Meghan Montemurro
@mmontemurro
Cubs beat writer at The Chicago Tribune. Previously: The Athletic. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alumna.
I’d never seen a show at Northernly Island until last night for Sarah McLachlan and what a performance. Highly recommend seeing her live if you get the chance, she was fantastic and her vocals are still top notch.
The Cubs have unveiled the 2027 All-Star Game logo ahead of hosting the event at Wrigley Field. “This will be kind of a coming-out party in some ways for the renovated Wrigley project. … Wrigley is the star of the show,” Crane Kenney told the Tribune. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/17/c...
Unless the National League rallies, Pete Crow-Armstrong collects a 1B during the 8th in what will be his only All-Star Game at-bat tonight. It's just the 2nd hit for the NL tonight as they trail the AL 4-0.
After Willson Contreras embraced the boos and took on a villain role in the Home Run Derby last night, I asked him today if he thought what it would be like to participate in it again next year at Wrigley Field:
Clark the Cub is enjoying himself with the other MLB mascots at the draft:
Manager Craig Counsell wasn't happy 2B ump Ramon De Jesus didn’t rule Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson obstructed the base with his foot on Nico Hoerner's steal attempt in 9th during which Hoerner came off and was tagged out after altering slide. It potentially later cost Cubs from tying game in 3-2 loss:
A stellar diving grab by Dansby Swanson to save a run in the 8th as the Cubs cling to a 9-7 lead over the Orioles. Swanson came into tonight's game ranked 4th among MLB shortstops in Fielding Run Value:
Pete Crow-Armstrong becomes the first 20 HR-20 SB hitter in MLB this season as he goes deep to put the Cubs up 1-0 on the Orioles. PCA is the first Cub with back-to-back 20-20 seasons since Sammy Sosa did it in three straight (1993-95) and 3rd with multiple such seasons (Sosa and Ryne Sandberg).
My favorite kind of rain delay is the one where 35 minutes later, now after the original first pitch time, the tarp has yet to be pulled and it hasn’t rained
Pete Crow-Armstrong's 11 home runs in June are the most by a Cub in a month since Nick Castellanos also hit 11 in August 2019. PCA leads the Cubs with 18 home runs:
Alex Bregman slugs a no-doubt 3-run HR to the LF bleachers to put the Cubs up 5-1 on the Padres in the 2nd:
Cubs 3B coach Quintin Berry tests Padres left fielder Jase Bowen's arm/accuracy with Swanson tagging up on Busch's fly out but Bowen nails him at plate. Cubs, though, walk it off with next batter as Suzuki's drive off Mason Miller to LF can't be caught by Bowen at wall. Cubs beat the Padres 3-2:
With the bases loaded, the Padres' Merrill lost Suzuki's fly ball in the sky and somehow managed to regain sight of it at the last second to make a basket catch. Cubs tie the game on Suzuki's sac fly in 5th. Smart baserunning by the Cubs to not be too aggressive when seeing Merrill couldn't find it
Seiya Suzuki's 2-run HR puts the Cubs ahead of the Brewers in the 4th. He goes to the opposite field on Harrison's fastball for his second homer of the series and 12th of the season.
This is certainly one way for Pete Crow-Armstrong to get a bunt hit that drives in the go-ahead run for the Cubs:
A big section of Norwegian soccer fans are at Game 1 of today’s Cubs-Mets game. They’re certainly being heard in the sparse ballpark:
Cubs' Edward Cabrera is hurt after stretching out into the splits to catch a throw at 1B from Nico Hoerner. The cart is coming out to help Cabrera off the field after recording the final out of the 5th. Appeared to be his left leg/thigh, which he immediately grabbed.
A Carson Kelly bases-loaded walk, Dansby Swanson's sac fly and Pete Crow-Armstrong's 3-run HR has the Cubs up 5-0 on the Senga and the Mets in the 2nd inning. That gives Crow-Armstrong 6 homers in his last 8 games and 17 on the season.
Rain has since slowed a little but lots of rain at Citi Field. Unclear if tonight’s Cubs-Mets game gets in. Sounds like both teams want to play and avoid a doubleheader this week. Might be an opening between 7-9 p.m. ET
It's not a leadoff home run this time, but for a third consecutive game Pete Crow-Armstrong goes deep. It's his 15th HR of the season and 4th in his last 5 games. Crew chief called for a replay review and despite it appearing to go just right of the foul pole, the HR call stands.
A timely sign for this Cubs fan on Pride Night at Wrigley as Pete Crow-Armstrong steps to the plate after hitting for the cycle:
Matt Shaw's RBI triple that just stays fair in the RF corner puts the Cubs back ahead in the 6th. Ballesteros hustled around to score from 1B at 26.1 feet per second (season average is 24.6 ft/s). Rockies challenged that it was foul, but after replay review the call was upheld.
This is obviously anecdotal but from what I’ve seen it feels like Cubs have been making it more obvious it’s Pride Night at Wrigley tonight compared to last year’s. Besides pregame signage on scoreboard & intros, Clark the Cub is wearing Pride jersey giveaway and a Cubs hat with a rainbow “C” logo:
Moisés Ballesteros has been behind the plate for Shota Imanaga's last two starts, both vs Rockies. A big reason for that is because of Imanaga's (and the Cubs' other LH SP's) ability to control the run game. Imanaga just picked off Rockies' McCarthy to end inning, his 2nd this year & 9th with Cubs:
