Chicago Cubs news — PCA, Peterson, Swanson

Today’s Reflections

First off, I want to mention how painful it was for me in the last Cub Tracks to be fair when it came to Jameson Taillon’s return. I placed the qualifier, “….. so if successful …..”.

I was in the middle of the third paragraph on another rant about how I *feel* about him. Started over with two large paragraphs full of stats. All that proved was that Shōta Imanaga and Matthew Boyd are good (or *the Cubs’ best*). The rest (including a healthy Edward Cabrera)? The bottom line is: this is a very flawed rotation and one or two good acquisitions will only clarify things a little. The positive would be that the remaining four guys would no longer be the No. 2 or 3 in the rotation.

Okay, how about the good? Despite the hole Taillon put the Cubs in Monday, the offense kept chipping away with three home runs — the big one was the two-run blast by Ian Happ to tie the game and send it to extras. They just couldn’t get the run in with the bases loaded in the 10th.

On Tuesday, the offense started early with a six-run first. After being almost shutdown on Monday (a walk), PCA started it off in the first with a lead off triple (the first of two hits) and added a bases-loaded walk (one of three walks on the night) in the opening frame. He also added the most casual tracking down of a sure hit I’ve seen. Just a run from right-center to deep left-center, over 100 feet, with a little flicked-out basket catch. It looked so much easier than the diving catch from Monday.

In the two games, Dansby Swanson was 4-for-7 with two walks and three runs scored. Alex Bregman was 3-for-8 with an RBI and three runs scored. Nico Hoerner was a steady 3-for-10 and a run scored. Plus there was Michael Conforto’s pinch-hit, two-run home run Tuesday. That’s a good way to keep the RISP numbers down.

David Peterson was impressive in his 6.2 shutout innings — something that has to keep happening in the lower part of the rotation, however it is put together.

*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

Tuesday’s Game Stories:

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): Peterson puts up plenty of zeros in longest scoreless start since ’25. “As David Peterson headed off the field in the seventh inning on Tuesday night, the lefty experienced his first ovation from the Wrigley Field faithful.”

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Chicago Cubs get a boost in 11-2 win from David Peterson and Michael Conforto.

Monday’s Game Stories:

• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times): Jameson Taillon returns from injured list, but so does tendency to allow long ball. “Taillon allowed a three-run homer to Riley Greene and a solo shot to Dillon Dingler to put the Cubs in an early hole. The hitters bailed him out and eventually tied it, but the Tigers scored three times in the 10th inning for an 8-6 victory.”

• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): Jameson Taillon returns but gives up early homers as Chicago Cubs lose in extra innings. “For the first time in nearly seven weeks, Jameson Taillon took the mound feeling good about finally getting another opportunity to help the Chicago Cubs.”

• Zoe Grossman (Chicago Cubs On SI): 3 Takeaways As Cubs’ Comeback Bid vs. Tigers Comes Apart in Ugly Fashion. “A late rally gave the Cubs a chance to win, but they fell short in extras.”

Injury Talk:

• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Disastrous Phil Maton injury update compounds Cubs’ biggest problem as trade deadline loom. “It sounds like the rest of Phil Maton’s first season with the Chicago Cubs is in jeopardy after his latest injury.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune {$}): ‘I got very lucky’: Chicago Cubs reliever Trent Thornton avoids serious injury after 108.9 mph comebacker. “Roughly 20 hours later, Trent Thornton can laugh about taking a 108.9 mph liner off his left heel.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): New injuries, moves for fill-in help show Cubs still desperate for pitching as trade deadline nears. “Weathering a storm of midsummer injuries in the final weeks before the All-Star break didn’t clear the clouds on the health front for the Cubs, who continue to make small moves with an eye on survival ahead of opportunities for bigger splashes.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs hit with another potential bullpen injury, highlighting need for more pitching. “Trent Thornton left Monday night’s loss to the Tigers, dealing another blow to an already taxed relief corps.”

