Today’s Reflections
“The difference between night and day”.
Definition: two things are totally opposite or completely different from each other.
That’s what baseball fans witnessed in Washington, D.C. over a 24-hour period.
The time period ended Thursday afternoon. Kevin Gausman struck out seven in his 4.2 IP, but surrendered six runs on seven hits and a walk. Gausman matched Nationals starter Cade Cavalli over three innings before an RBI-double by the Nats in the fourth began the scoring. The Nationals blasted
open the door with a five-run fifth, knocked Gausman off the mound and, along with the Cubs, out of the game. Cavalli just rolled through the line-up, with Dansby Swanson ending the perfect game on a walk in the sixth. Michael Busch broke-up the no-hitter with a soft single to left with two out in the seventh — thus ending any residual drama.
BUT! We’re here to talk about the game 24 hours earlier. You know, the one on Wednesday where Alex Bregman hit three home runs and drove in seven runs in a 12-6 Cub win? Or what Jim Deshaies is calling, “Breggy-mania”? The one that guaranteed the Cubs their ninth road series win of the season?
I’m not saying that I did anything special. But I’m sure you’ve watched a guy hit back-to-back homers, and the next time up it floats through your mind that he could make it three in a row. And when it happens, it’s almost a surprise he actually did it.
I’d like to think that what went through my mind went through some of yours as well: The way Bregman walked to the plate in the eighth inning, I said out loud (and scared my wife), “This is going out, too.” In setting up for the 2-2 pitch, and the catcher set up belt-high over the outside-half of the plate, I said, “Don’t throw it there.” And the ball would have hit the center of the catcher’s glove — if it hadn’t landed in the left-field seats.
So many good tidbits in the game stories below about Bregman, I’ll let you peruse while I’ll expand on the other players.
The Cubs’ top three hitters each went 2-for-4 with a walk. Swanson added a solo home run, three runs scored, a double and two RBI. Seiya Suzuki added two runs scored and two RBI. And Ramirez had a double, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Four other Cubs had a hit as the team gathered 13 hits and four walks in the game.
David Peterson had a rocky start, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and three walks while having managed six strikeouts over five innings. And while Javier Assad allowed two hits — both solo home runs — and a walk, his four innings of work earned himself his second save of the season.
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Thursday’s Game Stories:
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Gausman stumbles in 5th while Cavalli shuts down Cubs’ offense. “As Michael Busch slowed down at first base in the seventh inning on Thursday, cheers began to fill Nationals Park. They were both out of respect for Nationals righty Cade Cavalli’s bid at history, but also mixed with the Cubs fans on hand who were happy to see it end.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): After two big nights showed bats’ potential, Cubs nearly no-hit in battle of baseball’s top offenses. “The Cubs were threatened with a no-hitter Thursday, managing only one bloop single in a shutout loss that ensured they won’t catch the Nationals’ major league run-scoring lead.”
Wedsnesday’s Game Stories:
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Alex Bregman hits three homers as title-chasing Cubs follow ring-winners’ example: ‘They lead by action’. “Bregman has four homers and eight RBIs so far in the Cubs’ series with the Nationals as his teammates look to him and fellow World Series winner Dansby Swanson in the thick of a championship quest.”
- Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Alex Bregman’s career night — 3 HRs and 7 RBIs — leads Chicago Cubs to 12-6 rout for their 8th win in 9 games. “Digging into his swing changes had Alex Bregman poring over video in his hotel room into the early morning hours Tuesday.”
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): 11 years in — on heels of deep video dive — 3-homer, 7-RBI game is a first for Bregman. “Alex Bregman felt like he found something with his swing in the hours leading up to Tuesday night’s game against the Nationals.”
A Little More on Alex Bregman (and a Dansby Swanson Shoutout):
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Alex Bregman Looks Like Completely Different Hitter After Identifying Subtle Fix. “What if I told you the Cubs had the second-best third baseman in the National League and fifth-best overall, at least according to fWAR?”
Love for Jacob Webb:
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): How Jacob Webb found another level ‘real quick’ with Cubs. “There were discussions and work done in Spring Training to bring back a curveball the righty used in college, through the Minors and briefly in the big leagues. And then when April went awry for Webb, he told Chicago’s pitching group that it was time to finally ditch the sweeper.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Jacob Webb thriving in closer’s role as one of Cubs’ bullpen saviors: ‘The guy’s been a dog all year’. “The righty reliever has stepped into the ninth-inning role and thrived as Craig Counsell’s go-to reliever, impressing teammates and serving as an anchor for a unit that’s dealt with so many injuries this season.”
- Alexander Rosquez (Last Word On Sports): Cubs Could Confidently Rely on Jacob Webb. “The Chicago Cubs didn’t enter the season expecting Jacob Webb to become their primary option at the back of the bullpen.”
