The Rundown: Cubs Miss Chance to Sweep Rangers, Steele to IL, MLB Considering Salary Cap Ahead of 2026 CBA Talks

“You look at me, you’ve got nothing left to say. I moan and pout at you until I get my way.” – Only Wanna Be With You by Hootie & The Blowfish

A sweep, a sweep, my kingdom for a sweep. Why are they so hard to come by for Chicago’s North Side Baseballers? Sure, the Cubs are 9-6 and have won three straight series, but they could have swept all three. Chicago would be riding a nine-game winning streak were it not for a tough 8-7 loss to the Padres and yesterday’s 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Rangers, who were aided by three cheap home runs.

Maybe I’m being greedy, but the Brewers are hot on the Cubs’ heels, sitting just a half-game behind in the standings despite a rotation that goes one deep, a shaky bullpen, and an inconsistent offense. Milwaukee’s approach to roster-building runs contrary to other perennial or would-be division winners, including the Cubs. GM Matt Arnold has an uncanny ability to stack 10-12 players who provide 2.5 WAR or more at below-market prices. Jed Hoyer had six players of similar ilk on his 2024 roster.

The Cubs’ next 15 games come against the Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks, and Phillies, cage matches that seem less daunting if you enter that swing with an 11-4 record instead. Chicago will also have to march forward without Justin Steele. Winning six of 15 would leave the Cubs at .500 after 30 games: Anything above that is gravy. That said, Milwaukee follows a three-game series against Arizona with tilts against the Tigers, Athletics, and Cardinals. The Cubs will fall behind the Brewers very quickly if they go 6-9 before their schedule lightens up in May.

Milwaukee is as annoying as it gets for Cubs fans. Perhaps there is something in the water here, but I’d bet I could be a two-win player if I suited up for the Brewers, and I’m 61 years old. The last thing the Cubs need is to fall too far behind this early in the season because nobody plays better with a division lead than the Brewers. Chicago’s inability to match Milwaukee’s resiliency and consistency will be the cross Hoyer bears long beyond his tenure on the North Side.

Pitching matchups overwhelmingly favor the Dodgers in this weekend’s three-game set. The Cubs will send Matthew Boyd to the mound against Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Friday, and Ben Brown will draw Rōki Sasaki on Saturday. Chicago’s Sunday starter is TBD, but don’t expect them to promote Cade Horton. Colin Rea or Jordan Wicks could get the start against Tyler Glasnow, or Craig Counsell may lean on his bullpen the entire game.

Cubs News & Notes

• The Cubs finished 4-2 on the homestand, which included several positives, particularly the team’s ability to score runs in bunches.
• It appears that Dansby Swanson has rediscovered his power stroke.
• Steele has elbow tendinitis, but it is not considered serious. He missed time last year with a similar injury.
• Ethan Roberts will take Steele’s place on the roster for now.
• Shōta Imanaga suffered through his first bumpy start of the season, but it wasn’t as bad as the box score indicates.
• Imanaga was ninth in the MLB power rankings before yesterday’s start.
• The Cubs have been aggressive on the basepaths, but they’ve also been very selective at the plate while showing excellent command of the strike zone.
• Kyle Tucker is open to a contract extension with the Cubs but is taking a wait-and-see approach. His next contract could match or exceed the $500 million Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agreed to with the Blue Jays.
• After speaking with Tucker’s agent, Lance Brodzowski of Marquee expects 10 years and $475 million will be the slugger’s minimum ask.
• Infield prospect James Triantos is turning heads at Iowa, according to the fine folks at Baseball America.
• Celebrities Jack White and John Cusack braved this week’s cold weather to attend the games at Wrigley Field.
• A pair of fans who apparently didn’t know each other previously went viral for sharing a hot dog during Wednesday’s game.
• The Cubs couldn’t charge rent to a Canada Goose that nested in centerfield, so they’ll profit from the sales of a $35 bobblehead in honor of said bird.

