Cubs having to take the bad with the good this season
It's been quite the roller coaster season for the Cubs.
The big problem is that the lows are much lower than the highs.
For instance, after a solid 6-4 start, the Cubs went 3-14 to fall to 9-18 overall. David Ross' squad then played solid ball for nearly a month, going 14-12 from May 9 to June 4.
But then came a six-game losing streak that included 8-0 and 18-4 losses to the Yankees over the weekend.
"Keep fighting," said outfielder Jason Heyward when asked for the team's mood before the opener of a four-game series against the Padres at Wrigley Field on Monday. "Those days will happen. Doesn't matter what your record is. Look back at some of the best teams, they're gonna have tough days, tough series, tough weekends. That's part of it."
The Cubs' losing streak reached seven as the Padres scored 3 runs in the eighth and went on to post a 4-1 victory. Rowan Wick, on in relief for Justin Steele, allowed four of the five batters he faced to reach. Ross went to Wick despite the fact that Steele had thrown just 77 pitches.
Steele turned in a second straight strong start, allowing 1 run on 6 hits in 7 innings. He truly impressed in the fifth by retiring three straight after allowing back-to-back singles.
The Padres' Yu Darvish (6-3) kept his former team off balance much of the night, allowing 5 hits in 8 innings. He pumped his first and screamed after striking out Ian Happ with runners on first and third to end an eighth-inning threat on his 107th pitch. Darvish went 15-14 with a 3.60 ERA in 51 starts for the Cubs from 2018-20.
The game was delayed one hour, 25 minutes due to a thunderstorm that moved through the area.
The Cubs (23-37) did almost nothing right on their road trip to New York and Baltimore as batters went 0-for-48 with runners in scoring position, and starting pitchers allowed 16 earned runs in 11⅓ innings.
Ross isn't big on team meetings, so he's basically letting everyone play through this rough patch.
"If there's something of concern and something is a real problem as a group in how we're doing one thing that's unexpected ... then maybe I'll get 'em all together," Ross said. "You have to pick your spots and we're in a really long season. The more team meetings you're having the worse you're playing. ... (I) just try to talk to players individually."
Ross was in the batting cage, "hanging with the guys" before Monday's game and said the mood remains upbeat. He noted the music was loud and guys were chilling out together at the lunch table.
"There's not a whole lot to be down about," Ross said. "We're not winning, but we've got a long way to go. Hanging our heads isn't gonna get us there, and being in a bad mood doesn't make it fun to come to work."
Around the horn:
Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch in the first inning Monday, meaning he has now reached base in 15 of his last 16 games. ... Ian Happ is 16-for-44 (.364) with 4 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HRs, 7 walks and 4 RBI in his last 12 games. He needs 6 homes for 100 in his career. ... The Cubs are 30-for-35 in stolen base attempts since May 17. Their 40 total steals are fifth most overall. Jonathan Villar stole second in the fifth inning Monday.