It’s 2027 Already! (Almost):
- Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Ian Happ’s most polarizing trait could keep him with Cubs in 2027. “Don’t close the door just yet.”
- Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib): Cubs may not need to overthink their 2027 catching plans thanks to Miguel Amaya. “Miguel Amaya has quietly evolved into an excellent catcher both at and behind the dish.”
Pitching and Hitting Stories:
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Edward Cabrera Is Coming Back! “The Chicago Cubs have made their decision on Edward Cabrera’s rehab assignment: it’s over.”
- Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago baseball report: Cubs pen could get a shot in the arm, while Brenton Doyle fits in well with White Sox. “The Cubs continue to take care of business on the road — despite their one-hit hiccup Thursday.”
- Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Can the Cubs Piggyback Their Way to Glory? “If ever piggybacking were going to truly take root in the major leagues, it might as well happen in the city of big shoulders—hog butcher to the world.”
- Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How the Cubs helped David Peterson rediscover his ground-ball magic. “There’s a simple reason why David Peterson is better with the Cubs and a more complex one.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Splitter’s the difference: Why Chicago Cubs starter Kevin Gausman started using a much bigger mitt. “The size of Kevin Gausman’s red mitt is impossible to miss even from the sky-high third deck at Nationals Park.”
- Andrew Wright (Yardbarker): Cubs’ rookie Pedro Ramirez earns ultimate praise from Dansby Swanson. “Ramirez’s success has caught the attention of his teammates, especially veteran shortstop Dansby Swanson.”
The Run for the Playoffs:
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Quantifying Hope: Cubs Enter Weekend with 99% Playoff Odds. “With 98.8% odds heading into the weekend, it’s become a two-horse race for the division and a chance to play in October.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs creeping closer to Brewers in NL Central race with 40 games to play until postseason fun begins. “The Cubs whittled the Brewers’ lead down to three games coming into Thursday, as close as they had been in the NL Central standings since late May. But before they can start figuring out playoff seeding, there’s 40 games left to play in the regular season.”
MiLB Stories:
- Jordan Bastian and Jim Callis (MLB.com): Hartshorn, Ayers headline Cubs’ updated Top 30 Prospects list. “Both Josiah Hartshorn and Owen Ayers made strong impressions in their limited exposure to the Cubs’ big league team during Spring Training games. When the Minor League season arrived, the pair of prospects developed into two of the system’s breakout stars.”
- Cory Sparks (North Side Baseball): First Impressions From Ethan Conrad’s First 30 Pro Games With Cubs. “Ethan Conrad’s long-awaited pro debut has happened, and the 2025 first-rounder is starting to live up to the expectations the Cubs set for him over one year ago.”
Assorted Stories:
- Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs TV analyst Jim Deshaies toughing it out before hip-replacement surgery. “This spring, he began to feel pain in his left hip, and imaging revealed he needs a new one. Not wanting to miss the season, he’s scheduled for surgery Sept. 30 in Chicago.”
- Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Craig Counsell’s Case for N.L. Manager of the Year. “The Cubs manager has made a strong case for winning recognition this year, as Chicago has seen major success.”
- Josh Davis (Clutch Points): 3 players who will make or break Cubs’ chances of winning NL Central. “Three Cubs players may decide whether Chicago can erase its four-game gap behind the Brewers and claim the 2026 NL Central crown.”
- Fox Sports: Why Cubs Star Pete Crow-Armstrong, Not Shohei Ohtani, Should Be 2026 NL MVP. “The National League MVP Award was recently renamed the “Shohei Ohtani Award.” Okay, not really, but it feels that way.”
- Colin Salao (Front Office Sports): Cubs, Nationals in Trademark Fight with the WNBA over the “W”. “An MLB source tells Front Office Sports the sides are engaged in discussions and expect the issue to be resolved ‘amicably.’“
:Food For Thought:
Elmore James was born on January 27, 1918 in Richland, Holmes County, Mississippi. At the age of 12, he started making music using one-string instruments like the diddley-bow, which was strung on a shack wall. Eventually as time passed, Elmore developed into a solid musician by the time he was 18. It was during this period that he met a certain musician who went onto became one of his strongest influences. This was none other than the legendary Robert Johnson.
This meeting took place in Belzoni, Mississippi, where he was meeting one of his good friends, Sonny Boy Williamson II. Before this meeting, Elmore’s style of playing the guitar was less of a slide guitarist. However, it was Robert Johnson who showed him how to play the guitar using a metal sleeve on your finger that soon became the slide. He also began covering songs by Chicago Blues musician Tampa Red, who was another influence on Elmore in developing his distinctive Slide guitar sound.
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