Ben Brown likely OUT of the rotation for Chicago Cubs

Ben Brown likely OUT of the rotation for Chicago Cubs

the Cubs with one of their worst performances of 2025 blown out again you are Locked on Cubs your daily Chicago Cubs podcast part of the Locked on Podcast Network your team every day you are Locked On Cubs part of the Locked On Network your team every day alongside Sam I’m Matt Cozy sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs lot to discuss on this episode cubs lose 8-2 to the Cardinals on Monday as the Northsiders fell to 46 and 32 on the season we’re still awaiting a Brewers score as we record but obviously know the Cardinals won the Reds also beat the Yankees tonight uh Ian Hap with a golden opportunity in the top of the fifth bases loaded one out on the first pitch grounded into a double play we’re going to discuss that as the Cubs struggles against lefty starters continue also the big story out of this one Ben Brown likely done in the rotation headed to TripleA Iowa five innings nine hits eight runs two walks three strikeouts four home runs sam simply put this was one of the worst games of the season where do you want to start um you want to start with with Brown just not competing you want to start with Ian Hap and his lack of approach with runners and scoring position you tell me where you want to start um well I I think we could start with that at bat and have the larger convo with Brown okay um look this is means more to me than it does to most people because it’s not just a Cubs issue it’s a major league baseball issue it’s an issue that I discussed and debated on the watch along Saturday because there are people that are very smart that tell you there’s no such thing as hitting in the clutch there’s no such thing as as hitting well with runners in scoring position and and Matt I’ve come around on this point that it’s very difficult to steer the baseball and position the baseball especially when you’re if if you’re facing a Chapman or Paul Skub one of these guys liberator the pitch heap was a 91 mph cutter that didn’t do anything okay that was a pitch that could have been pitched in the 60s 70s and 80s okay and look I’m not saying don’t swing at it but in that spot you’ve got to have a plan especially first pitch i’m not rolling over i’m not hitting a ground ball pullside i’m not hitting to a double play i know how hard hitting is i’m not saying that I could do a better job but I’ve watched baseball long enough to know in that spot you want to have guys that can let the ball get deep and go to right and right center field okay and and this is where I get in trouble on Twitter and I get in trouble with my messaging because it’s not that I think a guy like Justin Turner is a better hitter than he and half of course not but in that spot who would I rather have up a guy that could position the baseball let the ball get deep go to right right center field just like Turner did three three plate appearances before to move the runners along i get crushed all the time game on the line I’ll take Freddy Freeman over Otani is Freeman a better hitter than Otani no but his skill set plays better in those spots and the Cubs Ian Hap has been in this league too long to not be able to do that and I just think and and it’s not even I’m not I don’t even want to attack Hap individually it’s just a leaguewide thing i think that should be a part of the evaluation i don’t care if you have an 860 OPS that’s great and that’s extremely valuable but so is letting the ball get deep and going to right and right center field when the game calls for it because you know it and I know it that game flipped when the second that that double play was turned 100% cubs were down two to one at that point if Hap hits a line drive through the right side I I can’t sit here and tell you that the Cubs lose that game i’m sorry i just can’t do it and that’s why you have that’s why you admire Nico her a lot Sam that’s why I love him because he does that time and time again the 40-year-old Justin Turner had has a a pension for that as well and uh I I I found this game to be uh disgusting after that play especially that it was first pitch that added insult to injury for me as a former highlevel coach highlevel player and co-host and producer of this great program and shout out to all our great listeners that are sticking with us here as the Cubs are seven and nine since June 6th but but that was the game and then 10 minutes later Ben Brown gave up you know his seventh home run of the game anyway can I just cut you off can I just cut you off for one sec no nope you didn’t cut me off because that that was uh that was Can I move it over to you swinging at the first pitch there is is only bad if that’s the result if you’re going to go first pitch you have a couple to play with so you can actually try and shoot the ball to the right side you just can’t do that on the first pitch if Ian Haps pops out to the catcher there you’re still disappointed but at least he’s trying to lift the baseball if Ian Hap swan Hap grounds into a double play on a one-two count you can live with it because at that point contact becomes paramount but to do that on the first pitch is just it’s a summary of these issues Matt and we’re about to talk about Ben Brown no doubt but on I I know Ben Brown’s probably not going to be a piece of this rotation going forward they’re going to get it fixed they’ve got to figure out how to get somebody to hit left-handed pitching they are Yeah they they are statistically by batting average the worst team in baseball versus left-handed starters in the last month the worst and and look no further than who had clean up tonight if you’re if you’re going to play five games against the Brewers in August with potentially the division on the line or play these guys against lefties and that’s the guy that’s cleaning up yeah no I that’s too bad because I we did fall in love with the offense but clearly they have some big-time flaws their situational hitting has regressed uh dramatically and all of a sudden they’ve lost four out of their last five and and people are going to blame uh or it’s easy to blame the starting pitching and that’s part of the list no doubt but I think offensively they’ve they’ve taken for for one step forward they have taken two steps back at least the last couple of weeks versus lefties especially and really since Memorial Day um you know with the Rockies series just across the board offensive ly and then against lefties for sure uh Ben Brown I say you have him continue to start at Triple A Iowa have him go two times through the order and leave that will help the mileage on his arm and also partly strategic as well just in case someone eats it up here or someone gets injured then they could potentially go to him but really he’s destined for the bullpen uh if and when he does return this season but I think to keep him stretched out until August 1st or so uh at TripleA Iowa at least the first 18 hitters uh would be would be a good idea i don’t see any other path especially with him returning Thursday agree i mean well you said this last week so credit to credit to you i I didn’t think he’d give up a home run every time I go I went to the kitchen to heat up a piece of fish i come back another two run homer gorman Berles Donovan who who hit the other one i don’t even remember uh uh somebody probably hit two oh Nbar yeah i mean all the lefties all these guys uh I mean it was a it it just it just doesn’t feel like he’s ready yet um there’s flashes i mean we’ve talked about it everything that we’ve discussed it doesn’t There’s been some great flashes yeah there’s been great flashes and it reminds me very much of Christopher Morurell um it reminds me very reminds me very much of Justin Fields uh but it also reminds me Well to that point I think they might trade him this July wow well that’s a big statement it but it reminds me a lot of There’s also a lot of pitchers Corbin Burns like a lot of guys that had a lot of struggles early and I’ve said a lot i’m I’m tired of saying it it’s going to stick out more when you’re trying to win a division title these growing pains but but it’s definitely time for him to take a seat or or in you know go to Iowa and um you know it was a really disappointing effort it was just a tonight was just a disappointing effort on every end except PCA played a great game and made an incredible catch and hit two more doubles and uh I started to get like I started to get some sweats that we might he might win the MVP and we might waste it so what happens next we’re going to preview Tuesday and also the possibility of an early trade to upgrade the rotation back after this this episode is brought to you by Rouette guys you’ve probably heard of Viagra or Seialis maybe you’ve even tried them but if you’re looking for something beyond the usual pill it’s time to meet Rouette Ready rouette Ready is a next-gen prescription treatment designed to amplify arousal in the brain and 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quite yet but ask us again after Tuesday’s game certainly after Wednesday or the completion of the series on Thursday but they have lost four out of their last five and are seven and nine since June 6th jameson Tyion and Michael McGrevy who on Tuesday matthew Boyd and Sha Imanaga are get a pitch Wednesday and Thursday that’s great cardinals likely going with Eric Fetty and Sunny Gray but those spots are still TBD for them it’s going to be the young righty McGrevy Sam against the veteran Tyion and I look at it and the Cubs I just pulled it up cubs still same level of favorites as they were today which was what minus 120 it it got up to minus 120 it opened it opened as as Cardinals minus 115 and then flipped remember I said I didn’t I didn’t like that it looked a little shady to me well I might echo that exact same sentiment here well the Cubs look a little bit shady right now do they not yeah and I guess this kid this kid’s had three decent starts so he has yeah he’s coming back from TripleA matt I’m going to make a statement right now that could be that could be kind of fun um this might be the biggest start Tyone’s had so far in a Cub uniform so far