The Cubs had a sensational holiday weekend at Wrigley Field. Joe Maddon’s team swept the Phillies with wins on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Cubs outscored the Phillies 17-5 and Kyle Hendricks threw a complete game gem.
The Cubs wrapped up the four days with one of the team’s most impressive victories of the season, a 2-0 shutout of the Dodgers on Memorial Day. Travis Wood and the bullpen stepped up with seven perfect innings in relief of an injured Jason Hammel and led the Cubs to their sixth win in a row.
The Cubs reached one goal Sunday and inched closer to another Monday. The Cubs are 21 games over .500 with a 35-14 record on the last day of May.
Ben Zobrist extended his hitting streak to 16 games and passed two milestones. Zobrist collected the 1,200th hit of his career Friday and flew past 600 RBI on Sunday with a three-run home run. And speaking of personal milestones …
David Ross scratched one off his baseball bucket list with the 100th homer of his career on Friday. Ross is just one RBI short of 300 for his career.
Rumors picked up with the end of May in sight. The Cubs are looking for pitching, according to Jed Hoyer, and were linked to a pair of pitchers that currently reside in the AL East.
And there was a lot of prospect goodness Down on the Farm throughout the weekend.
Here are all the headlines from an incredibly busy four-plus days filled with all of the news, notes, rumors, recaps and video to get you caught up from the holiday.
Zobrist Has Ben Quite the Addition to the Cubs
Ben Zobrist celebrated his 35th birthday on the Cubs’ off-day. Zobrist has performed better at the plate and in the field than a majority of the fan base thought he would. Zobrist has put up the numbers, and fit in perfectly in the clubhouse.
Cubs One of Several Teams Linked to Yankees LHP Andrew Miller
The Cubs are expected to make a move or two before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. The front office will likely address the pitching staff. The Cubs are believed to be looking for a left-handed reliever. The connections are easy to lefty Andrew Miller. The cost to acquire him, well that’s another story if the Yankees decide to trade him.
From the Wire: Cubs Outright LHP C.J. Riefenhauser to Triple-A Iowa
The Cubs made a 40-man roster move late Thursday. Lefty reliever C.J. Riefenhauser was outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Iowa. Riefenhauser has since been sent to Arizona and is not on the I-Cubs active roster.
With the roster move, the Cubs 40-man officially stands at 37 players.
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 05/27/16
Tom recapped the action down of the farm at the end of the week. South Bend stayed hot. Erick Leal had an excellent start for High-A Myrtle Beach. Willson Contreras just keeps hitting. And Eloy Jimenez kept piling up the extra bases for Low-A South Bend.
The Daily CCO: Where the Cubs Offense Ranks in the NL and Other News and Notes
The Cubs offense has stayed in the headlines throughout the season, mainly because of the run differential. The Daily Report looked at where the offense ranked with the rest of the NL before the series with the Phillies.
The Daily Report includes an update on WAR, Gerardo Concepcion and all of the news, notes and links, plus This Day in Cubs History.
David Ross Hits 100th Career Home Run
David Ross reached a personal milestone Friday afternoon. Ross cranked the 100th home run of his big league career. Ross was all smiles as he circled the bases and the Cubs took a 5-1 lead. And the report has the video to prove it.
Three Long Homers, Two Rain Delays and a Cubs Win – Cubs 6, Phillies 2
The Cubs started the weekend with a win over the Phillies that took a little longer to play that Joe Maddon would have liked. There were two rain delays after the Cubs smacked three home runs behind Jon Lester.
Jorge Soler, Kris Bryant and David Ross launched three very long home runs in the Cubs win on Friday afternoon.
Recap includes all the video.
Vote Iowa Cubs! Contreras, Almora Jr., Vogelbach Included on Triple-A All-Star Ballot
The ballot is out and several Iowa Cubs are deserving of a trip to Charlotte to play in the Triple-A All-Star Game.
Three of the biggest names in the Cubs’ system, Willson Contreras, Albert Almora Jr. and Dan Vogelbach have put up numbers of an All-Star over the first two months of the season.
The I-Cubs also have three pitchers that are worthy of your vote.
The Daily CCO: Jorge Soler Dented the Left Field Video Board and Other Cubs News
Jorge Soler hit a mammoth homer on Friday afternoon, the longest of any Cubs’ player this season. And Soler put a dent in the left field video board.
If you missed the blast, this report includes video.
Kris Bryant started at first base and played well in the field. He also hit a towering homer Friday. Ben Zobrist stayed hot. Anthony Rizzo got a much-needed break.
