Today’s Reflections
The first two games of the four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals have been a dream of near-perfection for the Cubs. (I hope I’m not jinxing the team when I write this Tuesday afternoon)
Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki had two games where they were playing out of their collective minds. Yes, it’s just two games, and yes, we don’t know how long Dansby Swanson will let Bregman use his bat (my guess is as long as Bregman wants).
Bregman was the table-setter for the team, going 7-10 with five runs scored and two RBI, including a home run and three doubles. He was a triple short of a cycle on Monday. The disclosure of Bregman using Swanson’s bat is a little funny, but as superstitious as baseball players are, he might be sleeping with the bat right now (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Hoerner cleared off the table, going 5-for-10 with three runs scored, six RBI and a HR. As an example of Hoerner settling in, of his four hits Monday, the first two were up the middle on each side of second base. After a solid single to left field, his home run was in the left field seats. He’s still showing the occasional signs of his natural tendencies of not depending on pulling the ball. Hope he keeps building on that.
Suzuki was 5-for-10 with three runs scored, two RBI and a pair of doubles.
Carson Kelly DH’d one game, so he contributed in both games, going 3-for-9 with two runs scored and two RBI.
On Monday, Miguel Amaya went 2-for-4 with an RBI. On Tuesday, Ian Happ went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI on two doubles. Also, Pedro Ramirez, went 3-for-5 Tuesday with a run scored, an RBI and a double.
Colin Rea and David Peterson, enjoying the offensive support, posted solid performances. Monday night, Peterson went 5.2 innings allowing just three hits and a pair of walks while striking out three. He allowed two runs, one on a solo homer for his only mistake.
Tuesday, Rea went six innings of four-hit ball, allowing two walks and one run scored while picking up a pair of strikeouts.
There are still two games left in this key series. Hoping the hitting/pitching combo keeps chugging on.
I’m not ignoring the trade deadline. You all know the needs, and there are plenty of opinions below to pique your interests. A lot of the usual names, plus a couple of “yeah, right” names, but that keeps things interesting. My hopes? If they swing big, Detmers or Holmes for starting pitching, maybe with Gausman. For relievers, continue with the Mets by trying to pair Weaver with Raley or Minter. Adrian Morejon has entered the chat and is quite intriguing if the Cubs choose a non-Met route. This will clean out most of the top of the minors for the Cubs, though.
I tend to be pessimistic about the trade deadline, but where there’s smoke, there’s at least a bunch of sizzling embers. And the names above are just dreams, not predictions or expectations. And compared to usual years, my expectations are on a medium setting. The above fun thoughts won’t happen, so it will be more like one SP and one RP, then continue to scour the wire for RPs after the deadline.
I thought I’d add this on — I’m sure many feel discussion about Sandy Alcántara after this length of time is exhausting. But this line in one of the stories had me thinking: “He may not yet have returned to his elite form from a few years back, but the big right-hander is still a workhorse – and can be controlled through 2027 via a team option.”
A WORKHORSE! As nice as it would be to get an ace, a guy that you can (hope to) carry you deep into a game every fifth day would be a major gain. Alcantara has averaged seven innings and 102 pitches in his last five games. It would be nice to have one pitcher who when he starts the fourth inning, you don’t have to start wondering how fast the bullpen can warm up. In my fun game above, I’d put him in as a Gausman-like addition. But as a stand-alone option, gambling on him instead of Detmers would not be the most horrendous thing, especially if it opens options on other deals, like Holmes and a couple of Mets relievers. Just another out-there thought is all.
Let the dealing began!
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Tuesday’s Game Stories:
- Sean Holland (Cubs Insider): Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (7/28/26): Cubs 10, Cardinals 2 – Early Offensive Outburst Buries Birds. “The Cubs ambushed the Cardinals and starter Michael McGreevy at Busch Stadium Tuesday night.”
- Associated Press (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs race to an early 7-run lead on the way to 10-2 win over St. Louis Cardinals. “Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner drove in two runs apiece and the Chicago Cubs jumped out to a seven-run lead after two innings.”
