The Chicago Cubs endured a difficult Sunday, falling to the Houston Astros 8-5 while also placing right-handed starter Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list due to blister issues on the middle finger of his throwing hand.
The Cubs held a slim lead until the fifth inning when the Astros broke out for a five-run frame. Much of the damage came on Christian Walker's 14th home run of the season.
Game Recap
Starter Shota Imanaga surrendered seven runs on as many hits in six innings of work, seeing his ERA rise from 3.38 to 4.04. The Cubs have now been swept in back-to-back home series, and their current eight-game skid is their longest since they lost nine in a row in 2022.
The Cubs were a season-best 15 games over .500 as recently as May 8, but have gone just 2-12 since then. Presently, the Cubs sit at 29-24, placing them 2½ games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and in third place for the final wild card position.
During their current losing streak, the Cubs' offense ranks 28th in OPS, and their pitching staff ranks 28th in ERA.
Rotation Concerns
The loss of Cabrera becomes more significant given the Cubs' rotation injuries:
- Cade Horton will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
- Justin Steele suffered a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, pushing his return past the All-Star break.
- Matthew Boyd is sidelined after undergoing knee surgery.
The Cubs currently rotation includes Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, and Colin Rea.
Acquired from the Miami Marlins in January, Cabrera has been solid in his first season with Chicago. According to the Baseball Prospectus Recovery Dashboard, pitchers missing time with finger blisters average 24 days on the sidelines, and recurrences are common.