NEWSLETTER
That was fun for about seven innings. Then it was a familiar flavor of exasperating.
The Cubs’ bats couldn’t get a clutch hit all day, the Cubs’ bullpen blew a small lead, and the Cubs lost to the most annoying team in baseball.
About the bullpen blowing it part, obviously we all know it wasn’t “the bullpen” so much as it was “Adbert Alzolay.” I love the guy, but he’s not missing bats right now, he’s not putting it where he wants it, and it doesn’t help that guys can steal at will. He was in that spot because the bullpen is heavily taxed right now and Craig Counsell’s options were limited, but still. Two outs. The Cubs needed two outs from him. He got only one and gave up three runs. Ground balls could’ve found gloves, sure, but you also have to miss bats. And hold runners.
Hayden Wesneski got some help from the conditions and his defense today, but he also pitched extremely well. He got some big strikeouts when he needed them, stayed around the strike zone, and didn’t get beat up on by lefties. As a fill-in starter, it was once again all that you could ask for – and in this case, even more than you could ask for!
Unfortunately, the offense and Alzolay ensured that Wesneski’s performance didn’t matter …
