Signs of Life & Potential Lineup Shake-Ups | Bleacher Nation Cubs

Signs of Life & Potential Lineup Shake-Ups | Bleacher Nation Cubs

Brett and Michael are back for the sixty-seventh episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! And after weeks of frustration, the mood is noticeably better. The Cubs have won back-to-back series and five of their last seven games, creating at least some optimism that the worst stretch of the season may finally be behind them. The offense remains a fascinating discussion point. The Cubs' struggles with runners in scoring position haven't disappeared, but the guys dig into why the issue feels so pronounced. The Cubs have actually done a great job creating offensive opportunities, which has only magnified their inability to cash them in consistently. They also discuss why the trade deadline outlook remains complicated. If the Cubs want to address the offense, where exactly would a new bat play? Pitching, on the other hand, feels like a much cleaner problem to solve, making rotation help a natural focus as the deadline approaches. Elsewhere, the guys examine encouraging signs from Matt Shaw, whose increased bat speed and improved play since returning may point to some early-season circumstances that held him back. They also discuss Craig Counsell's handling of Ben Brown, the importance of protecting an injury-thinned rotation, and where Moisés Ballesteros fits into the Cubs' plans moving forward. A special thank you to Ankin Law for sponsoring this podcast! Visit Ankin Law's Website ➡️ ankinlaw.com [https://ankinlaw.com/] Get your Cubs Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs [https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/] Get your Bears Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bears [https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/] Get your Bulls Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls [https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/] Get your Blackhawks Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks [https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/] Get Sports Betting Updates, Info, & Tips at https://www.bleachernation.com/betting [https://www.bleachernation.com/betting/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Cubs Keep Sliding, What's the Deadline Plan? | Bleacher Nation Cubs

Brett and Michael are back for the sixty-sixth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! And, frankly, they're not happy. The Cubs are on the verge of being swept by the Rockies and have now gone 10 straight series without a series win, a stunning stretch for a team that once looked like one of the best clubs in baseball. The guys discuss how quickly things have unraveled, why the current version of the Cubs feels stuck in neutral, and what has to change before this season slips away completely. With the trade deadline approaching, the conversation naturally shifts toward the front office. If this skid continues, what kind of decisions will the Cubs have to make? Are they still buyers? Could they pivot into something more complicated? And if the organization decides bigger changes are necessary, which players could become trade candidates and what sort of return might be available? It's a frustrated but honest discussion about where the Cubs stand, how they got here, and what the next few weeks could mean for the direction of the season. A special thank you to Ankin Law for sponsoring this podcast! Visit Ankin Law's Website ➡️ ankinlaw.com [https://ankinlaw.com/] Get your Cubs Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs [https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/] Get your Bears Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bears [https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/] Get your Bulls Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls [https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/] Get your Blackhawks Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks [https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/] Get Sports Betting Updates, Info, & Tips at https://www.bleachernation.com/betting [https://www.bleachernation.com/betting/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Month Without a Series Win, Seiya’s Slump & Searching for an Identity | Bleacher Nation Cubs

Brett and Michael are back for the sixty-fifth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! The season is far from over, but there’s no denying the trend line has been pointing in the wrong direction lately. It’s now been a full month since the Cubs last won a series, and the guys discuss how a team that once looked like one of baseball’s best has found itself stuck in neutral. With 62 games in the books and 100 still to play, there’s plenty of time to turn things around. But the early success created enormous expectations, making this extended stretch of mediocrity all the more frustrating. Brett and Michael explore whether the Cubs have lost something that once made them dangerous—and whether the team currently has a clear identity at all. They also discuss the repeated failures in key offensive moments. Time and again, the Cubs have found themselves with runners in scoring position late in games, only to come up empty. Those missed opportunities have become a defining theme of the past month. The conversation eventually gets philosophical, touching on concepts like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as a way to think about team building, confidence, and performance. What are the foundational elements this team is missing right now, and how do they get back to playing winning baseball? And then there’s Seiya Suzuki, who is enduring the deepest slump of his Cubs career. Despite remaining in the heart of the lineup, the results simply haven't been there. The guys discuss whether Suzuki's struggles are purely a slump, part of a larger offensive issue, or potentially indicative of broader age-related decline among several key Cubs hitters. A special thank you to Ankin Law for sponsoring this podcast! Visit Ankin Law's Website ➡️ ankinlaw.com [https://ankinlaw.com/] Get your Cubs Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs [https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/] Get your Bears Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bears [https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/] Get your Bulls Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls [https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/] Get your Blackhawks Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks [https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/] Get Sports Betting Updates, Info, & Tips at https://www.bleachernation.com/betting [https://www.bleachernation.com/betting/]   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cubs Finally Break Through, Happ Heats Up & Pitching Questions Remain | Bleacher Nation Cubs

