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Bleed Cubbie Blue

A Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005

Latest Entries

2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 52

Heavy sigh. This is as weird of a Cubs season to follow as I can remember. You’ve heard me say it so many times. This team is better than it’s looked over the last two weeks. We knew it was never as good as it looked the three weeks before that. But somewhere in the […]

Chicago Cubs news and notes — Alcantara, Rea, Hoerner

Today’s Reflections Well, Nico Hoerner did do something I never saw Ryno do. That, and three singles, was all that there was to talk about after Saturday’s game. Better luck, and lineup, Sunday. I had a little fun below, but I think Kevin Alcantara can provide a spark, a break, motivation — something — for […]

Cubs Minor League Wrap: Iowa stops Memphis, 6-4

Catcher Casey Opitz was activated off the Development List and returned to Iowa. Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs clipped the wings of the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 6-4. Starter Paul Campbell threw the first six inning and allowed three runs on six hits. Two of the three runs came on a home run by rehabbing Lars […]

MLB

Astros 3, Cubs 0: In which I criticize Craig Counsell’s lineup choices

So let me get this straight. After Friday’s loss to the Astros, here’s what Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he would do: So what do we get as “something different”? Pete Crow-Armstrong leading off, Nico Hoerner batting cleanup and Ian Happ getting a day off. That’s it. That’s not a “different look,” in my view. […]

Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros preview, Saturday 5/23, 1:20 CT

Today’s roster move: Here Saturday notes… Cubs lineup: Astros lineup: Colin Rea, RHP vs. Kai-Wei Teng, RHP Colin Rea’s last start was pretty bad, so let’s try to ignore it. (Yes, I know you can’t really do that.) In fact, over his last five starts Rea has posted a 7.04 ERA and 1.913 WHIP and […]

Cubs vs. Astros Saturday 5/23 game threads

2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 52 Astros 3, Cubs 0: In which I criticize Craig Counsell’s lineup choices Cubs vs. Astros, Saturday 5/23, 1:20 CT live! Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros preview, Saturday 5/23, 1:20 CT

Cubs roster move: Kevin Alcántara recalled, Nicky Lopez DFA

The Cubs, on a six-game losing streak and in an offensive funk, have made a roster move that could shake things up, if only a bit. Outfielder Kevin Alcántara has been recalled from Triple-A Iowa. In 41 games for Iowa this year, Alcántara is batting .242/.339/.567 (38-for-157) with 15 home runs. The power is good, […]

2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 51

It isn’t often that a team wins 10 straight and so quickly thereafter loses six straight. But it’s been that kind of year for the Cubs. Every single year there is a stretch where the Cubs run into a number of elite pitchers and the bats go into a funk. To my eye, they’ve held […]

Chicago Cubs news and notes — Ramirez, Alcantara, PCA

Today’s Reflections Pedro Ramirez has been called up to replace Matt Shaw, who is on the 10-day injured list with back soreness. Ramirez will fill in the super-sub role, but with Nicky Lopez who can fill the infield portion of the role, Ramirez would be free for the outfield (if ready). He could have been […]

MLB

Cubs Minor League Wrap: South Bend ebbs the Whitecaps, 5-4

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs were caught hibernating by the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 8-4. Javier Assad started and gave up five runs in the first inning. He settled down after that, but he still got the loss. The final line on Assad was five runs on six hits over 3.2 innings. He walked two and […]

Astros 4, Cubs 2: RISPy business. Again.

I could just post this here and end this recap and every single one of you would understand exactly what the problem is with the Chicago Cubs. But you come here for a game recap and you shall have one, even though you probably won’t like it. The Cubs lost to the Astros 4-2 and […]

Cubs call up INF Pedro Ramírez; Matt Shaw to IL

The Cubs today announced that one of their top prospects, 2B/3B Pedro Ramírez, has been promoted to Chicago to make his major-league debut. In a corresponding move, infielder Matt Shaw has been placed in the injured list with lower back tightness. The Cubs signed Ramírez in January of 2021 out of Venezuela for a $75,00 […]

Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros preview, Friday 5/22, 1:20 CT

Today’s roster move: Friday notes… Cubs lineup: Astros lineup: Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Maybe we should just pretend Jameson Taillon’s last start didn’t happen. Oh, you can’t do that. Right. So: Five home runs and eight runs given up to the White Sox. Don’t do that again, Jamo. Taillon has also had […]

On The Horizon: Cubs vs. Astros series preview

Before we get to the Astros, a note: The Cubs moved half a game ahead of the Cardinals into second place in the NL Central when St. Louis lost to Pittsburgh on Thursday. The Astros started the year 6-3, but since then have gone 14-28. Only the Angels (13-28) are worse over that span. So […]

Chicago Cubs history unpacked — May 22

Free of charge for the discerning reader. Happy birthday to Jacob Turner*, and a mighty host of others. Today in baseball history, 1930 – In Philadelphia, the Yankees and the Athletics continue the home run barrage as the Yankees take both games of a second straight doubleheader, 10-1 and 20-13. Babe Ruth hits a pair of home runs in the opener, as […]

Cubs Minor League Wrap: South Bend blasts West Michigan, 7-1

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs were blue after losing to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), 1-0. Iowa wasted a terrific start from Jordan Wicks, who tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Wicks struck out two and walked two. Luis Peralta hit a batter to open the sixth inning and after a stolen base, a […]

The Short Porch is thinking about blisters

Blisters might not seem like much from the outside, and to be clear those have a much better prognosis than, say, forearm or tricep soreness. That said, Edward Cabrera’s latest injury is a frustrating reminder that even something as small as a blister can have a big impact on a rotation held together with tape […]

What kind of starting pitcher could the Cubs acquire… right now?

The Cubs, as you know, have had multiple pitching injuries. That list got a bit longer Wednesday when Edward Cabrera left the game with a blister. Fortunately, that’s not usually a serious injury. Maybe he misses a start, maybe not. The Cubs are not alone in having many rotation starters injured. Look at the Blue […]

2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 50

Following game 43, I did some digging and saw that every full-season Cub team going back to 2003 had at least one five-game losing streak. So while this streak feels like it came out of nowhere, it’s not all that out of the ordinary. The good Cub teams in that stretch had a streak at […]