Chicago Cubs go under .500 on the road, but should enjoy a nice home stand

The Chicago Cubs ended their road trip with a disappointing loss to the National League East Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs were without their star centerfielder, Pete Crow-Armstrong, as manager Craig Counsell decided to sit the MVP candidate, stating he was looking to get him a day off at some point.

Crow-Armstrong has been a standout for the Cubs this season, and not having his energetic presence and thunderous bat in the lineup could be why the Cubs appeared flat yesterday. It could also be that it was a getaway day for the Cubs, with them returning home for a nice stretch at home, which could get them back on track.

The Chicago Cubs go 4-5 on the road

The Cubs’ road trip wasn’t all bad, with them going 4-5 and being beaten by a score of five runs or more in one game, which was yesterday. The road trip started with the Cubs traveling to the capital to play the Washington Nationals, who have proven to be one of the more pesky teams in the National League.

The Cubs managed to take two of three from the Nationals, making sure to outscore them 15-6 and helping to keep rookie Cade Horton undefeated. The Cubs then traveled to Detroit to play the Tigers, who showed why they’re one of the top teams in baseball by taking two of three from the Cubs.

The Cubs’ road trip ended with the Cubs dropping two of three from the Phillies, and only seeing Matthew Boydpitch well, as Colin Rea and Ben Brown gave up 10 earned runs combined. The series also showed the Cubs that they should’ve traded for left-hander Jesús Luzardo when they had the chance, as he mowed down the Cubs hitters by striking out 10 of them.

The Cubs have a nice stretch of home games coming up

Thankfully for the Cubs, they have a long stretch of games taking place at home, with it kicking off today with a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the fifth-worst team in baseball, and they sit dead last in the National League Central. The series does come with a catch, as the Cubs do face Paul Skenes, who is the favorite to win the National League Cy Young award.

After the Pirates, the Cubs face another divisional opponent in the Milwaukee Brewers, who sit 5.5 games back in the division. It will be imperative for the Cubs to take two of three from the Brew Crew, as this series could help the Brewers get back within distance of the lead for the Central.

The homestead wraps up with the Seattle Mariners coming to town. The Mariners have been up and down this season, and the recent injury to right-hander Bryce Miller doesn’t help their cause. The Mariners’ best player has been their catcher, Cal Raleigh, who is a front-runner for the MVP award in the American League, and if the Cubs can keep his bat quiet, they should do well.

The Cubs haven’t had an off day since June 2 and won’t have another until Monday. If the Cubs are to do well against the Pirates and the rest of the homestead, they’ll need to find ways to prevent themselves from tiring out.