The Cubs shuffled catchers in the system. And there could be significant rules changes next season.
The Daily Report also includes the news, notes, links and This Day in Cubs History.
Hendricks Schools the Phillies – Cubs 4, Phillies 1
Kyle Hendricks completed the second game of his big league career with just a gem on Saturday afternoon against the Phillies. Hendricks threw quality strikes with excellent command of his changeup and fastball. Hendricks would have shut out the Phillies if not for a ball being lost in the sun in the ninth inning.
Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward and Miguel Montero supplied the run support for ‘The Professor.’
Recap includes video.
Cubs Prospect Gleyber Torres Showing Steady Improvement
Gleyber Torres has really turned his season around. After a slow start, Torres is getting on base and hitting for power in the Carolina League. Torres is hitting the ball to all fields and the Cubs like the improvements he’s made with his daily preparation and routine.
Report includes video.
Jed Hoyer Says Front Office Always Looking for Pitching as Rumors Continue to Surface
The Cubs are always looking for pitching at least according to what Jed Hoyer said on 670 The Score. As rumors surfaced linking the Cubs to Andrew Miller, Peter Gammons floated Clay Buchholz as a possibility if the front office tries to acquire a starting pitcher.
Hoyer would not comment on Buchholz but did admit that Jason McLeod remains close with the right-hander.
The Daily CCO: Zo Far, Zo Good and Other Cubs News, Notes and Rumors
Ben Zobrist keeps on hitting and keeps putting his name in the headlines. Zobrist has been a machine, especially in May as he has thrown his name into the hat for a Player of the Month award.
See which Cubs have hit the longest home runs in the Statcast era.
James Shields is back in the rumor mill and the Daily Report includes the news, notes, links and This Day in Cubs History.
Cubs Phinish Off the Phillies, Complete Three-Game Sweep – Cubs 7, Phillies 2
The Cubs jumped on Phillies’ right-hander Vince Velasquez and scored seven runs in the first five innings. Ben Zobrist smacked a three-run homer. Miguel Montero drove in two runs, one with a longball. Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant also collected run scoring hits.
John Lackey gave up one run over seven innings. And the Cubs completed the three-game sweep over the Phillies.
Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 05/30/16
It was a good weekend down on the farm for several of the Cubs’ prospects. Eloy Jimenez hit a walk-off homer for the first place South Bend Cubs. Jake Stinnett and Zach Hedges turned in excellent outings on the mound. Chesny Young and Bijan Rademacher did their part for the Smokies. And Iowa put wins on the board behind Matt Murton and John Andreoli.
Report includes video of Jimenez’s walk-off.
The Daily CCO: Twenty Games Over and Cubs Memorial Day News and Notes
The Cubs improved to 34-14 on the season with Sunday’s win over the Phillies, 20 games over .500 before Memorial Day. Joe Maddon said the next goal is 25 games over .500.
Cubs’ starting pitching has been very good, to see how the rotation stacks up with the rest of baseball, click on the link.
Ben Zobrist, Cubs-Dodgers preview, Gerardo Concepcion and James Shields are all included in the Daily Report, along with the news, notes, links and This Day in Cubs History.
A Memorial Day Comparison in Baseball History
Sue opened the history book and went back 71 years for her latest column … a very good and well-timed read on Memorial Day.
Jason Hammel Leaves with Cramping in Right Hamstring, Cubs Do Not Think Hammel Will Miss a Start
The Cubs received a scare Monday when Jason Hammel went down on one knee behind the mound after making a warm-up pitch prior to the third inning. Hammel dealt with hamstring and leg issues in the second half last season. And that’s the first concern when the trainer made his way to the field to help Hammel.
Jason Hammel left the game before the third inning with what was reported as cramping in his right hamstring.
Joe Maddon and Hammel said after the game it was nothing more than cramping and that he should make his next start.
Travis Wood, Cubs Pen Perfect in Shutout of Dodgers – Cubs 2, Dodgers 0
In one of the most impressive wins of the season, Travis Wood and the Cubs bullpen stepped up when Jason Hammel had to leave the game. Not only did the relievers keep the Dodgers in check, the Cubs did not allow a single baserunner over the last seven innings.
Travis Wood pitched four perfect innings and set the tone. Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon completed the one-hit shutout over the Dodgers.
Ben Zobrist extended his hitting streak to 16 games, scored the first run. Anthony Rizzo doubled in Jason Heyward for a little insurance.
Five Cubs pitchers faced two over the minimum in a dominating performance.