Cubs takeaways: What we learned as Chicago seals sixth consecutive series win
CHICAGO — The calendar flipped to June with the Cubs looking to build off a strong May.
They did just that Sunday, beating the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 at Wrigley Field to pick up their sixth consecutive series win.
The win improves the Cubs to 37-22 as they jet off for a nine-game road trip to face the Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. It’ll be tied for their longest road trip of the season.
Here are three takeaways from the win over Cincinnati (29-31):
Injury scare
Kyle Tucker has been a key contributor for a Cubs team that has built one of the game’s best offenses. So, when he was removed from Sunday’s game after the fourth inning, it was fair for Cubs fans to worry.
But it seems Tucker and the Cubs avoided a worst-case scenario, as the star right fielder left with a jammed right ring finger. The Cubs have an off day Monday before the road trip, so Tucker will have an extra day to rest.
Yes, the Cubs have a plethora of intriguing prospects in Triple-A who are ready to contribute in Chicago, but there’s no replacing someone like Tucker. He’s a top-10 hitter in baseball and completely changes the dynamic of the Cubs’ lineup.
Tucker, who doubled and scored in the Cubs’ four-run third, has a .918 OPS this season. The Cubs need him healthy.
Three’s wild
Seiya Suzuki crushed a one-out fly ball that looked destined for the bleachers in the third inning. But the Wrigley winds knocked it down, keeping Tucker on second base.
This Cubs offense, though, has shown their ability to score in a variety of ways — and they showed it again Sunday. Pete Crow-Armstrong followed Suzuki with a single for his 51st RBI of the season, and he scored one batter later on a Dansby Swanson double. Michael Busch put the exclamation point on the inning with a two-run homer that cut through the wind.
Much was made of the winds at Wrigley in 2024. It suppressed offense and created questions for the Cubs in the offseason. This homestand was one of the first true tests of the wind for the offense — the Cubs averaged just 3.33 runs over the six games after scoring 27 runs in the three-game set in Cincinnati before.
Yes, part of that is on the pitching and defense (which we’ll get to), but the offense found ways to push across runs and capped off a 5-1 homestand.
Quality Taillon
It’s felt like you can just copy-and-paste Jameson Taillon’s pitching line lately – he’s thrown four consecutive quality starts and has eight in 12 starts this year. The Cubs’ veteran right-hander has been dependable for a rotation that has been anything but this season because of injuries, with a 5-3 record and a 3.76 ERA.
Taillon isn’t logging double-digit strikeout games, but he’s keeping opposing lineups at bay with a steady approach that can’t be overlooked. It’s not flashy, but the Cubs will gladly take those performances.
Taillon allowed just two baserunners in his first five innings of work Sunday, and his only blemish was a two-run homer by Elly De La Cruz — a special moment for the Reds shortstop, who lost his sister Saturday.
When Taillon exited in the seventh inning, he did so to a loud ovation from the 40,179 fans at Wrigley.
