AP Photo/Erin Hooley

The Rundown: Cubs Cruise to 8th Straight Win, Counsell Due Extension, Murakami Mashing, Giolito Joins Padres

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterApril 23, 2026

“Sitting ’til the sun goes down. In dreams, the world keeps going ’round and ’round.” — Can’t Get It Out of My Head by ELO

I’d like to thank the Cubs and the MLB schedule maker for today’s afternoon game so that I can watch tonight’s NFL draft without any distractions. I’d also like to take this time to thank the baseball gods for Chicago’s eight-game winning streak. That said, nothing sounds more heavenly than a sweep at home before heading out on a West Coast swing with nine consecutive victories in your back pocket. Let’s see if we can’t make that happen.

Believe it or not, last night’s 7-2 win over the Phillies represents a bigger benchmark than you may believe. I did a double-take when I read that this is Chicago’s longest April winning streak since reeling off 11 straight in 1970. Take a curtain call, Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki, but tip your hats to Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Fergie Jenkins.

I don’t remember the 1970 season, but Chicago beat the likes of Bob Gibson, Jim Bouton, Rick Wise, Mike Torrez, and Steve Renko in front of home crowds that averaged roughly 15,000 fans for 10 of those 11 wins. That April must have felt like the 1969 Revenge Tour, though the Cubs eventually surrendered first place in early June, never to recover. Ol’ Lou Boudreau used to call the team’s annual mid-summer dives the “June swoon.”

Your post-2010 Cubs are built differently, with higher expectations and perennial playoff aspirations since the day Theo Epstein traded Sean Marshall to the Reds for Travis Wood. Anthony Rizzo arrived two weeks later in a trade that sent Andrew Cashner to the Padres, signaling that these were no longer our fathers’ Cubs. Sure, there have been a couple of unavoidable hiccups along the way, but your 2026 Cubs look primed for a deep playoff run. There’s no better way to honor the 2016 champs than by winning the World Series 10 years later.

The journey is long, however, and the path is fraught with unseen perils, so I’d sure like to see Jed Hoyer add Joe Ryan or Sandy Alcántara to his rotation. I think the bullpen will be fine, especially after watching Ben Brown strike out five batters in 2.1 innings last night. Still, Hoyer has a team that screams “go for it” at the trade deadline, if not sooner. If a stud reliever becomes available, grab him, though Daniel Palencia can and will get the job done once healthy. He was fearless and dominating on the big stage during this year’s WBC.

It’s getaway day, which means afternoon baseball. Edward Cabrera gets the honors today, and he’ll face lanky lefty Cristopher Sánchez, who pitched well against Chicago’s North Side Baseballers last week. He beat the Cubs 13-7, which is the last time Philadelphia won and Chicago lost. If the good guys can get to Sánchez early, a homestand sweep and nine straight wins are near certainties.

Cubs News & Notes

Ball Four

It’s not exactly a web gem, but give credit to Logan Gilbert‘s jersey.

 

Central Intelligence

  • Cincinnati (16-9): The Reds may try to market infielder Noelvi Marte in trade talks as a change-of-scenery candidate.
  • Chicago (15-9): The Cubs have climbed to No. 5 in the latest ESPN power rankings. Interesting Note: Through 24 games, Chicago’s pinch hitters already have a quarter of the at-bats they did all of last season. Why? Counsell has so much faith in his bench that he can find favorable platoon matchups whenever he desires. I do like the way Counsell uses Ballesteros and Michael Conforto.
  • Pittsburgh (14-10): Outfielder Oneil Cruz is hitting the baseball harder than anybody in the big leagues except Nick Kurtz. Here’s the FanGraphs leaderboard in case you’re interested.
  • St. Louis (14-10): The Cardinals and Blue Jays are a fit on a proposed trade that would send reliever Riley O’Brien to Toronto for prospects.
  • Milwaukee (13-10): A scary medical emergency during last night’s game sent Brewers’ No. 2 prospect Luis Peña to the hospital. Pena overheated in the dugout during the 8th inning, ending the game. The shortstop was administered fluids and is reportedly doing better.

How About That!

Lucas Giolito and the Padres have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2027.

White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami is making all kinds of history in his rookie season. He homered for the fifth straight game yesterday.

The Brewers will face aces Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes in back-to-back games today and tomorrow.

The Phillies and Mets are close to falling too far behind in the NL East to claw their way back into contention.

Ex-Cub Cam Smith has increased his bat speed and is enjoying an early-season breakout as a result.

Baseball benefits from the Shohei Ohtani rule despite gripes from those outside the Dodgers’ organization.

Call to the ‘Pen

The starters have been brilliant during Chicago’s win streak, but Counsell has also found a bullpen mix that is working. Brown, Hoby Milner, Riley Martin, Colby Martin, and Caleb Thielbar have earned spots in Counsell’s circle of trust. That group will be even better once Palencia returns.

Extra Innings

Prospect Pedro Ramírez had two home runs and eight RBI yesterday. He flashed a little leather, too. Ramírez’s offensive breakout and roster status could make him an intriguing option at some point this summer. The infield prospect is already on the team’s 40-man roster. His breakout campaign may make Jefferson Rojas expendable if the Cubs seek pitching help at the deadline.

Apropos of Nothing

If you had to trade two of the following prospects for pitching help, who would you choose?

  1. Ramírez
  2. Rojas
  3. Kevin Alcántara
  4. Jaxon Wiggins
  5. Ethan Conrad

They Said It

  • “Ben [Brown] has pitched in these multiple-inning chunks and he’s completed those innings. That’s sometimes a little underappreciated. He’s already at [19] innings, but spaced out in good ways. He’s been very important as a glue to the bullpen right now. Very important.” – Counsell
  • “You’re not going to have all nine guys kind of rolling at the same time. A good offense, if you’ve got enough good hitters in there, you expect a group of them at times to be swinging it well. And tonight, some of the guys that maybe are off to a little bit of the slower starts, had big nights. That’s how I think a good offense should work. And that’s what leads to run consistency, hopefully.” – Counsell

Thursday Walk-Up Song

Let’s keep that winning streak going, yes?

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterApril 23, 2026
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