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Today’s Reflections
Yeah. That was fun Wednesday. Really fun.
There is a lot of talk about the 23-3 blasting of the Padres below, and plenty of talk about Dansby Swanson hitting out of his mind, so I won’t regurgitate all the names, numbers and legends involved.
I was just reflecting on this first half of the season. No matter where the Cubs finish this season, it will still be a season to remember. Two 10-game winning streaks in a 23-game span when everything was clicking. A 10-game losing streak when it all was falling apart. PCA doing things just a couple of guys have done before. Swanson matching a gathering of legends. While they were killing it, Seiya Suzuki was steadily pumping out key hits and improved defensive play. Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ and Michael Conforto are starting stir a bit at the plate. All of this during a 15-4 run in the Cubs’ last 19 games. And don’t forget the 10 walk-off wins they have already collected. All in all, the Cubs have positioned themselves for a run for the Central Division title.
Yes, we have to hold our breath with each start and pitching change as the staff keeps its head just above water. But there have been some remarkable games and performances we won’t forget.
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Stories from Wednesday’s game:
- Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Dansby Swanson hits 3 homers, 8 RBIs as Cubs torch Padres 23-3. “Dansby Swanson’s historic day included a grand slam and the most RBIs by a Cubs player since Sammy Sosa had nine in 2002.”
- Field Level Media (Deadspin): Cubs smack 8 homers, score 23 runs while steamrolling Padres. “The Cubs, hit five home runs Tuesday in a 9-7 win and eight on Wednesday to sweep the series and win their fifth consecutive game.”
- Casey Drotter (MLB.com): Dansby shines (3 HRs, 8 RBIs) in Cubs’ historic 23-run, 8-HR romp. “It wasn’t so long ago that the Cubs were scuffling, trying to regain their footing after navigating through a 10-game losing streak.”
- Casey Drotter (MLB.com): 100! Suzuki’s monster HR sends Cubs slugger into Japanese-born history. “The Cubs’ right fielder became just the fourth Japanese-born big leaguer to reach that milestone.”
- Zoe Grossman (Chicago Sun-Times): 3 Takeaways After Cubs Hit Record-Tying Number of Home Runs to Sweep Padres. “Dansby Swanson and Michael Conforto each had multi-homer games as the Cubs put up 23 runs in the series finale.”
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A deserved block of stories about Dansby Swanson’s run of late:
- Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs On SI): Cubs’ Dansby Swanson Is So Hot, He’s Putting Up Sammy Sosa Numbers (Seriously). “The Cubs shortstop’s 26 RBI in 10 games surpassed Sosa for the most in that span.”
- Andrew Wright (Yardbarker): Cubs’ Dansby Swanson is on an all-time hot streak. “It took some time for things to click, but Dansby Swanson has officially caught fire.”
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Dansby Swanson’s RBI Binge Puts Him Rarefied Air Among Several Legends. “Not all that long ago, certain segments of Cubs fandom were begging for Dansby Swanson to be benched or even released.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Behind Dansby Swanson, Cubs’ resurgent bats bash 13 homers in two days: ‘RBIs are a good thing, right?’ “Swanson hit five homers and drove in 11 runs in two games as the Cubs’ offense exploded against the Padres, showing what it’s capable of as the team chases championship-level goals.”
Some PCA stories:
- Ryan Herrera (Just Baseball): Pete Crow-Armstrong Wins a Much-Deserved NL Player of the Month. “Pete Crow-Armstrong, the young Chicago Cubs star, put together a month to remember.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): As Pete Crow-Armstrong moves past spectacular June, is MVP talk in his future? ‘That dude can carry a team’. “The Cubs’ center fielder put up one of the best statistical months that baseball has ever seen in June. With him standing among the game’s best players midway through the season, will “MVPETE” become a reality?“
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong has turned his biggest weakness into a major strength. “Chicago Cubs superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong is closing the gap on Shohei Ohtani in the NL MVP race, thanks to a huge adjustment he’s made at the plate.”
Trade Talk and Injury News:
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Cubs Injury Updates: Taillon, Cabrera, Palencia, Maton, Miller, Wiggins. “A few Chicago Cubs injury updates for your off-day updating … , Jameson Taillon’s rehab start will be for the Iowa Cubs on Sunday.”
- Steve Drumwright (North Side Baseball): Drew Pomeranz Returns To Cubs’ Bullpen. “The left-hander had been released by the Angels a couple weeks ago, but finds a second life in 2026 with Chicago, where he pitched last season.”
- Matt Sullivan (Sporting News): Cubs trade idea with Red Sox reunites with beloved closer for two notable prospects. “This would be a huge move for the Cubs, but a very fun one.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Amid pitching injuries, Cubs need Matthew Boyd to make big impact as summer goes on: ‘That’s our ace’. “The Cubs need Boyd, who has made only seven starts this season due to injuries, show up in a big way as they spend the summer waiting for health to return to their pitching staff.”
Assorted stories:
- Casey McAleer (Da Windy City): Cubs’ five-game winning streak has finally put the NL Central back within reach. “Chicago’s recent surge has transformed what once looked like a lost season into a manageable climb.”
- Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): 3 takeaways from Chicago Cubs’ series sweep, including Dansby Swanson’s hot streak and pitchers stepping up. “The Chicago Cubs’ 23 runs Wednesday were their most in a game in 31 years, while their eight home runs tied the franchise record.”
- Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Is the Chicago Cubs’ Hitting Getting Hot at the Perfect Moment? “How June Sparked the Cubs Hitting.”
- Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune {$}): Column: Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer defends Alex Bregman’s running lapse, calling it a ‘nonissue’. “Alex Bregman’s reputation should provide him with the benefit of the doubt from fans upset he didn’t run at full speed on a grounder during Sunday’s game in Milwaukee.”
- Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Who Can Fill the Gap in the Cubs Right Field? “The combination of (Seiya Suzuki and Matt Shaw) left the team feeling confident, with solid depth across the rest of the organization. However, that has quickly taken a turn for the worse due to injuries. Now, the team is desperate to find a solution as it looks to build on its recent hot streak.”
Food For Thought:
Big ED Sullivan comes from Brooklyn, New York. He grew not far from the Gowanus canal, but god knows he never fished there! But, he spent hours and hours shaprening his talents on guitar and harmonica while watching his friends falling like flies, victims of drugs and gang wars.
“Yes,” says ED, “Music for me was an escape, but at the same time, it was really what saved me from the street and from a choice that could have ruined my life.” It was this escape, like the influence of some of the great names of the blues and rockabilly — such as Slim Harpo, Albert Collins, Danny Gatton and Link Wray — which inspired Ed’s style. All these musicians hold a special place in Ed’s list of musical gods. No one plays the guitar like Ed. He has a way of transforming a melody of traditional blues or rockabilly by adding all his personality to it. His slide guitar playing is perfectly wild.
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