Odds & Sods

The Dead End Pirates beat the Keystone Cardinals 2-1 in a game played with pristine precision.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE #Pirates vs #Cardinals game?!?! pic.twitter.com/abGNp0GRTr

— Jack Ritchie (@JackFromWoo) April 9, 2025

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee (7-5): The Brewers placed starter Nestor Cortés on the 15-day IL with a low-grade elbow strain. The loss of Cortés leaves Milwaukee with Freddy Peralta as the only healthy pitcher among those projected to be in the five-man rotation this season
• St. Louis (5-7): The Red Sox need a catcher and would consider a trade for Willson Contreras. Christian Vázquez and William Contreras are also options.
• Pittsburgh (5-8): The Pirates’ executive team is angering the team’s fans more than ever this season. You could make a case that Bob Nutting is the worst owner in baseball.
• Cincinnati (5-8): The Reds are the first team since the 1913 Phillies and Dodgers to play four 1-0 games through the first 12 games of the season.

How About That!

MLB is weighing the pros and cons of a salary cap as a potential lockout in 2026 looms.

Ex-Cub Mark DeRosa will manage the US team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Michael Hill has been named the team’s GM.

Marlins prospect Emarrion Boyd swiped six bases on Wednesday without registering a hit.

Ex-MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco are among those who died when the roof of a Dominican Republic nightclub collapsed.

It lacks the passion of Friday Night Lights’ “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” but the Pirates are rolling with “Chest hair, gut’s out, Bucs win!” That’s when they win, of course.

The White Sox continually find new ways to lose, and Mike Tauchman probably wishes he were still playing on the North Side.

Wednesday’s Three Stars

1. Corey Seager: This one comes with an asterisk because Seager hit two cheap home runs aided by Wrigley Field’s baskets.
2. Matt Mervis: The ex-Cub was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, leading the Marlins to a 5-0 win over the Mets. Mervis is batting .276 and leads all Miami starters with a .899 OPS, though had has struck out 13 times in 29 at-bats.
3. Randy Arozarena: The Mariners would have lost to the Astros without their one-man wrecking crew. Arozarena paced Seattle to a 7-6 win with five RBI on a 2-for-3 night.

Extra Innings

Seiya Suzuki has 15 RBI in 15 games, a blistering pace to start the season. He and Tucker have combined for 27 runs, nine homers, and 31 RBI.

This offense does not quit!

Seiya gives the Cubs the lead 👏 pic.twitter.com/kCzQHcXplf

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 9, 2025

They Said It

• “It’s a winning homestand, and on to the next challenge. The next challenge is ahead of you, and that’s how we’ve got to look at it.” – Counsell
• “It was a great homestand against two good teams – two series wins after a good road trip, and now we’ll go on the road and try to do it again. The most impressive thing is the ways we scored runs. Not a lot of home runs – this week it wasn’t going to happen. To be able to score in different ways – guys walking and also the baserunning – it’s doing the little things right. We did a lot of that.” – Ian Happ
• “It was what [Guerrero] wanted to do, and I’m sure he loves playing in Toronto and everything. So that’s great for him. But everyone’s a little different. Right now, I’m here to play this year and play for the Cubs. So I’m excited to get out there and play and just kind of see where everything goes after that. It’s been great ever since I’ve been over here. Everyone’s been nice, and the hospitality has been great. And obviously, you guys can walk around this facility — it’s really nice. So I don’t know. I’m just here to play some baseball and see what happens after that.” – Tucker
• “I spoke to someone today at Excel Sports Management, which is Tucker’s agency, and I made them give me an estimate for Tucker’s eventual contract, whether it be in free agency or an in-season extension. And the number they gave was 10 years and $475 million. Sure, it’s a biased source, within his agency. Of course they’re going to promote him. Absolutely. But I thought it was actually somewhat reasonable, and I think it’s a good over-under for what he eventually will receive.” – Brozdowski

Thursday Walk-Up Song

The song cleverly critiques how the music industry prioritizes catchy hooks over meaningful lyrics. Ironically, it became a huge hit, proving its point. The song also blends in biting social and political commentary, making it one of the more underrated pop songs of the last 50 years.