Cubs takeaways: Three things we learned in 6-4 loss to Reds
One day after a thrilling come-from-behind win Friday night at Great American Ball Park, the Chicago Cubs dropped the second of three games against the Cincinnati Reds, 6-4.
The Cubs ran into a bit of bad luck Saturday afternoon. They outhit the Reds 11-9 and had an expected batting average of .439 compared to the Reds’ .252, per Baseball Savant.
Cubs starter Colin Rea struck out a season-high eight batters, but he allowed six earned runs in five innings. He’s now 3-1 on the season with a 3.28 ERA.
Here are three takeaways from the game, as the Cubs (31-21) now try to turn the page against the NL Central rival Reds (26-27).
Justin Turner is heating up
Justin Turner has made a beyond-the-field impact on the Cubs this season. Saturday, his impact was on the diamond.
The veteran first baseman crushed his first home run of the season — a 406-foot blast to deep left field — to put the Cubs on the board in the third inning.
Turner, who is 40 years and 182 days old, became the third-oldest Cubs first baseman to homer in a game since 1901. The other two are Ernie Banks in 1971 (40 years, 205 days) and Gary Gaetti in 1999 (41 years, 6 days).
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Including his walk-off double May 13 against the Marlins, Turner has hit .429 over his last six games. He put three balls in play Saturday, all with an exit velocity at 94.5 mph or higher.
Matt Shaw can play third base
Matt Shaw has squared up the ball since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa to start the road trip. The Cub’ rookie third baseman is hitting .400 (8-for-20) with five doubles over his last five games, and he recorded his first career three-hit game Saturday.
Shaw’s offense isn’t the only part of his game that has been impressive. He also has made numerous excellent plays at the hot corner in this series, showing the hard work he put in to improve his defense after the Cubs drafted him in 2023.
Good defense and a hot bat are a good combination for Shaw to stick around in the big leagues.
Miguel Amaya exits with an injury
Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya left Saturday’s game in the fifth inning with a left oblique strain.
The injury occurred when Amaya attempted to throw out Elly De La Cruz as the Reds speedster stole second base. Amaya motioned to the lower left side of his back as Cubs trainer Nick Frangella and manager Craig Counsell went out to check on him.
Carson Kelly came into the game to replace Amaya, and later homered in the ninth inning.
Chicago has only one other catcher — Moisés Ballesteros — on its 40-man roster. Triple-A Iowa also is carrying Carlos Pérez and Reese McGuire at catcher, and since the Cubs currently have one 40-man roster vacancy, either could be added without an additional move.
Pérez and McGuire each have major league experience and could spell Kelly if needed. Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register noted McGuire wasn’t in the I-Cubs’ lineup Saturday night, hinting at a possible call-up.
