Cubs
Busch and Shota Imanaga, who was charged with three runs in 5 2/3 innings in the Cubs’ 9-4 victory Saturday against the Royals, were the Cubs’ two major offseason additions.
The Cubs sent two prospects, shortstop Josh Rivera (ranked No. 23 in their farm system, according to MLB Pipeline) and outfielder Yohendrick Pinango (No. 29), to the Blue Jays in the deal.
The Cubs’ offense was quiet, and the Royals’ six-run rally was avoidable.
Notes: MLB trade-deadline action has begun ramping up.
The Cubs are listening to trade calls on a range of players before the deadline Tuesday.
The Cubs lost to the Brewers 3-2 on Wednesday to fall 11 games back in the division standings.
Notes: Outfielder Cody Bellinger could be activated during the upcoming road trip, manager Craig Counsell said.
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon was charged with one run in 7⅓ innings.
Hoyer revealed Monday that the Cubs likely wouldn’t be focused on acquiring rental talent for the second half.
Notes: Cody Bellinger hit on the field Tuesday, taking a step in his injury rehab.
The second game of a three-game series was put on hold with lightning in the area and storms in the forecast.
The July 30 trade deadline is about a week away.
Notes: Manger Craig Counsell gave an injury update on outfielder Cody Bellinger.
‘‘Unless things change over the next week, we probably won’t do a lot of moves that only help us for this year,’’ Hoyer said.
Swanson has career lows in batting average (.210), on-base percentage (.284) and on-base plus slugging (.627).
The Cubs won 2-1 on a bases-loaded walk by second baseman Nico Hoerner to avoid being swept in the three-game series.
The Cubs sit at 47-53 with a negative run differential as their playoff chances dwindle.
“[Hoerner] just plays with a lot of fire,” Jameson Taillon said. “Sometimes it takes an every-day player to get the boys going.”
“It’s just been kind of one guy back, one guy down,” manager Craig Counsell said.
The answer is nothing, of course. In this week’s “Polling Place,” you voted on Bears priorities, the Cubs and the trade-deadline clock, and the futures of White Sox stars Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr.