Off day comes at good time for slumping Cubs
If ever a team could use a day off, it's the Cubs.
They've just gone through some pretty high highs and some low lows.
Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds capped a stretch that saw them lose two of three each to the Giants and Dodgers on the West Coast, a trip that concluded with a no-hitter by their own pitcher Jake Arrieta.
They came home and promptly lost two of three to the last-place Reds.
Things were all over the place Wednesday. Before the game even started, the Cubs had to scratch rookie slugger Kyle Schwarber because of right-rib soreness. Schwarber went for an MRI, and the extent of his injury wasn't known.
Speaking of rookies, third baseman Kris Bryant hit a game-tying 2-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game at 4-4.
But in the ninth, a two-out error by Bryant on Jay Bruce's hard-hit grounder set the stage for a 3-run homer by Joey Votto off Cubs closer Hector Rondon.
So how about that day off, Kris?
"It certainly will be nice to chill out a little bit, take a breather, and get right back it," said Bryant, who has 22 homers and a team-leading 84 RBI. "But we signed up for this. I love playing this game. I was thinking that to myself today. I don't know how good the off-day is going to be tomorrow. I kind of want to keep playing. It's been so much fun.
"We've been playing good. It's kind of like you don't really want to stop playing, but I'm sure we all need it."
Despite losing six of their last eight games, the Cubs are 75-57, and they still have a good grip on the second wild-card spot in the National League.
Schwarber has helped them tighten that grip, with his 13 home runs and 38 RBI in just 48 games.
"From what I understand, just in the cage, the batting tunnel this morning, he felt something in his side," said manager Joe Maddon. "Immediately, we just shut it down and got him out of there."
The Cubs are hoping that with the off-day, Schwarber can get some rest and come back OK for Friday's series opener against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley. If Schwarber has suffered any kind of serious oblique injury, he could be out several weeks, much like right fielder Jorge Soler.
The pitching situation continues to be cause for concern, too. Starting pitcher Jason Hammel, who has had only 1 quality start since the all-star break, lasted only 5 innings Wednesday, as he gave up 7 hits and 4 runs.
"Mistakes have cost me lately," said Hammel, who gave up a leadoff homer to Jason Bourgeois in the first inning. "The real thing I want to get out of is the first inning and set a better tone at the beginning of the game. Obviously, it's a Wrigley home run there, but pitch up in the zone, and he handled it. It's a run. It doesn't matter how they put them up. Obviously very frustrated with the way things have been going.
"I'm not looking at trying to prove myself at all, ever. I could care less about proving myself. I know what I can do."
Maddon spun the whole day positively, as he has done all season.
"I just love the way we fought back once again," he said. "We came back. KB gets the big homer. We kept fighting through it. It was a tough day. Their pitcher pitched really well, (Raisel) Iglesias. It's one of those days. We caught up. We felt good about it. Two quick outs in the ninth, and then it fell apart."
• Follow Bruce's baseball reports on Twitter @BruceMiles2112.