A Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005
It’s the start of another week here at BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Thank you for stopping by tonight. We’re always glad to see a friendly face. There’s no cover charge. The dress code is casual. There are still a few tables available. […]
Some movement in the system today as outfielder Josiah Hartshorn and right-hander Mason McGwire were promoted from Low-A Myrtle Beach to High-A South Bend. Both players have been among the best performers in the Cubs minors so far this season. Also, shortstop Alex Madera and first baseman Cameron Sisneros were promoted to Double-A Knoxville from […]
Go get ‘em, Jordan.
Tuesday notes… Cubs lineup: Pirates lineup: Jordan Wicks, LHP vs. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP So here we are, with another pitcher from Triple-A Iowa pressed into service because of a rotation injury. Jordan Wicks was the Cubs’ No. 1 pick out of Kansas State in 2021 and there were great hopes for him to be a […]
Cubs vs. Pirates, Tuesday 5/26, 5:40 CT live! Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates preview, Tuesday 5/26, 5:40 CT
The Cubs are exactly one-third of the way through the 2026 season. Nine games ago, at 29-16, they had a .644 winning percentage, which would be a 104-win pace for a full season. Now? After 54 games and on a nine-game losing streak, their 29-25 record is on pace for just 87 wins. So which […]
This weekly feature, which normally posts on Mondays, is running today because Monday was a holiday and there was a day game to keep our minds occupied, not that the result of that day game was any good. This edition of “who’s hot, who’s not” includes the games of the recently-completed homestand and doesn’t include […]
I’ve written about more than a thousand Cubs games in my years doing this. Never before has this felt more like Groundhog Day. For 23 games, this team overachieved. They caught a lot of breaks and came through in what felt like every big situation. It felt like every single day I was writing that […]
Today’s Reflections Ben Brown’s performance on Monday was tremendous. Six one-run innings on four hits and a pair of walks in a campaign to make himself the No. 1 out of ….. what’s left. No much else to say. Nice homer, Michael. Way to go, defense, to not let the two errors you made cost […]
Normally there is no Minor League Wrap on Monday, but Indianapolis wanted to play a game on Memorial Day. So here we are. Everyone else, including Mesa, is off. Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs raced past Indianapolis (Pirates), 9-7. It wasn’t a great start for Doug Nikhazy, who gave up one run in the first […]
It’s another week here at BCB After Dark: the hippest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us. We’re waiving the cover charge. The dress code is casual. There are still a few good tables available. Bring your own beverage. BCB After Dark is the […]
The headline represents about all I’ve got for the Cubs’ 2-1 loss to the Pirates Monday afternoon, their ninth consecutive defeat. Ben Brown was absolutely dealing. He allowed four hits and a run and struck out seven in six solid innings, throwing 83 pitches (58 strikes). The six-inning effort was his longest of the season, […]
Go get ‘em, Ben.
Monday notes… Cubs lineup: The Pirates lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Pirates lineup. Ben Brown, RHP vs. Carmen Mlodzinski, RHP Ben Brown’s first two starts this year, after being pressed into the rotation due to injuries, were very good. The third, last Tuesday vs. the Brewers, […]
2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 54 Pirates 2, Cubs 1: Should Ben Brown have gone one more inning? Cubs vs. Pirates, Monday 5/25, 5:40 CT live! Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates preview, Monday 5/25, 12:35 CT
SITE NOTE: “Three up, three down,” the review of the previous week for the Cubs, will run tomorrow, since today’s a holiday and there’s an afternoon game today. The Cubs have lost eight straight. That, you already know. The Pirates have lost six of their last nine. Something’s gotta give in this four-game series. For […]
We’ve reached the point where I feel like I’m part of the problem. Not as far as the on the field product of course. What is happening there belongs to this team and this front office. But I feel like a very small part of some of your fandom. Right now I feel about like […]
Happy Monday, everyone, and believe it or not… the last week of May. I’m not quite sure where this year is going, but somehow we are two full months into this baseball season, and unfortunately for some teams, that means it’s time to take a really long, serious look at what they plan to do […]
Free of charge for the discerning reader. Happy birthday to Neil Ramirez, and a mighty host of others. Today in baseball history, in 2002 – With four homers on May 23rd, one on May 24th, and two more today, Shawn Green becomes the first major leaguer to hit seven round-trippers in three games. The Dodgers outfielder’s nine big flies in a week […]
Left-hander Ty Blach has elected free agency. Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs mauled the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 18-4. It was a Sunday bullpen game for Iowa today as Gabe Klobosits started and allowed three runs in the top of the first inning. Memphis didn’t score again until the ninth. The final line on Klobosits was […]
It rained all morning on the North Side of Chicago, but by game time the rain had left the area and it became a beautiful, sunny, late spring afternoon at Wrigley Field. The sky might as well have kept on pouring, because the Astros rained down three home runs off Shōta Imanaga and defeated the […]
Go get ‘em, Shōta.
The Cubs today announced that left-hander Jordan Wicks has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Wicks is replacing Edward Cabrera, who goes on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 21, with a blister on his middle finger. The 26-year-old Wicks started this season on the injured list with left-elbow inflammation. He returned to the mound […]
Sunday notes… Cubs lineup: Astros lineup: Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Peter Lambert, RHP Shōta Imanaga’s last start was… not up to his previous efforts this year. The Brewers hit him hard. Hopefully, that will not be the case this afternoon. He’s been better in day games (2.62 ERA, six starts, two HR in 34.1 innings) […]
Astros 8, Cubs 5: Shōta Imanaga gets bit by the home run bug. Again. Cubs vs. Astros, Sunday 5/24, 1:20 CT live! Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros preview, Sunday 5/24, 1:20 CT