Cubs' demoralizing 6-0 loss to Royals captures frustrations of 2024 season

KANSAS CITY – Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks adjusted the brim of his hat and looked back to home plate, the Kauffman Stadium fountains dancing behind him.

In a game the Cubs would go on to lose 6-0, the fifth inning got away from Hendricks, the Royals’ six-run rally capped with a three-run home run from veteran Salvador Perez, prompting the water display.

The loss, which plunged the Cubs deeper into a rut four days before the trade deadline, was one of their most demoralizing of the year. It dropped the team to 6 ½ games back of the last Wild Card spot, highlighted its latest offensive rut, and came down to one inning that could have been over much earlier.

“That flyball on the fifth,” right fielder Seiya Suzuki said, “If I caught that, the home run wouldn't have happened, and we would have built momentum into the next inning. So reflecting back, I should have caught that fly ball.”

It was still a scoreless game with two outs in the fifth inning and two runners on. Then Adam Frazier hit a blooper into shallow right field.

Suzuki made a bad read on the ball, dropping back before realizing it was going to land in front of him. That was the difference between a catch and a single. He made the stop on a short hop sliding in. Two runs scored.

Hendricks threw his hands up and then put them on his hips. He gave up two more singles and a home run before getting out of the inning.

“Made a lot of good pitches,” said Hendricks, who allowed eight hits and struck out four in five innings. “Did everything I really wanted. The Salvy one was the one bad pitch, put a good swing on that. But I probably shouldn't be in that situation.”

It was a frustrating moment in a frustrating season that’s landed the team on the wrong side of trade rumors.

Instead of gearing up for additions for a playoff push, reports continue to indicate contenders’ interest in acquiring Cubs players. Right-handed starter Jameson Taillon has been the most common subject of the buzz around the team.

Taillon, on a four-year deal worth $68 million, has two more years on his contract after this season. And he’s carried a strong second-half last year into a consistent 2024 season. His 2.96 ERA is the second-best on the team, behind Shota Imanaga (2.86).

Although the Cubs are willing to listen to trade calls on much of their roster, vowing to be opportunistic, they would need a substantial return to make trading Taillon make sense.

Even with a haul in return, losing Taillon would be a significant blow to the Cubs’ dwindling chances of competing post trade deadline and likely the morale of a group that’s supposed to be the core of “The Next Great Cubs Team.”

Both their chances and spirits, however, have taken a dive even before Hoyer has made any major-league trades.

The Cubs were surging going into the All-Star break. But since, they’ve gone 2-5 and scored only nine runs.

This stretch stands in contract to last season, when the Cubs flipped their trade deadline fate with a swift climb.

“Definitely two opposites there,” Hendricks said. “Going the wrong direction right now. … We focus on what we can control, come into the ballpark tomorrow. Luckily, we’ve got Shota out there [starting]. So, set the tone, and just try and go get that one tomorrow.”