The Chicago Cubs continues to spiral downward after suffering their eighth consecutive loss on Sunday, falling 8-5 to the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.
Cubs Swept in Second Straight Home Series
The Cubs held a slim lead until the fifth inning when the Astros broke loose for a five-run frame, highlighted by Christian Walker's 14th home run of the season.
Starter Shota Imanaga allowed seven runs on seven hits across six innings, watching his ERA climb from 3.38 to 4.04. The loss completed a home sweep for the Astros, marking the second consecutive series the Cubs have been swept at Wrigley this month.
The eight-game skid represents the team's longest since dropping nine straight in 2022.
NL Central, Wild Card Standing Update
Following the loss, the Cubs sit at 29-24, placing them 2½ games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central division race.
Chicago currently holds the third and final wild card position in the NL, just one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cubs were a season-best 15 games above .500 as recently as May 8 but have gone just 2-12 since then.
Cabrera Placed on Injured List
The Cubs placed right-hander Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list due to blister issues on the middle finger of his throwing hand.
Acquired from the Miami Marlins in January as part of a four-player trade, Cabrera has provided solid depth to Chicago's rotation this season.
According to the Baseball Prospectus Recovery Dashboard, pitchers missing time with finger blisters average 24 days on the shelf, and the injury often recurs.
Rotation Injuries Mount
The loss of Cabrera adds to the Cubs' mounting injury concerns in the starting rotation:
- Cade Horton — will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery
- Justin Steele — All-Star and 2023 Cy Young finalist suffered a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery; targeted return pushed to after the All-Star break
- Matthew Boyd — 34-year-old All-Star is sidelined after undergoing knee surgery
- Edward Cabrera — now on the 15-day IL with blister issues
The Cubs currently patch together a rotation featuring Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Jordan Wicks (recalled to replace Cabrera), Ben Brown, and Colin Rea.
Up next: a seven-game road trip through Pittsburgh and St. Louis.