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Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Cubs win series against the New York Yankees to head into All-Star break with the NL's 2nd-best record
NEW YORK — Shota Imanaga never seems fazed by road environments. Yankee Stadium became the latest site of the Chicago Cubs lefty's dominance. On the heels of Matthew Boyd's eight shutout innings in Saturday's win, Imanaga delivered another stellar performance from a Cubs starter by holding the New York Yankees to one run and two hits over seven innings in a 4-1 victory. In seven road starts this year, Imanaga owns a 1.33 ERA (six earned runs in 40 2/3 innings). The Cubs impressively held the Yankees to three runs in the final two games of the series. Giancarlo Stanton's home run in the second inning was the only damage allowed by Imanaga, who walked one and struck out six on 91 pitches. The Cubs quickly gave Imanaga a lead when Michael Busch, in his first career game as the leadoff hitter, homered on Will Warren's second pitch of the game. 'If I was to face the Cubs lineup, I think it would be a really tough lineup to face,' Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. 'We have really good defense and just overall, great balance.' The Cubs enter the All-Star break at 57-39 and sit first in the National League Central, one game up on the Milwaukee Brewers. They have owned a share of first place in the division for 101 straight days, dating to April 4. 'Our job is just to keep winning,' manager Craig Counsell said after Sunday's win. 'I mean, it's as simple as that. There's so much season left. Just keep winning. Stack up wins, and we're going to be in a good position.' This marks the sixth time since 1969 the Cubs have at least 57 wins through their first 96 games. The others: 2016 (58 wins), 2018 (57), 2008 (57), 1977 (58) and 1969 (59). They made the postseason in the three most recent instances. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers currently have a better winning percentage than the Cubs. When the Cubs reached the All-Star break the last two years, the mentality centered on digging themselves out of the hole they put themselves in to try to force the front office to be buyers. This year, there is no question the Cubs are in buyer mode with the trade deadline less than three weeks away. 'Where we're at, if you would have told any of us, 'hey, you have the second-best record in the NL going into the break,' you'd feel really good about it,' Ian Happ told the Tribune. 'This team has a lot of belief in each other and guys in this room and just in what we're doing collectively. 'The mix of young talent and veteran experience is pretty impressive with this group. And then the emphasis on the defense and baserunning, that's showing up every day. I think that consistency in the ability to do those little things, day in and day out, puts us in position to win no matter what.' Those small details were again on display Sunday. Seiya Suzuki scored from second on Pete Crow-Armstrong's infield single, beating first baseman Paul Goldschmidt's throw home with a nifty slide to tack on an insurance run in the seventh to give the Cubs a three-run lead. Dansby Swanson beat a force out attempt at second base in the eighth that would've ended the inning. Replay overturned the initial call and deemed Swanson safe to give the Cubs another shot to add on with two runners on base for Busch, who ultimately struck out. The Cubs' +120 run differential leads the majors ahead of the Yankees, who are at +115. 'Run differential, there's both sides of the coin. There's the offense that's had such a good first half, but also the pitching and defense,' Swanson said. 'Our staff has been awesome. The bullpen has been unbelievable. And so it's really led to such a great first half for us, and it'll be important for us to continue to stay with that in order to go to the places that we want to go to.' The Cubs have largely stayed healthy — except for the rotation. They've had only two weeks, at the beginning of the season, when their rotation was intact. They lost Justin Steele to season-ending elbow surgery following his April 7 start, were without Imanaga for seven weeks and now won't have Jameson Taillon for at least a month because of a calf injury. 'That's the group that really, to me, has had to overcome, if that makes sense, because it didn't go as planned, maybe,' Counsell said. 'And so that group has, in general, held it together. And that's what you have to do when you're faced with the full-season injuries, like Justin's injury unfortunately. … Collectively, it's the starting rotation and then it's the offense, scoring some runs some days to give the bullpen (rest), all those things kind of work together from that point.' The Cubs come out of the break with a six-game homestand against the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals — Colin Rea and Imanaga are expected to start Friday and Saturday while Boyd will get extra rest and start in the Royals series — before a trip to the South Side for three against the White Sox followed by a big three-game series in Milwaukee. The Cubs, who haven't lost more than three consecutive games this year, believe their best play remains ahead of them. 