love it i I like I love that we really need a stopper stakes are high for sure and and and with the way it’s going right now you better hope he retires these lefties because the Cubs are giving up a lot of home runs specifically with two outs specifically lefties you you really would like to get tomorrow because now that it’s set in stone that boy Nimanaga is pitching you really like your chances in those two games now maybe you don’t win both of them but you feel like you should be able to get one of them for sure i would go as far as to say so you know if you get this you limit the damage you split in St louis it’s not the end of the world you move on um but it’s an important game and the Cubs are going to need Tyone execute a heck of a lot better than he did uh his last time out and could a new pitcher be joining this rotation group possibly as soon as later this week multiple reports on Monday indicated the Cubs are currently active in the trade market for a starting pitcher this despite the trade deadline still being over a month away there are plenty of rentals uh available as well as the intriguing possibility of the two Marlins guys Sandy Alcantra Edward Cabrera they’re both under control through at least 2026 cabrera actually threw 28 uh Cubs and Marlins were close on a Jesus Lazardo trade in December before the Cubs backed out so they these teams have exchanged names for for a long time and Alcantra’s last four starts 23 innings 18 hits seven runs five walks 19 strikeouts he had an abysmal start to the year just over these last four outings his ERA has dropped by almost two runs uh because of how he has improved lately i hope they get someone like that Sam because my feeling is if they do decide to jump the market and maybe even have an earlyish overpay it’s probably going to be for like Zack Efflin the Orioles are 10 games under or maybe you could get Hermman Marquez a rental from the Rockies as soon as you know tomorrow really um but but that if that’s the starting pitching addition one of those guys they don’t get El Contra or somewhat of a a similar ilk uh I’ll move mountains well you and and that’s fine and you know what if they get Efflin or Marquez this week that’s pretty cool just get another one later get someone get someone next next month yeah no I I think the ne I think the next seven I got to start watching my volume here i Well Bennett’s in the next room oh you folks you you got a baby now i just Yeah well maybe I need to start watching my volume i have headphones uh one second anyway uh all right um no if they’re gonna get a guy in the next seven to 10 days it’s probably not going to be a massive name it’s Matthew matt they might need a guy to just get them to the deadline i could see that um it is you know it’s it’s it’s falling quickly the weather is heating up and this and this rotation and look and you play good teams when you when you look back at it in hindsight you know Ray to a lesser extent Brown Tyion these guys were pitching you can’t make fun of the offense for not hitting at Wrigley Field and then also not acknowledge that the pitching was taking advantage of it those conditions are gone now it’s hot it’s 95 all over the country the ball’s flying out of the yard and um this pitching staff looks mediocre and to be to be fair to them to be fair to Jed we thought it might be mediocre with show Imanaga we thought for sure or excuse me yeah with we thought for sure it wasn’t going to be good enough without Steel and without Imanaga and you haven’t had both of them so you get Showa back you figure out what to do with Brown i still I am much more confident that they’re going to figure out this starting rotation situation at in some way or another and salvage it i’m more worried about the offense because what gave us all hope in April we have not seen a semblance of that for a long time particularly against left-handers for a long stretch but yeah they might need a guy to get him to the deadline well and Colin Ray was supposed to be a depth guy he’s been starting for uh for for well over two months now kate Horton’s a rookie ben Brown secondyear guy so I think you’re gonna see a deal they have pieced it together anyway and they’ve they always needed someone anyway um by the way Ry will likely move to the pen right i I think Horton’s going to likely remain in the rotation I would say so and uh even though Ray and Flexen do fulfill similar roles unless they try to do something differently with Ray can you imagine him jogging out like the seventh inning or something like that no I don’t I don’t think I I see that um maybe Flexon gets a couple starts okay today’s you just flop Ray that’s okay yeah yeah so you’re saying flexing to actually give some length to open a game yeah maybe okay if you don’t make a deal soon uh there are only seven clear sellers right now rockies White Socks Marlins Pirates Nationals A’s and O’s uh but uh you know the Raphael Devils trade last week but that’ll that’ll become more once you get closer to July yeah probably closer to 10 teams don’t you think maybe even a little more maybe even maybe