Cubs Struggle with Weather and Closures Amid Loss to Pirates

Wind Affects Cubs’ Strong Hits

Miguel Amaya, catcher for the Chicago Cubs, witnessed a promising moment when Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a powerful fly ball, clocked at 106.4 mph, in the third inning, aiming for the deepest part of the park. Yet, the 10 mph wind blowing inward at Wrigley Field affected the outcome, pulling the ball back 18 feet and leading to its smooth catch by Pittsburgh Pirates’ center fielder Oneil Cruz. This unforeseen variable sent Amaya back to first base.

Similar fate awaited Crow-Armstrong later, as he struck another hit at 103.2 mph. Like before, Cruz intercepted the ball meant for the seats. These swings erased three potential runs, culminating in a narrow 4-3 defeat for the Cubs against the Pirates.

The loss echoed louder as it placed the Cubs in an even position with the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL wild-card spot. Despite sharing the same record of 83-67, Cubs maintain a tiebreaker advantage, having dominated against the Phillies 6-1 in the season series. Cubs manager Craig Counsell articulated about the unpredictable weather’s impact on gameplay, suggesting the necessity for adaptability amidst uncontrollable factors.

“Look, some days it plays for you, the hitter, some days it plays against,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell stated regarding weather conditions. “It’s random on who it affects, and who it helps, and who it hurts. It hurt us today. Some days it helps us. We can be mad about it, but there’s nothing we can do about it. If it’s out of our control, it’s hard to focus too much on it.”

With eyes on postseason in the not too distant future now, the Cubs will prioritize elements within their grasp. As only 12 games separate them from the postseason, their focus will involve overcoming bullpen challenges seen on Sunday.

Palencia’s Outing a Highlight Despite Bullpen Challenges

Daniel Palencia emerged as noteworthy, delivering during the ninth inning. Palencia, former closer of 2025, returned post right-elbow inflammation, missing two months. Despite a scoreless return initially, his subsequent appearances reflected struggles, evident in a 9.95 ERA.

Palencia’s velocity saw a decline, averaging 98.2 mph in September compared to 99.9 mph in May. His whiff rate, essential for understanding swings and misses, dropped to 6.1% in September, far below last year’s 27.5%.

Despite these challenges, Sunday showcased Palencia making strides. He delivered five whiffs across 18 pitches, averaging 98.8 mph on fastball, even reaching triple digits, and accomplished a strikeout against Bryan Reynolds to conclude the inning.

“Definitely, I feel better. I feel in a good spot right now,” Palencia commented on his return. “I feel more confident in myself. I just go there and trying to enjoy the game, have fun and being healthy. When I’m doing that, everything’s working, so, right now, I’m just trying to be a kid playing baseball.”

Addressing bullpen dilemmas, Cubs recognize the necessity for internal enhancements, not relying exclusively on returns of injured pitchers nor minor league replacements. Improvement must arise from existing bullpen players, necessitating game repetitions.

Palencia’s 28th appearance of the year marks a contrast to his last season’s 60 games. Manager Counsell applauded Sunday’s performance, recognizing it as Palencia’s strongest since his reactivation.

“I thought it was Danny’s best outing since he’s been off the injured list, absolutely,” Counsell stated encouragingly. “That was encouraging to see. That’s why you just keep putting them out there. When it happens, or did he figure out something in this outing? Did he feel something? It’s going to happen on the mound. It’s encouraging to see, and hopefully, we can build on it.”

Beyond analytics, Palencia’s emotive response upon striking out Reynolds stood notable. His expressive demeanor resonates with fans, recalling his animated celebrations during playoffs last season.

“Yeah, because that’s me,” Palencia noted regarding his emotional display. “I’m just trying to enjoy the baseball. I’m having fun right now. I am on a good team. I like (being) with those guys. Everybody here is playing for wins. That’s me.”

Andy Martinez reports freelance for the Chicago Tribune.