CHICAGO — The Cubs couldn’t have started their crucial, five-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers any worse.
They were shut out, their star player was booed and their breakout rookie starter exited the game with an injury – albeit a minor one. Instead of letting that weigh on them, though, the Cubs bounced back by sweeping a split doubleheader from their northern neighbors, taking the nightcap 4-1 at Wrigley Field.
There was a common thread in both games – rookie outfielder Owen Caissie, who stepped into right field for scuffling superstar Kyle Tucker. Caissie delivered the game-tying knock in the second inning of Game 2, his fourth RBI across the two games as he proved, for a day, to be the catalyst for a struggling Cubs (72-54) offense.
Here are three takeaways from the second game of the twin bill:
Caissie comes through
Caissie had already had a memorable day. In his first start in right field in the matinee, he had a two-run double and a solo home run, his first big-league long ball.
Good day at the office, eh?
Well, Caissie followed it up with a clutch bloop single to left field in the second inning that plated Nico Hoerner and tied the game at one. Caissie then showed off the wheels, scoring from first on a double from Michael Busch to give the Cubs the lead.
Caissie drew the start as Cubs manager Craig Counsell had said Tucker would have some time off to work on his struggles at the plate – more on that in a second.
The rookie finished 1-for-2 as he was lifted in the fifth inning for pinch-hitter Justin Turner. You might be asking, why pinch-hit the hot-hitting youngster for Turner?
The 40-year-old has mashed against left-handers, and the Brewers had brought in southpaw Aaron Ashby earlier in the inning. The Cubs mounted a rally on him and had runners at first and second with two outs, so Counsell turned to Turner, who was slashing .291/.333/.468 (.802 OPS) with a 122 weighted runs created plus (22 percentage points above league average) against lefties.
Turner grounded out, but the matchup was probably the right one in that situation as Counsell and the Cubs attempted to break the game open.
Taillon’s big return
Jameson Taillon was making his first start since June 29 and there were some question marks about his return. The right-hander had allowed 15 earned runs across 12.2 innings in his last three outings before landing on the IL with a calf strain.
Those questions spiked even more when Taillon allowed a two-out single, walk and then an RBI base hit to give the Brewers the lead to start the game. Taillon struck out Isaac Collins to escape the inning, but ran into trouble again the next frame when he allowed a double and then a two-out single. He worked his way out of it by inducing a ground out from Caleb Durbin and then really hit his groove.
Taillon retired 11 straight beginning with Durbin as he threw six innings of one-run ball — a gem, especially because the Cubs’ bullpen had to cover 19 outs on Monday and 11 outs in the day game.
His return is a boost to a Cubs rotation that has been so good since the start of July. Cubs starters have the best ERA in baseball since that time at 2.92. Having Taillon pitch like that improves a group that includes Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, rookie standout Cade Horton and the surprising, unheralded veteran, Colin Rea.
Tucker sits again
Counsell said they’d look to give Tucker some time off as he is mired in arguably the worst offensive slump of his career.
Both Tucker and the Cubs manager said he’d be was ready to help the team win off the bench if needed.
“He’s healthy and available,” Counsell said before the first game of the doubleheader.
But Counsell had an opportunity to get Tucker in the game after Turner pinch-hit for Caissie in the fifth. Turner wasn’t going to be playing right field and there was no double switch opportunity, but instead of turning to the Gold Glove defender to take over, Counsell put utilityman Willi Castro in right as Turner’s replacement.
Castro made a nice throw from right to nab Brice Turang at home for an inning-ending double-play in the seventh.
Counsell is clearly giving Tucker time off to fix his woes, he showed that in his moves in Tuesday’s night cap. Now the question becomes: when does the superstar return to the Cubs’ lineup?
Caissie’s success is nice, but the Cubs need Tucker to return to his star production if they hope to make the playoffs and have a deep run in October.