'When you're in the middle of it, maybe it's just how I'm wired, but I'm kind of aware of things that can be done better, both individually and as a group, those things kind of feel louder sometimes,' Nico Hoerner said to the Tribune. 'But I do think it's also important to reflect on things that have gone well, and the guys on our team that have done really special things in this first half. 'There's been a ton that we've done well, but also in a good way, it feels like there's a lot that we can do better, and that's a great thing when you can have the second-best record in the National League and still feel like you can do something better.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees limp into All-Star break as bats struggle again in loss to Cubs
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free The Yankees stumbled into the All-Star break with a second straight loss to the Cubs, this one 4-1, on Sunday in The Bronx. They were shut down again by another Chicago lefty, Shota Imanaga, a day after Matthew Boyd dominated them, and the defeat meant the Yankees have lost three of their last four series, despite entering the game having won five of six following a six-game losing streak. All of that is to say the Yankees finished the first half more or less how they've spent much of it: inconsistent. Or, as Aaron Boone said prior to the game, what he'd thought of his team's first half: 'Incomplete.' They're 18-23 since being up by seven games in the AL East on May 28. 4 Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson hits a home run off Yankees reliever Ian Hamilton in the sixth inning on July 13, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post 4 Yankees reliever Ian Hamilton reacts during the sixth inning of a loss to the Cubs on July 13, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post On Sunday, they received another solid outing from rookie right-hander Will Warren, who — despite not having his stuff — limited the Cubs' powerful offense to one run heading into the sixth. The Yankees, though, were done in by a bad pitch by Ian Hamilton, as the right-hander gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Dansby Swanson immediately upon entering the game with one out in the sixth, as well as a lineup that couldn't figure out Imanaga. They got a leadoff homer from Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the second — and that was pretty much it. Warren got off to a rough start when he allowed a homer into the Yankees bullpen in right-center on the second pitch of the game to Michael Busch. The next two batters, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki, also reached before Warren got Pete Crow-Armstrong to line out to left and Carson Kelly's rocket towards second turned into an inning-ending double play. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS The right-hander also pitched out of a jam in the second. After the Yankees failed to turn a double play on a hard-hit Nico Hoerner grounder to second, Vidal Brujan singled before Cody Bellinger caught up with a Busch fly ball to the warning track in center. Stanton tied the game with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning, his fourth of the season — all in his last nine games. 4 Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton hits a home run against the Cubs during the second inning on July 13, 2025. Robert Sabo for NY Post Stanton's blast was the Yankees' only hit off Imanaga until Austin Wells singled to right to open the bottom of the sixth. Imanaga had retired 11 in a row before Wells reached. Imanaga gave up just the two hits and a run in seven innings. Warren finished strong and left with one out in the sixth, with Kelly at third after a leadoff double. But Hamilton, who'd pitched well in his previous dozen appearances, gave up the two-run homer to left to Swanson. And some shaky defense cost the Yankees in the seventh. 4 Yankees starter Will Warren pitches against the Cubs on July 13, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post Tim Hill struck out the first two batters he faced, but Suzuki doubled to right-center and Crow-Armstrong sent a hard-hit grounder up the middle. Anthony Volpe snagged the ball and fired to first, but not in time to get the speedy Crow-Armstrong, while Suzuki raced home from second, just beating Paul Goldschmidt's throw from first to make it 4-1. More sloppy defense could have hurt them in the eighth, when Volpe was slow to get the ball to Chisholm on a force at second and Swanson beat the throw, but Luke Weaver escaped the inning without any damage.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees vs. Cubs prediction: MLB Sunday player props, picks, odds
