REPORT: Cubs top star Returns in Awesome Comeback Story
The Cubs know they need to turn things around quickly and start piling up wins.
Sitting at the bottom of the National League Central standings, they face a tough challenge as they try to overcome a 10½-game deficit behind the Brewers, who are in first place. As the Cubs head to Milwaukee for a three-game series this weekend, they must find a way to win games before the four-day All-Star break begins on July 15. Following the Brewers series, three of their remaining four series before the break are against the Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Meanwhile, the White Sox just experienced a sweep at the hands of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers, including two shutout losses in their three-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field. This weekend, they will face the last-place Colorado Rockies in a three-game series at home. The Rockies have the second-worst run differential in baseball at minus-133, while the Sox are at the bottom with a minus-171 run differential.
Every Friday throughout the regular season, Tribune baseball writers will offer updates on the Cubs and White Sox, covering recent developments and upcoming matchups. Want more? Sign up for our new newsletters.
As Kyle Hendricks reaches 10 years of service time, teammates marvel at his journey
Kyle Hendricks was only six months removed from starting Game 7 in the World Series, helping the Cubs win their first title in 108 years, when Ian Happ made his major league debut.
Despite being just a few years into his career, Hendricks was entering his fourth big-league season in 2017 and was already seen as a veteran by his teammates.
“He’s always been that steady presence for us and someone who’s been through everything,” Happ told the Tribune. “He learned from the veteran guys he came up with and incorporated the best of what they did to become the best version of himself.”
As Hendricks reached 10 years of MLB service time—a milestone achieved by less than 10% of big-leaguers—the Cubs celebrated him with a team gathering in the clubhouse before Wednesday’s game.
David Bote, who has played with Hendricks for parts of six seasons, watched from the dugout as Hendricks, 34, methodically shut down the Giants over seven innings on Tuesday night. Bote described him as a true joy to watch.
“Is it too cliché to say it’s a product of steadiness?” Bote told the Tribune about Hendricks’ milestone. “The daily work he puts in and his joy for pitching—nobody should be surprised. It’s a testament to his work ethic and ability to adapt.”
Hendricks’ path to 10 years included overcoming early-season struggles that led to a temporary move to the bullpen. Since returning to the rotation, he has provided the Cubs with valuable experience for their injury-ridden staff.
Hendricks became the fourth player in Cubs history to achieve 10-plus years of service time entirely with the organization, joining Ernie Banks, Stan Hack, and Cap Anson.
“When he was struggling, I often said, ‘Bet on Kyle to figure it out,’” right-hander Jameson Taillon told the Tribune. “He’s too smart and disciplined to not get it right. He’s process-oriented and fascinating to watch every day.”
A healthy Justin Anderson is ‘grateful’ for White Sox opportunity
Manager Pedro Grifol recently showed reliever Justin Anderson a workload sheet and asked what he saw.
Anderson replied, “A lot of work,” to which Grifol responded, “The more you work, the better you get.”
Anderson has a 4.00 ERA in 19 outings but has not allowed a run in his last nine appearances, including a hitless inning in Thursday’s 1-0 victory against the Atlanta Braves. The 31-year-old right-hander continues to make strides in his first season back in the big leagues since 2019.
“It’s more about knowing I could find my way back; I just needed to be healthy,” Anderson told the Tribune this week.
He spent 2018-19 with the Los Angeles Angels, making at least 54 relief outings in both seasons.
Anderson underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2020 after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament during an intrasquad game at summer camp, spending most of 2021 recovering and pitching in 13 minor league games.
In 2022, he was limited to three Triple-A appearances due to a right shoulder strain suffered in April. Last season, he had 24 outings across three minor league stops after signing with the Kansas City Royals organization.
He started 2024 with Triple-A Charlotte and made his first appearance with the White Sox on April 12.
“Looking back at last year and toward this year, the amount of things we’re thankful and grateful for is hard to compare,” Anderson said. “Every day, we’re thankful for the opportunity to wear a jersey.”
Anderson has been up and down between the majors and Triple-A a few times this season but has found his groove recently. He pitched 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings Monday against the Dodgers and added another scoreless inning the following night.
“He missed a lot of time, and you can see improvement with each outing. It’s different from repeating in the bullpen,” Grifol said. “The more he pitches, the better he’ll be.
“This guy has done it before at the back end of a bullpen for the Angels. He’s got good stuff.”
Number of the week: .130
The Sox are 7-for-54 (.130) with runners in scoring position over their last 10 games. This stretch includes going 0-for-17 in the three games against the Dodgers and 0-for-4 on Thursday against the Braves.
Tracking the White Sox’s road to 100 losses
Record: 22-61
The Sox, who ended a four-game losing streak on Thursday, have lost 31 of their last 39 games and are off to their worst 83-game start in franchise history. The previous record was 27-56, set in 1948.
After being swept by the Dodgers, the Sox dropped to 0-11-1 in their last 12 series and fell to 40 games under .500 for the first time this season. However, their victory against the Braves on Thursday — a makeup game from an April 3 rainout — secured them a 2-1 series win.
Week ahead: Cubs
**Cubs Schedule:**
– **Friday:** at Brewers, 7:10 p.m., Marquee
– **Saturday:** at Brewers, 3:10 p.m., Marquee
– **Sunday:** at Brewers, 1:10 p.m., Marquee
– **Monday:** off
– **Tuesday:** vs. Phillies, 7:08 p.m., Marquee
– **Wednesday:** vs. Phillies, 7:05 p.m., Marquee
– **Thursday:** vs. Phillies, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
As the Cubs struggle to build momentum, they have seen important developments from some of their top prospects.
After a tough first full season of pro ball, infielder Cristian Hernández is repeating Low A Myrtle Beach and showing significant improvement offensively. Hernández, who doesn’t turn 21 until December, owns a .285/.401/.427 slash line and a career-high .827 OPS. He has already exceeded the 19 extra-base hits he tallied in 431 plate appearances in 2023, producing 15 doubles, three triples, and four home runs in 277 PAs.
“Some guys just need a little time to adjust to full-season baseball, especially with no more short season, guys are thrust into full season a little bit sooner,” assistant general manager Jared Banner said. “Their lifestyles change: playing at night, first time being on your own. So sometimes a little bit of an adjustment is needed.
“He’s getting to his power more consistently. His defense has been amazing. His baserunning has greatly improved. … He’s impacting the game in many ways.”
Owen Caissie’s stellar season is finally seeing an uptick in home run production. He has hit five of his seven home runs in June, and while his average and on-base percentage have decreased from previous months in that span, tapping into his power is important. The lack of home runs through the first two months didn’t cause Caissie to deviate from his approach, still putting up a .425 OBP and .882 OPS.
“Owen’s been a really productive hitter for a long time now; he’s a really good hitter,” Banner said. “Hitters hit.”
Week ahead: White Sox
**White Sox Schedule:**
– **Friday:** vs. Rockies, 6:10 p.m., NBCSCH
– **Saturday:** vs. Rockies, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
– **Sunday:** vs. Rockies, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
– **Monday:** off
– **Tuesday:** at Guardians, 5:40 p.m., NBCSCH
– **Wednesday:** at Guardians, 5:40 p.m., NBCSCH
– **Thursday:** at Guardians, 12:40 p.m., NBCSCH
The Guardians have the second-best winning percentage in the American League at .646, while the Sox have the worst in the majors at .265.
Despite this disparity, the Sox lead the season series between the teams, having won four of their first seven meetings. This includes taking three of four games in their most recent series, May 9-12 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Guardians were without left fielder Steven Kwan during those four games. Kwan is hitting .377 in 52 games this season, including .400 in June.