Cubs need to 'flip the switch' after loss to Rays
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The margins for the Cubs are thin.
The injuries to rotation members Matthew Boyd (left biceps) and Cade Horton (right forearm) and the offense getting off to a slow start mean the Cubs don’t have much room for error.
The offense managed only four hits but still managed to leave some runs on the table in a 6-4 loss Monday to the Rays.
In the second inning, the Cubs put runners on first and second after back-to-back walks to
Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw struck out, but Miguel Amaya kept the inning alive with another walk to load the bases before Nico Hoerner delivered a two-run single. Instead of piling on, however, Alex Bregman popped out to end the inning.
The Cubs had Rays starter Shane McClanahan on the ropes but were unable to knock him out. He eventually went four innings, allowing two runs and one hit with five strikeouts and four walks.
‘‘We needed to win one more at-bat,’’ manager Craig Counsell said afterward. ‘‘The next inning, we hit three balls really good and got nothing for it. [McClanahan] got through it, and then we just didn’t do much against their bullpen.’’
‘‘I thought a lot of the guys put together good at-bats,’’ Bregman told the Sun-Times. ‘‘We haven’t really played our best baseball early, but we’ve got to flip a switch and start playing better.’’
The loss dropped the Cubs to 4-6. It’s still April, so it’s too early to panic, but some worry is warranted.
As Counsell mentioned, the Cubs also were a bit unlucky. They had some well-struck balls that didn’t fall. In the third, Ian Happ and Carson Kelly had hard-hit flyouts with expected batting averages of .370 and .540, respectively.
‘‘We have very good hitters,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘Some of them are not succeeding right now, [but] they will in a big way. And on top of that, we’re light on some breaks. But you’ve got to put more runs on the board to win baseball games.’’
Horton update
Horton had imaging on his forearm Monday in Chicago. He and the Cubs are awaiting the results, then can assess the next steps. The results are expected in the next couple of days.
Horton was Cubs’ best pitcher after the All-Star break last season, posting a 1.03 ERA.
Welcome back, Tropicana Field
For the first time in 561 days, the Rays hosted a proper home game after Hurricane Milton destroyed the roof at Tropicana Field in October 2024. They played last season at Steinbrenner Field in nearby Tampa.
The city of St. Petersburg invested $60 million to repair the roof and refurbish parts of the stadium. It now features new artificial turf, an upgraded videoboard and refreshed clubhouse carpets.