Cub Tracks drops one in extras

Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, featuring material from current beat writers, bloggers, and the occasional in-house habitué, moonlighting. These pieces center around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball and attempt to distill the zeitgeist into a potent potable. Please enjoy immoderately.

Some good things going on for our Cubs. Seiya Suzuki returned quite successfully, Marcus Stroman returns today, others are getting closer. Willson Contreras an All-Star starter. Kyle Hendricks won’t need surgery. Brennen Davis might see the diamond this year. Javy still loves you.

Young pitcher Keegan Thompson took the hill Friday night in L.A., against the veteran southpaw hurler Tyler Anderson. Things started well enough, and stayed 0-0 for quite some time, with a hit per side.

Nico put an end to that in the top of the fifth with a bomb to left.

Thompson continued to pitch well, keeping the Dodgers’ offense at bay. He was relieved after a spotless start.

The Cubs extended their lead on an Ian Happ double.

Seiya Suzuki was blinded by the light or something, and that was good for an unearned run in the sixth. Jake Lamb barreled a bomb to bring the home team within one.

David Robertson lost the plate for a while.

That error loomed large when Mookie Betts hit a sac fly with the pond full of ducks to tie the game up at 9:57 p.m. PT. It loomed larger when they scored in the 10th and stomped all over the Cubs’ earned win.

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• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ Stroman to return Saturday in boost for Cubs rotation. “The Cubs’ probable starter for Sunday’s finale in Los Angeles has not yet been announced.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): What Kyle Hendricks and Wade Miley’s shoulder injuries have in common. “I just think anytime there’s a fast ramp-up to the season,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said, “you never know how it’s going to affect guys, or when it’s going to affect guys.”
• Cary Heinz (Cubbies Crib*): The curious case of Brailyn Marquez. “Had I not actually seen him on my television, I would question... his existence...”
• Pat Ragazzo (Inside the Pinstripes*): Could Yankees reunite with David Robertson at trade deadline? “The 37-year-old likely won’t cost much in assets to acquire...”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ Contreras earns historic 3rd All-Star nod. “When he takes the field July 19 at Dodger Stadium, he’ll tie Hall of Famer and six-time All-Star Gabby Harnett for most All-Star starts by a catcher in Cubs history.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Schwindel to Stephen Colbert: ‘Let’s see what you got’. “Get him out here, and then we’ll see what happens,” Schwindel said.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): “Several Executives” predict Shortstop Xander Bogaerts will sign with the Cubs. Originated with Bob Nightengale.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Nico Hoerner, Chris Morel among defining Cubs 1st half storylines. “As the Cubs go through this transition, Hoerner is showing he’ll be a key piece to their future.”
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs could have Patrick Wisdom on trade block this deadline. “The chance that Wisdom leaves the Cubs doesn’t feel particularly high, but there’s a possibility that a team will be willing to go after him given everything he offers.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 3 questions for the Chicago Cubs to address in the 2nd half, including if Ian Happ is a player to build around. “... there are questions the organization must answer during the second half with an eye on the future.”
• Jon Ferlise (Cubs Insider*): Report: Brennen Davis planning a return to baseball activity soon. Tommy Birch wrote it up.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Seiya Suzuki returns to the Cubs lineup, shows just how good he can be. “He looks really comfortable,” manager David Ross said.
• Larry Hawley (WGN9*): Sara Sanchez talks Cubs on WGN News Now Sports Talk. “Sara discussed her thoughts on the job that David Ross has done in his third season at the helm of the Cubs.”

Food for Thought:

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