even close to a dozen i’m keeping an eye on the Red Sox Sam yeah uh Bregman Chapman Bueller uh would be the big names for me there yeah the Marlins for me are are are where you got to make a p a pitching move I think if especially if you want to strike early do you have someone that you would like to see them get like would you like them to acquire a Contra like is he your guy no he’s not my guy who is Zack Allen no um I’ve said it a lot on this show the guy I’ve circled for a while especially one you could probably do now would be Edwin Cabrera okay yeah so Elcantra’s teammate i just don’t think my concern with Elcantra is I think he’s going to cost more than I I I need to see more from him i know he’s pitched well lately um I last four starts but for but for what he’s going to cost I need to be be a lot more sure at what he’s got i got Edwin Cabrera’s numbers up in front of me he’s 2-2 with a 381 he’s thrown the ball you think uh uh Alcantra’s thrown the ball well lately five and two/3 no runs five and two/3 no runs four innings one earn uh uh six innings one one earn this is a guy with real good stuff i’m telling you it reminds me a little bit of Jake Aretta oh that’s cool you know just kind of a project guy with some stuff and um Well he would be around for a while signed through 28 he’d be on my list okay i think Owen Casey would go in that deal maybe Ben Brown uh two or three other guys so uh certainly keep an eye on that coming up next we have an All-Star game ballot update and then it is a Tuesday episode that we’re recording for so it’s history and trivia time stay tuned this episode is brought to you by Monarch Money you ever check your bank account and wonder where did all my money go between dining out online shopping entertainment it’s easy to lose track that’s where Monarch Money comes in your personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over your finances monarch Money isn’t just a budgeting app it’s a complete financial command center you can track all your accounts investments and spending in one place so you stop just managing your money and start building wealth it wasn’t until I started using Monarch where I realized how much I was spending on food delivery now I budget smarter and I save more managing money with your partner matt is smoother than ever you can track shared and personal accounts set goals and stay on the same page without the stress so take control of your finances with Monarch Money use code locked on MLB at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year that’s monarchmoney.com code locked on MLB for half off your first year all right last segment here on locked on Cubs thank you so much for being with us and please continue to join us all week long and all season long as of right now Pete Cro Armstrong Kyle Tucker and Carson Kelly are all finalists for the All-Star game uh starting lineup that was according to a ballot update on Monday phase one of the voting ends later this week with the final finalist getting announced the top two players at each position plus the top six in the outfield will advance to phase two which begins uh next uh next week on on Monday June 30th so uh I saw Kyle Tucker slip down a rung sam any concern that he gets knocked out of the starting job concern is a strong word um I would say no akuna and Sodto uh coming up after him no um I I think it’s really important that we get Tucker to the All-Star game i think he deserves it um think he should start and I think Pete should start so let’s keep hammering to to to to vote um I I vote five times every day i have an alarm that I set oh that’s impressive that reminds me to do it i I like to you know people think I’m a pessimistic guy i support these guys um Pico Armstrong the MVP of the league uh thus far i I I he should start and I think it’s really important that we show Tucker for for a lot of reasons that we show Kyle Tucker some love and and send him there i think I think the Sodto two home run game that was on Fox nationally televised game probably gave him a little bit of a jolt um and Akuna of course is one of the more popular players in the league now Tucker could help himself and hit two home runs tomorrow and then all of a sudden he’ll be right back in business that’s true that’s true i’d like to see the same thing and uh maybe Carson Kelly will beat out Will Smith and the upside of this century just kidding that would be that would make Douglas over Tyson look like a a day at the beach on this day in 1984 the Ryan Sandberg game cubs were down seven to one but won 12-11 over the Cardinals thanks to home runs in both the ninth and the tenth by Sandberg and Sam I’m sure your dad remembers that one and maybe he even phoned you on Monday to reminisce did he no he didn’t my dad is not in a good place with this ball club right now so he’s not in a mood to uh to uh uh celebrate but uh yeah off off Bruce Sudter uh who right who Yeah I believe that’s right yeah I believe was also a Cub and a Cardinal one time he was and that could be uh foreshadowing later trivia for sure hey and and seriously though um Ryan Samberg should be celebrated you know he I I don’t know last time we saw him he looked like he was doing great hope he’s doing great and uh great day to celebrate you know what one of the two three greatest Cubs of all time right is that is that is that right would you say that’s right yes for sure banks Banks is probably the only one unanimously ahead of him right you know the Sosa things of course a debate with a lot of people and then I think he’s right there you know Fergie I I would put differently with a pitcher um you know Billy Williams of course I don’t really go before you know the 50s because that’s just I not that I disrespect those guys i just don’t have that type of bandwidth in my mind to do that um you know Bryant Rizzle of course but Sanberg’s ahead of those guys right yes he is okay he is uh let’s see here ian Hapl off with a home run both Friday and Saturday against the Mariners Sam which gave him nine homers to lead off a game who holds the Cubs career record for lead off homers and let me know if you want multiple choice alonso Soraniano that’s correct with 22 so that was quick hey I got some good news the Brewers got upset today by the No way yeah 54 you know David Begnar he used to play with Ian Hap growing up he got the save so the Cardinals and Brewers are both uh I believe three and a half games out yeah so maybe win a game the Reds are five and a half maybe you win a game tomorrow you feel a little better and uh let’s see what else I have here oh to complete the podium of leadoff homers it was Soraniano 22 Rick Monday 17 Dexter Fowler with 12 uh Rick Monday the the first ever draft pick really yeah I believe that’s a fact that’s a cool That’s a cool Dexter Fowler former Cub Cardinal i thought I thought I definitely thought you were doing former Cub Cardinal i tried to not go there yeah I keep doing the last five years thing do you want to try to rattle off Cub Cardinals of the last five years uh some obscure names here i’ll try it um you know I feel like you almost do it to make me look bad on national television um but I’ll try my best two catchers and six pitchers wilson Contrarus yes and he’s played for only the Cubs and Cardinals one of only three players to do that the last quarter century go ahead i’m not even going to try and think about the other catcher right now i don’t want to go there okay um all all pitchers Lester that’s correct boy Kintana correct [Music] henness Cabrera correct that’s three down three to go for pitchers one catcher henness Cabrera uh Lester Kintana Contrarus who am I forgetting cubs Cardinals what type of pitcher no just trying to think of an obscure name like a Hollowell type guy is the Is there anyone that I’m missing that’s just egregious no no okay i have a clue mvp MVP votes single MVP votes oh Ortega uh no uh pitcher oh who got that yeah what was that i know what you’re talking about 2020 campaign for the Cubs he got a single MVP vote for some reason yeah it was weird um reliever not ch Oh oh uh not Brandon Kinsler brandon Kinsler no Ryan Tara and oh Ryan Terra i knew it was one of those weird guys um a guy who got a cup of coffee with the Cubs last year Shawn Armstrong never would have gotten and Ryan Messenger could you name the other catcher ryan Messenger that’s what I have in front of me no offense i’m not I don’t want to laugh at him he might name the other catcher yeah I should i feel like that one should be easy um uh a sibling sibling sibling he’s a sib He has a sibling in the majors as well well Catrus would apply but I already said him um it’s not a Molina uh um was he good when did he play for He was a backup uh boy he got only a few games in put the Cubs down um let’s see uh I I think obscure clue could be lettuce even though the pronunciation wouldn’t be exact lettuce i I have no idea austin Roine should have gotten that fake it’s a great It’s a great hint by the way this is Thank you this is Locked On Cubs part of the Locked On podcast network we have fun doing this show oh by the way for the everydayers who are still with us I have a big surprise that I will be releasing on X tonight oh I haven’t been told about this you have not and uh is it is it a guy that can hit a lefty i’ve been getting in my feels lately and uh man this this journey podcasting has really been something so I’ll be releasing uh Sam and I’s first ever podcast episode uh from June of 2020 i’ll be releasing that tonight on X uh for your second listen check out the all new lockdown game night every game every night all season long he’s a guy that could keep the ball in the park and get local analysis on nationals maybe that’d be a great surprise find MLB game night on the lockdown MLB channel i guess I just gave it away yeah you did on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcast we’ll be back after Cubs Cardinals on Tuesday night he’s Sam Ober i’m Matt Cozy this is Locked on Cubs

We explain why Monday was one of the Cubs worst games of the season. Plus: Ben Brown likely out of the rotation, possible early trades, and much more.

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