Trade and Roster Talk:

• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): David Peterson’s brilliance vs Tigers provides reminder for Cubs’ trade deadline balancing act. “The left-hander was lights-out on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Michael Conforto just reinforced why Jeff Passan’s Cubs trade deadline intel looks off. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
• Paul Sullivan (The Athletic {$}): Column: Chicago Cubs will be trade deadline buyers, but how aggressive will Jed Hoyer be? “The Chicago Cubs will be buyers at the trade deadline for the third time in the last four seasons, which means president Jed Hoyer will be active again.”
• Steven Ryan (North Side Baseball): Michael Wacha: The Underrated Trade Target The Cubs Need (Video). “His name isn’t flashy like Tarik Skubal, but Wacha could be exactly what the Cubs need down the stretch.”
• Robin Adams (Yardbarker): Chicago Cubs trade proposal sends Matt Shaw out of town for 2x All-Star pitcher. “Suddenly, Shaw was dispensable. While he is currently on the injured list right now, many people believe the Cubs could still use him in a trade that would bring Chicago something they desperately need: pitching.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Astros’ Nate Pearson trade may have unlocked new Cubs’ trade deadline partner. “Could Kansas City acquiring the former Cubs right-hander hint at what’s to come?”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Craig Counsell’s Cubs have a pitching problem they can’t ignore before October. “There’s a lot of time for priorities to shift ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, but with 12 pitchers on the IL, the Cubs need some help.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Counsell’s Simple Deadline Directive: ‘Just Make Team Better’. “This year’s trade deadline is just 12 days away, and the Cubs will need to add if they want to have a chance at taking down the top teams in the National League.”
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald): With eye on ‘27, Cubs could look for starters before trade deadline. “How can the Cubs get better at the trade deadline?”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Chicago Cubs Sign Outfielder Greg Jones to a Minor League Deal. “A speed-and-glove outfielder (and former first round pick of the Rays), Jones has never hit for a ton of power, but takes his walks and steals a lot of bases.”

Mini PCA-Mania:

• Brett Taylor (North Side Baseball): “Nobody Else” is Making the Plays Pete Crow-Armstrong Does. “Just an unreal player making another unreal play.”
• Mike Petriello (MLB.com): PCA’s latest ridiculous catch gives him a Statcast record. “Cubs center fielder’s 33rd 5-Star catch is most in tracking history.”
• Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times): Pete Crow-Armstrong wowing Cubs brass, who see walk as good as extra-base hit for speedy center fielder. “The All-Star center fielder’s improved plate discipline and base-stealing speed has team president Jed Hoyer suggesting that a walk to Crow-Armstrong is as good as a double, another example of Crow-Armstrong’s impact in an MVP-caliber season.”

Assorted Stories:

• Paul Magno (Yardbarker): Chicago Cubs are stuck with ‘totally unacceptable’ Jameson Taillon. “The Chicago Cubs almost ended up winning a game Monday night they were set up to lose from the first inning.”
• Field Level Media (Deadspin): With Michael Conforto waiting, Cubs vie to take rubber game from Tigers. “The Chicago Cubs have been getting instant offense off the bench from Michael Conforto, who hit his MLB-leading fourth pinch-hit home run of the season in an 11-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.”

• Tyler Courtney (LastWordOnSports): Can the Cubs Catch the Brewers for the NL Central Crown? “The first half of 2026 has seen the National League Central race unfold similarly to how it has for quite some time, much like last year, when the Brewers won the division with a five-game advantage over the Cubs.”
• Cory Sparks (North Side Baseball): Matthew Boyd Is Defeating Father Time By Simply Being Himself. “Matthew Boyd hasn’t surrendered to the whims of time, continuing to get better with age. How has the Cubs’ de facto ace done it?”
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times): Cubs’ Alex Bregman feeling more comfortable at plate, and it’s showing. ““The first two days just felt a little off,” Bregman said Sunday. “What we were working on right before the break felt better today. The swing felt just like it did in Cincinnati, which was nice.”“

Food For Thought:

Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His singing, guitar playing and songwriting on his landmark 1936 and 1937 recordings have influenced later generations of musicians. Although his recording career spanned only seven months, he is recognized as a master of the blues, particularly the Delta blues style, and as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as perhaps “the first ever rock star”.

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