The Rundown: Cubs Stay Hot in Return Home, Suzuki Streaking, Updated Pipeline Prospect List, Mets Sign Morel

“The night is dark but the sidewalk’s bright and lined with the light of the living.” – Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out by Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band

The number 10 has always been associated with perfection, and I suppose that’s thanks to the Blake Edwards movie from 1979 starring Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews, and Bo Derek, with an assist to slow motion cinematography and a nod to Maurice Ravel for the song Boléro. The Cubs’ 2026 season distinctly follows a similar pattern: Chicago has two 10-game winning streaks, which they matched with a losing streak of the same duration. After beating the Padres 3-2 last night, the North Siders have also won 10 games in walk-off fashion.

Where do they go from here? Well, the Cubs have scored 10 or more runs in a single game nine times this season, so they’re due for another. I’m no Joe Maddon when it comes to idioms, but there’s no time like the present. Last night’s win was especially sweet because the Cubs now hold the top Wild Card seed, and because Seiya Suzuki victimized stud closer Mason Miller. With eight RBI in his last four games, Suzuki is the latest among several heroes who have carried the Cubs to a 13-4 (.765) record since falling to .500 on June 10. Chicago would be genuinely unbeatable if Suzuki, Nico Hoerner, Michael Busch, Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman, and Pete Crow-Armstrong were simultaneously clicking.

Still, the Brewers keep winning, so any chance at wresting the division from Milwaukee will likely have to come in head-to-head competition. Every year, the bad stretch we hope Milwaukee will have never happens because they are as consistent as Chicago is unpredictable. The Cubs trail the Brewers by 5.5 games with seven tilts between the two teams remaining, including four at Wrigley Field when the schedule segues from August to September and another three in Milwaukee a week later. Those contests will ultimately determine who wins the NL Central and who hosts an opening round Wild Card series.

Cubs News & Notes

• The Triple-A Iowa Cubs are short on pitchers just like the parent club. Reinforcements are arriving, including Liam Hendriks, Aaron Bummer, and Drew Pomeranz.
• Chicago bested Miller after taking two of three from the Brewers in Milwaukee. This squad will ultimately be defined by its resiliency.
• Shōta Imanaga didn’t get the win, but he pitched around nine hits to keep the Cubs in the game. Imanaga is most effective when he keeps the ball in the park, which he did last night.
• Manager Craig Counsell was the first to recognize and praise Imanaga’s efforts.
• The 2026 MLB Draft is a week from Saturday. That means we get updated prospect lists, including this one from MLB Pipeline. Jefferson Rojas is Chicago’s top prospect at No. 68 overall. He’s followed by Pedro Ramírez (75), Josiah Hartshorn (80), and Jaxon Wiggins (95). The Dodgers placed nine prospects on the list.
• Pipeline also projects that the Cubs will select catcher Daniel Jackson of Georgia.
• One has to think that Kevin Alcántara is getting his final chance to prove that he has a future with this franchise. Alcántara is back in Chicago as part of the team’s latest infirmary shuffle. Matt Shaw was placed on the IL with a hand injury, and Gavin Hollowell replaced Ethan Roberts, who has a right forearm strain.
• Jed Hoyer could be showcasing Alcántara for a potential trade.
• His 30.5% strikeout rate remains a red flag, but Alcántara is registering elite hard-hit and barrel rates. He has already matched his home run total from last season (17) in roughly half as many games.
• The banged-up Cubs still keep finding ways to win despite having what amounts to an entire pitching staff on the IL.

Ball Four

Give the people what they want!

A few years ago, Home Plate lady at the SkyDome went viral for not flinching at a foul ball, she found out and two days later she does this…😂 pic.twitter.com/iqzRhj33Oa

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) June 30, 2026

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee (51-31): The Brewers have another pitcher on the verge of a breakout because their pitching infrastructure is probably the best in baseball. Brandon Sproat was acquired as a 5th starter from the Mets in the Freddy Peralta trade. A newfound spike in velocity, a common theme among Milwaukee’s young pitchers, means he could haunt the Mets for years in the same way PCA does.
• Chicago (47-38): Bregman is taking some heat for not running hard to first base during Sunday’s game against the Mets. The excuse he made is a little more lame than his effort, but he doesn’t deserve a public crucifixion. We can’t expect every player to have the unbridled wherewithal of Eddie Collins.
• St. Louis (43-38): Chaim Bloom says that the long-term future of the organization is more important than making decisions that may better them in the near term. The Cardinals are unexpectedly in the thick of the playoff race, but Bloom says that the team is still very much a work in progress.
• Pittsburgh (43-42): Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez is the first Pirates player to hit a home run in four consecutive games since outfielder Corey Dickerson did so, July 15-22, 2018.
• Cincinnati (39-44): Outfielder Dane Myers was carted off the field after making an acrobatic catch during last night’s loss to the Brewers.

How About That!

A series of proposals made to the MLBPA over the past few weeks would ultimately force its best players to surrender earning power.

The league and the union did agree to donate $1 million to the Red Cross for earthquake relief in Venezuela.

MLB was denied in its bid to trademark the phrase “Play ball!”

Christopher Morel signed a minor league deal with the Mets.

A.J. Hinch earned his 1,000th win as a manager thanks to a stellar pitching performance by Casey Mize.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Home Run Derby. Junior Caminero of the Rays is the first to agree to participate.

Apropos of Nothing

Suzuki has driven in exactly two runs in four consecutive games. The MLB record for consecutive games with two or more RBI is six, held by Oscar Gamble in 1977. Ray Grimes, who played for the Cubs 100 years ago, had a streak of 17 games in 1922 with at least one RBI, and that’s still a league record.

To better understand the rarity of Gamble’s six-game streak, consider that five-game multi-RBI streaks are treated as significant franchise or active milestones, recently achieved by Mookie Betts (2025) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2024). Suzuki will join those two if he plates two runners tonight.

Betts’ middle name is Lynn, by the way, and his first name is Markus. That means his initials are MLB.

Extra Innings

Almost a home run, but a game-winner nonetheless. That’s Alex Cohen on the call.

SEIYA SUZUKI WALKS IT OFF FOR THE @CUBS! pic.twitter.com/mWZD8Brrne

— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2026

They Said It

• “[Miller] throws his fastball 100-some miles an hour. So, you have to keep that in the back of your head, even in that situation. In that at-bat, I was looking for if there was a slider that was towards in, up and in. That’s one pitch I can get to. I’m glad I didn’t miss it.” – Suzuki
• “I thought Shōta pitched great. We desperately needed the length. For him to get into the 7th inning just meant everything, and with the chance to win the game meant everything. He pitched great tonight.” – Counsell
• “I’ve also had 10 soft tissue injuries running down the first-base line specifically. So, it’s kind of some give-and-take, but at the same time, yeah, I obviously wish I would’ve beat the throw.” – Bregman

Tuesday Walk-Up Song

Many people are recently rediscovering their love of 1990s music, but I’ve been digging into the late oughts/early tens with much more frequency. We witnessed the end of guitar-based pop and rock as part of the mainstream media in that decade. This is one of the finest covers you’ll ever hear. Enjoy.