Brett and Michael are back for the sixty-fourth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! After a brutal stretch, the Cubs finally snapped their 10-game losing streak, and the guys react to what felt like a much-needed reset for the offense. It wasn’t just the win itself—it was how the Cubs won. The lineup finally started stringing together hits, drawing walks, and cashing in with runners in scoring position again after days of frustration. The guys discuss why the offensive approach looked much more like the version of the Cubs fans saw earlier in the season. They also spend some time on Ian Happ, whose recent struggles had become increasingly magnified during the skid. Back-to-back strong performances at the plate were encouraging, especially given that—even with the strikeout spike—his overall production still sits surprisingly close to his career norms. At the same time, the pitching concerns remain front and center. The Cubs are fortunate they banked so many wins earlier in the year during those long winning streaks, because the rotation continues to look increasingly thin. Jameson Taillon’s struggles are becoming harder to ignore, and the starting staff still feels like the clearest weakness on the roster—especially on nights when the offense isn’t carrying the load. It’s a conversation about relief, perspective, and the growing urgency surrounding the pitching staff as the season moves forward. A special thank you to Ankin Law for sponsoring this podcast! Visit Ankin Law's Website ➡️ ankinlaw.com [https://ankinlaw.com/] Get your Cubs Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs [https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/] Get your Bears Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bears [https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/] Get your Bulls Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls [https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/] Get your Blackhawks Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks [https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/] Get Sports Betting Updates, Info, & Tips at https://www.bleachernation.com/betting [https://www.bleachernation.com/betting/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brewers Sweep Cubs, Offensive Frustrations & Milwaukee’s Sustained Success | Bleacher Nation Cubs

Brett and Michael are back for the sixty-third episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! It was a rough stretch for the Cubs, who followed a disappointing series loss to the White Sox by getting swept—and thoroughly outplayed—by the Milwaukee Brewers. Losing three straight to the team you’re chasing in the division always stings, and the guys don’t shy away from that reality. A big part of the conversation centers around just how consistently good the Brewers organization continues to be. It’s not simply “luck” anymore—they develop talent well, maximize their roster, continue producing prospects, and seem to stay competitive no matter who leaves town. Brett and Michael spend a good chunk of the episode digging into why Milwaukee keeps finding success year after year. On the Cubs side, the offensive frustrations are mounting. The lineup has repeatedly found itself in good run-scoring situations without capitalizing, and even the heart of the order hasn’t been coming through consistently. Strikeouts have piled up, RBI chances have gone wasted, and the offense has looked disconnected during this recent skid. There’s still plenty of season left, but this stretch served as a reminder that the Cubs still have things to clean up if they want to seriously chase down the division. A special thank you to Ankin Law for sponsoring this podcast! Visit Ankin Law's Website ➡️ ankinlaw.com [https://ankinlaw.com/] Get your Cubs Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs [https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/] Get your Bears Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bears [https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/] Get your Bulls Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls [https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/] Get your Blackhawks Coverage at https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks [https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/] Get Sports Betting Updates, Info, & Tips at https://www.bleachernation.com/betting [https://www.bleachernation.com/betting/] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.