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. Paul Goldschmidt is looking to finish his first half on a high note on Sunday. The former National League MVP has been terrific in his first half-season with the Yankees, and he could be in line for a big game against the Cubs on Sunday. Chicago will send Shota Imanaga to the mound as they head into the MLB All-Star break. If their past match-ups are any indication, Goldschmidt sees Imanaga well. In seven plate appearances against Imanaga last season, Goldschmidt had three hits, including a home run and a double on Aug. 1. Goldschmidt comes into the game on a heater, slashing .361/.378/.556 with seven doubles in 37 plate appearances in July. As he's done his entire career, Goldschmidt is smashing southpaw pitchers this season. In 104 plate appearances against lefties, Goldschmidt is hitting .416/.500/.719 with five homers. New York Yankees first base Paul Goldschmidt (48) doubles during the sixth inning when the New York Yankees played the Chicago Cubs Friday, July 11, 2025 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post His .416 average leads all hitters with at least 100 plate appearances against left-handers, and his 1.219 on-base plus slugging is the second-highest behind Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Unsurprisingly, Imanaga is much worse when he doesn't have the platoon advantage. Imanaga has allowed nine of his 10 home runs and 16 of his 20 extra-base hits to right-handed batters this season. Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting Righties are slugging .426 against him versus just .236 for lefties. I'm betting Goldschmidt to head into the All-Star break on a good note. The play: Paul Goldschmidt over 1.5 total bases (-110, BetMGM Sportsbook) Why Trust New York Post Betting Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He's particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
The Mainichi
03-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Baseball: Cubs' Imanaga allows 3 homers, earns win helped by Suzuki
CICAGO (Kyodo) -- Shota Imanaga gave up three runs, all on solo homers, but earned the win as the Chicago Cubs came from behind to down the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Wednesday, aided by Seiya Suzuki's three RBIs. In his second start after nearly two months out with a left hamstring injury, Imanaga (5-2) allowed Carlos Santana and Lane Thomas to go deep back-to-back in the second inning, then surrendered another home run to David Fry in the third. But his Japanese compatriot Suzuki provided offensive support, first with an RBI double in the bottom of the third that put the Cubs on the board at Wrigley Field, followed by a two-run single in the fourth that turned the game around at 4-3. Pete Crew-Armstrong also plated a run each in the third and fourth, singling and tripling off Tanner Bibee (4-9) to back lefty Imanaga, who allowed four hits and hit a batter while striking out four over 5-1/3 innings. "It was tough at the start, but I managed to pitch tenaciously after my teammates turned things around. I want to thank them," Imanaga said. Suzuki, who now leads Major League Baseball with his 73 RBIs, also acknowledged the support from his team. "It's a really good thing to swing aggressively and bring the runners home," he said. "RBIs are not something I can get on my own so I'm thankful to all my teammates." In other action, Tomoyuki Sugano (6-5) allowed six runs on 10 hits over 4-2/3 innings and was tagged with the loss as the Baltimore Orioles were blanked 6-0 by the Texas Rangers. Yusei Kikuchi did not factor in the decision after giving up two runs on six hits over 5-2/3 innings in the Los Angeles Angels' 8-3 defeat against the Atlanta Braves.
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Crow-Armstrong and Suzuki lead Imanaga, Cubs to 5-4 victory over Guardians
CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits and two RBIs after being chosen an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, Shota Imanaga won his second straight start since returning from a hamstring injury and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Wednesday night. Crow-Armstrong and Suzuki lead Imanaga, Cubs to 5-4 victory over Guardians Seiya Suzuki added two hits and three RBIs for the Cubs, who have opened July with consecutive victories over Cleveland after dropping seven of their final 11 in June. They lead the NL Central at 51-35. Carlos Santana, Lane Thomas and David Fry hit solo home runs for Cleveland, which has dropped six straight and fell to 40-44. Imanaga gave up three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings and struck out four. Cleveland's Tanner Bibee allowing five earned runs in four innings. The homers by Santana and Thomas came on consecutive pitches to begin the second inning, both landing in the left-field basket. Fry's homer made it 3-0 in the third, but the Cubs scored twice in the bottom of the inning before Suzuki's two-run single and Crow-Anderson's triple made it 5-3 in the fourth. Steven Kwan hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth, but Daniel Palencia recorded the final out to secure his 10th save. Suzuki's run-scoring double and Crow-Anderson's RBI single in the third started Chicago's comeback. The Guardians were 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. The Cubs had three hits with runners in scoring position. Chicago RHP Cade Horton is slated to take the mound against Cleveland RHP Luis Ortiz on Thursday. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
