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Matt Duffy drives in 5 runs, but the Chicago Cubs fall to the Detroit Tigers 9-8 in 10 innings for their 4th loss in 5 games

paul sullivan, chicago tribune
·4 min read

It’s difficult to watch a Chicago Cubs game this season without pondering whether it’ll be the last year Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo all will be together.

Unless they come to an agreement on contract extensions, all three Cubs stars will become free agents in November. And if it doesn’t happen in the next two months, the trade rumors will be flying before the July 31 deadline.

“It’ll be weird if all three of those guys leave and become free agents and go somewhere else,” former Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said Saturday during a teleconference from Phoenix, where he was playing for the Washington Nationals.

“It’ll definitely be weird seeing them in different uniforms, but unfortunately that’s the nature of what we do. The Cubs have a business to run, and they have to do what they feel is necessary to set them up for the future, whether it be financially or the guys on the field. It’s a hard thing to separate, but hopefully those guys are all there and it’s a moot question and they continue to have that core.

“I’m sure it’ll be very hard to keep all three of them there. (It’d be) a little different Cubs look if all three of them aren’t there.”

While Lester knows firsthand there’s life after the Cubs, Rizzo, Bryant and Baez have to focus on the present while putting their future on the backburner.

Rizzo drove in three runs and Matt Duffy homered and drove in five in a 9-8, 10-inning loss to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday at Comerica Park. It was the Cubs’ fourth loss in five games.

Duffy’s three-run home run in the fifth gave the Cubs a 7-6 lead, but a run-scoring infield single by Miguel Cabrera tied it in the seventh. Rookie Keegan Thompson entered in the eighth and struck out five of the seven batters he faced to help send it into extra innings, and Duffy’s RBI single in the 10th put the Cubs back in front.

But Nomar Mazar tied it with a one-out, RBI single off closer Craig Kimbrel. After pinch runner JaCoby Jones stole second with two outs, Harold Castro singled him home for the walk-off win.

Starter Trevor Williams and Alec Mills were charged with six combined runs in 3⅔ innings, forcing manager David Ross to use six more relievers. Ross said the Tigers hitters weren’t “fooled by much” of Williams’ stuff, which led to the early exit.

With the return of Ian Happ from the injured list Saturday, the Cubs finally have all their key offensive pieces for the first time in a while. Happ was injured in an outfield collision with Nico Hoerner on May 2 in Cincinnati. Ross inserted Happ in the No. 6 hole while leaving Joc Pederson in the leadoff spot.

Pederson tripled to lead off the game for his 12th hit in 19 at-bats, and despite going hitless his final four plate appearances figures to stick at the top spot while the .157-hitting Happ searches for consistency.

“I guess it’s who is swinging the bat best,” Ross said of the leadoff spot. “So for me, easing Happer back into it makes some sense, but Joc looks good at the top right now, and we’ll ride that.”

Bryant, who homered Friday to lead the Cubs past the Tigers, came into the day leading the majors with a .667 slugging percentage. He scored in his first three at-bats Saturday after coaxing a walk and reaching on a pair of infield hits.

Ross said Bryant’s confidence has returned full force following a disappointing 2020 performance.

“When you’ve had the type of success,” Ross said before pausing. “We keep talking like this is some anomaly. He’s a former MVP. Let’s give the guy some credit. … The guy has been a really good baseball player for a really long time. It’s no surprise.”

With the loss, the Cubs spoiled a chance to move back to .500, falling to 18-20. Kyle Hendricks will take the mound Sunday.