The Rundown: Cubs Loss Frighteningly 2024-ish, Morgan Down With Bad Elbow, More Tucker Extension Buzz, Happy Jackie Robinson Day
“And my time is a piece of wax falling on a termite that’s choking on the splinters.” – Loser by Beck
The Cubs lost 10-4 to the Padres last night, carrying forward the unwanted and abominable rancidity of 2024. Chicago was able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory thanks to a lack of timely hitting, poor fielding, and a bullpen implosion that was spectacularly offensive. The good news is that it’s just one game. The bad news is that one game is usually a difference-maker in baseball’s crammed playoff format. Get crazy with the Cheese Whiz, y’all.
- Jameson Taillon left after 5.1 innings with a 3-1 lead and deserved a win.
- Nate Pearson couldn’t command any of his pitches last night, and a trip to Iowa wouldn’t shock anybody.
- The Padres are now 11-0 at home. The 2023 Rays hold the modern-era record for the most consecutive home wins to start a season with 14.
- Michael Busch homered for the third straight game with a blast that broke a 37-inning scoreless streak by San Diego pitchers.
- Half of Busch’s 18 hits this season have gone for extra bases. His .394 OBP is also third on the team behind Kyle Tucker (.427) and Carson Kelly (.595).
- The Cubs were 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. They entered the game with a league-leading 79 runners stranded in scoring position, a surprising stat considering Chicago also led the league in run differential entering play. They still lead the league at +37, one better than the Padres. Imagine how stacked the Cubs’ lineup would be with Alex Bregman.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong had a double and two singles and has 10 hits in his last 25 at-bats. His SLG has jumped from .277 to .432 during the hot streak and his OPS is a respectable .745.
- Chicago’s bullpen gave up eight earned runs, though only Fernando Tatís Jr. and Luis Arráez hit the ball hard. The floodgates opened during a two-run 6th when a Gavin Sheets pop fly fell between left fielder Ian Happ and shortstop Dansby Swanson with one out.
- Shōta Imanaga (2-1, 2.70 ERA) will battle Randy Vásquez (1-1, 1.72) tonight. The two faced each other on April 4, with the Cubs winning 3-1.
- Is it just me, or are the Cubs always away on Jackie Robinson Day?
Cubs News & Notes
- Reliever Eli Morgan is dealing with an elbow issue and will join Justin Steele on the Injury List.
- Happ took full ownership of his 6th-inning miscue in Monday’s loss.
- Chicago’s relievers ran into a lot of bad luck last night, but they still pitched poorly.
- Maybe it was the full moon, but Chicago’s mistakes snowballed quickly in the loss to the Padres.
- I don’t have a link, but a few more people are saying the Cubs and Tucker are discussing an extension. There is nothing concrete, but hey, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Jeff Passan believes the Cubs and Tucker will eventually agree on an extension.
Odds & Sods
Three blind mice, see how they field…
“That pop-up should have been caught."
A defensive miscue led to a big inning in the Cubs' loss to the Padres.
More: https://t.co/TjaGd9dnuy pic.twitter.com/dHExBwQA5U
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 15, 2025
Central Intelligence
- St. Louis (8-8): Willson Contreras took the torpedo bat for a test drive, hit a home run, and will stick with baseball’s newest weapon of mass destruction.
- Cincinnati (8-8): Veteran reliever Alexis Díaz is expected to return to the Reds tomorrow, but his role is still unclear.
- Milwaukee (8-9): Brandon Woodruff is expected to make at least one more rehab start before joining the pitching-depleted Brewers.
- Pittsburgh (6-11): In the Pirates’ 10-3 win over the Nationals Monday night, Paul Skenes and Henry Davis formed the first battery of former No. 1 overall draft picks.
How About That!
Today is Jackie Robinson Day, and here is how MLB is commemorating the honoree.
Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera was the last MLB player to wear the now-retired No. 42 that Robinson wore. You may remember that Bruce Sutter wore it when he played for the Cubs, Cardinals, and Braves.
Dave Smith was the last Cubs player to wear No. 42.
Robinson asked the Hall of Fame to update his plaque before he died because he wanted to be remembered for his feats on the field. He now has two plaques at the Cooperstown facility.
The Braves, Twins, and Orioles have taken the biggest hits to their playoff chances since Opening Day.
Every player in the Rays lineup scored a run and recorded an RBI in Monday’s 16-1 win over the Red Sox.
Kris Bryant is headed back to the IL with degenerative lumbar disc disease.
Planned Time Off
No Rundown on Thursday or Friday because I will be moving. I’ll post some stuff this weekend, but I will be out of the country next week. Don’t miss me too much.
Extra Innings
Same story, different year. Busch hit home runs in five straight games last April.
Three straight games with a homer for Michael Busch 💥 pic.twitter.com/dQ3cIEQLCj
— MLB (@MLB) April 15, 2025
They Said It
- “You can’t replace Justin Steele because he’s one of one. He’s talented. That being said, we have that next-man-up mentality. We have guys [who] can step up and perform in those roles. We’re excited about that. With championship teams, that’s what has to happen, so that’s what we’ll do.” – Matthew Boyd
- “That pop-up should have been caught [by me]. Down the line, [I] was playing kind of more straight up, not as much towards the line, but yeah that’s a play where I’m looking for the other two guys and I should have put my head down and gone and got it.” – Happ
- “We had a bad night tonight. That’s how I see it.” – Counsell
Tuesday Walk-Up Song
This pretty much sums up Monday night’s loss.