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs’ mighty offense gives Rea big cushion in nice start. “The strength of the Cubs’ offense has been the ability to have multiple hitters delivering on any given night.”
Monday’s Game Stories:
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Bregman, Hoerner back up Peterson’s solid start with 4 hits each. “Through all the peaks and valleys, the Cubs have continued to pick up wins to remain in the thick of the National League playoff picture.”
- AP (WGN.com): Bregman breaks out of slump with a HR and 2 doubles as Cubs beat Cardinals, 7-3, to open four-game series. “Alex Bregman broke out of his slump in a big way, at least for one night.”
Trade Deadline Stories:
- Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Trade Rumors: Ramírez Available, Detmers a Top Target? Possible Mets Deal, More. “Another week, another fresh batch of MLB trade deadline rumors for fans to stress over before the time finally comes on Aug. 3 at 5 p.m. CT. It’s pretty widely.”
- Jedd Pagaduan (ClutchPoints): Cubs rumors: Jeff Passan responds to fan’s question on star prospect’s ‘untouchable’ trade status. “Jeff Passan shut down a Cubs fan’s way too ambitious evaluation of Pedro Ramirez’s trade value ahead of the deadline.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cardinals’ Masyn Winn drops brutal trade deadline quote ahead of game v. Cubs. “if the Cardinals do end up selling, that could deepen the pool of pitchers available on the trade market – which might help Hoyer tackle the one job he’s got ahead.“
- Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib): MLB insider made Jefferson Rojas’ 2026 trade deadline Cubs future crystal clear. “There’s no obvious spot for the team’s #2 overall farmhand anytime soon.”
- Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): ESPN insider reveals why Cubs are ‘fortunate’ amid starting rotation need. “This is a great time for the Chicago Cubs to need starting pitching help.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): 3 familiar Cubs trade partners that could be in play again, 2 who aren’t worth the effort. “The Chicago Cubs could soon circle back to some familiar trade partners as Jed Hoyer looks to make a splash leading up to the MLB trade deadline.”
- Brock Beauchamp (North Side Baseball): Four Popular Cubs Trade Targets, According To Fans. “We asked our community which trade candidates were drawing their attention. Here are the top four players on the list.”
- Fox Sports: Pirates? Cubs? 3 Best MLB Trade Deadline Fits For Padres Closer Mason Miller. “Here are the three best MLB trade deadline destinations for San Diego Padres star closer Mason Miller.”
- Brandon Glick (Cubbies Crib): 3 Cubs’ internal options to replace Jameson Taillon before the 2026 trade deadline. “There’s an open spot in the rotation to fill before August 3.”
- Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Intradivisional Blockbusters Never Happen, But This One’s Worth Dreaming On. “Rental pitchers certainly have value, but acquiring someone like Greene would strengthen the Cubs’ rotation for years, instead of months.”
- Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Trade Rumors: New York Mets Scouts Checking Out Cubs’ Double-A Team. “The New York Mets are one of the few teams in MLB that are clearly sellers at this year’s MLB trade deadline, and despite their disaster of a season, they have plenty of intriguing pitching targets that the Chicago Cubs would love to acquire.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs, already strong, eye getting even better at trade deadline: ‘Hopefully we get everything we want’. “Having put the front office in a position to buy at the trade deadline, the Cubs are simultaneously excited by what they’ve already got and what they might add in the coming days.”
- Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Are the Cubs and Marlins About to Link Up Again for a Deadline Trade? “The Miami Marlins could finally be willing to part with Sandy Alcantara, and the Cubs could be lurking.”
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Cubs doing their part to encourage aggressive Trade Deadline. “There is no escaping the weight of each game in front of the Cubs over the next several days.”
- Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs Ready to Deal “Majority” of Top Prospects as Big Trade Deadline Looms. “As if it wasn’t clear already, the Chicago Cubs are ready to push their chips in.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): With pitching obvious trade-deadline focus, are Cubs getting best version of David Peterson at right time? “As Jed Hoyer’s front office looks to improve the pitching staff before Monday’s trade deadline, an earlier-in-the-summer deal might be paying off, if Peterson keeps pitching like he did Monday in Missouri.”
- Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Cubs Can Meet Their Trade Deadline Bullpen Needs By Looking Toward A Division Rival. “As the Cubs search for trade partners, there may be a pathway to one in Cincinnati. If anything, they may be able to lean heavily on one aspect of their division rival’s roster.”
- Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): 3 Mock Trades That Would Make for a Perfect Cubs Deadline. “Jed Hoyer has a chance to capitalize on one of the best teams he’s assembled in Chicago, and an aggressive deadline could be the move that defines the Cubs’.”
- Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs — with less than a week to MLB trade deadline — have earned investment from front office. “Less than a week from Monday’s MLB trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs are poised to bolster a roster that owns the fifth-best record in the majors.”
Jameson Taillon fallout:
- Matt Ostrowski (North Side Baseball): Jameson Taillon’s Unceremonious Dismissal Is A Result of Cubs’ Longest Unsolved Problem. “The past four seasons, the Cubs needed Jameson Taillon to do exactly what he did: prevent runs at a league-average rate, and do so over a lot of innings.”
- Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): A. J. Pierzynski Hates the Chicago Cubs So Much That He’s Willing to Kill His Credibility Talking About Jameson Taillon. “Yes, this is an A.J. Pierzynski hate post because I cannot believe his take on the Chicago Cubs letting go of Jameson Taillon earlier this week.”
- Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): What’s Next for the Cubs Rotation After Taillon DFA. “The pressure will now be on the Cubs’ rotation to step up to the challenge.”
- Elias Schuster (Chicago Cubs On SI): What’s the Next Move After Cubs Shockingly DFA Veteran Starter Jameson Taillon? “The Chicago Cubs aren’t messing around to start trade deadline week.”
Assorted Stories:
- Michael Cerami (Bleacher Report): Cubs Swap Starters for Thursday’s Finale Against the Cardinals (UPDATE). “As of this moment (i.e., before tonight’s Game 3 matchup against the Cardinals in St. Louis), the Chicago Cubs are tied for a season-high 15 games over .500.”
- Darragh McDonald (MLBTradeRumors): Cubs Select Jake Woodford, Designate Andrew Wantz For Assignment. “Woodford will give the Cubs an arm capable of absorbing some innings for the time being.”
- Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs’ Alex Bregman finds an offensive groove with an assist from Dansby Swanson’s bat. “Alex Bregman’s seven hits in his last two games for the Chicago Cubs tied his career high for most in a two-game stretch.”
- Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Alex Bregman, the hitter the Cubs have needed, might be showing up at the deadline. “Part of Chicago’s calculus at the trade deadline is its well-rounded position players are good enough to win multiple rounds in October.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Former Cubs first-round pick’s injury saga was even more heartbreaking than believed. “It’s easy to simply put Ed Howard in the ‘draft pick bust’ basket and move on, but there is a lot more to the story of this Chicago Cubs infield prospect. The local prep product hasn’t given up on his big-league dreams just yet.”
- Ron Luce (OnTapSportsNet): David Peterson Has Been an Unsung Hero for Cubs. “One lousy game against the Cardinals aside, David Peterson has been an unsung hero for the Cubs in their starting rotation.”
- Vanessa Serrao (Yardbarker): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong is making the NL MVP race more competitive. “Crow-Armstrong has made the National League MVP race more competitive with his high-caliber defense, historic plate discipline and offensive surge.”
Food For Thought:
(It doesn’t fail — no matter how many times I listen to SRV, the song I’m listening to is his best and my favorite. Until the next song.)
Through the early 1980s Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Texas club circuit, becoming one of the most popular bands in the area. In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. After Double Trouble’s performance, Bowie asked Vaughan to play on his forthcoming album, Let’s Dance, which, with Stevie’s lead guitar on six of the eight songs, became Bowie’s best selling record to date. After an after-hours jam in the artists’ bar Jackson Browne offered the group free recording time at his Downtown Studio in Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, legendary producer John Hammond landed Vaughan and Double Trouble a record contract with Epic, and the band recorded its debut album in two days over the Thanksgiving weekend at Downtown Studios.
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