunately for the Cubs, they have just one series left vs. an AL team, the last three games of the regular season at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. The Brewers have two — they will host the Rangers this weekend, then play at Baltimore Sept. 18-19-20.
