The Rundown: Cubs Fall to A’s in Another Agonizing Loss, Swanson Could Be Bench-Bound, Trade Rumors Heating Up

“It’s an allemande left and an allemande right, c’mon you f**kin’ dummy get your right step right. Get off the stage you goddamn goof get off.” — The Rodeo Song by Garry Lee & the Showdown

At some point I knew I had to wake up, start my day, and then had to try to put all my thoughts into words. The problem is that the bulk of my reflections during this extended run of fetid Cubs baseball are laced with the types of expletives that would embarrass an exorcist. Then again, Chicago’s North Side Baseballers could use a religious expulsion of sorts. That which is rotting the soul of this team needs to be cast out immediately.

Or maybe the Cubs just aren’t very good and the two 10-game winning streaks were a combination of blind luck and fragile fortuity. I hate stating the obvious because it keeps getting worse, but Chicago is 12-30 (.286) with a  -50 run differential minus those two winning streaks. They’re the first team in MLB history to follow a 15-game home winning streak with eight straight home losses. They’ve also started the softest part of their 2026 schedule with two home losses against a mediocre team. Buyer beware if you’re counting on the once-mighty Cubs resurfacing against the Giants and Rockies over the next 12 days. This team carries a branded title and a recent history of multiple defects. That, my friends, makes this emotionless band of misfits a certified lemon.

My dad used to say if you let someone bully you once, you’ll be bullied for life. The Cubs, therefore, need to find the intestinal fortitude to overcome their oppressors. They haven’t won a series since sweeping the Reds in a four-game set May 4-7. That’s when they essentially drove Cincinnati from first to worst in the NL Central, but now they’ve followed that nosedive with a more dramatic one of their own. Someone has to step up and stop the madness. Hopefully, Shōta Imanaga is up to the task today.

Cubs News & Notes

• Our own Sean Holland provided the recap of yesterday’s 5-4 loss to the A’s.
• Craig Counsell is not sitting Dansby Swanson just yet, but he is considering it.
• Kevin Alcántara is guilty of some bad baserunning, which may be why Counsell doesn’t play him more. The issue goes all the way back to spring training baserunning drills.
• Last night, Seiya Suzuki belted what one hopes will be a slump-busting home run.
• Alex Bregman is doing a lot of work to help Cubs players behind the scenes. Let’s hope his bat catches up to his Samaritan efforts.
• “Sitting in discomfort” is not the way Cubs fans want to celebrate ($) the franchise’s 150th anniversary or commemorate the 2016 championship season.
• The Cubs have the most to gain of any of the potential playoff contenders by adding Tarik Skubal, even if it costs them Matt Shaw, Moisés Ballesteros, or both.
• Former Cubs great Frank Schulte was the game’s first 20/20/20/20 player.
• The family of Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg is embroiled in a bitter fight over the handling of his NIL rights. In a lawsuit filed in Lake County court, Sandberg’s children from his first marriage — son Justin and daughter Lindsey — accuse his second wife, Margaret Sandberg, of trying to shift control of his name, image and likeness to his stepson and the family financial adviser shortly before he died.
• The Cubs have invited their fans to celebrate Pride Month on June 15 at Wrigley Field.

Ball Four

Packers fans should not be allowed to follow the Cubs.

@Cubs @obvious_shirts in honor of my all time favorite player, Shawon Dunston, my office is displaying what is on the mind of Cubs fans everywhere. pic.twitter.com/qdMvrDrepB

— Steven Millard (@packerbadgercub) June 4, 2026

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee (37-22): The Brewers are rumored to be a fit for both Skubal and Twins outfielder Byron Buxton.
• St. Louis (32-28): Third baseman Nolan Gorman is struggling, and the better-than-expected Cardinals may seek to replace him in trade.
• Pittsburgh (33-29): Pirates ace Paul Skenes is trying to battle through his first big league slump.
• Chicago (32-30): For the second night in a row, the Cubs sent the top of the order to the plate with the chance to walk it off, but fell agonizingly short.
• Cincinnati (31-30): The Reds’ bullpen has mostly struggled after dominating through the end of April.

How About That!

Rob Manfred admitted concern that CBA negotiations will lead to a lockout.

Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez saw his streak of scoreless innings end at 50.2, a league record for lefties.

The Braves are a team that could “swing big” for Skubal at the deadline.

The White Sox, Rockies, and Cardinals are three rebuilding teams that may taste success sooner rather than later.

Mighty Casey is still battling as Mudville celebrates the anniversary of the legendary poem by Ernest L. Thayer.

A civil jury in Los Angeles found Rebecca Grossman, a California philanthropist, and Scott Erickson, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, negligent in the deaths of two young brothers and awarded the victims’ family $176 million. The jury found that both parties acted with malice, opening the door for further potential penalties.

Three from the Bill Chuck Files

1. This season, Shohei Ohtani is hitting .305 (60-for-197) in games played solely as a DH. When he hits as the pitcher, however, he really hits like a pitcher by going 3-for-18 (.167).
2. Nasim Nuñez (22), José Ramírez (20), Oneil Cruz (19), Bobby Witt Jr. (19), and Randy Arozarena (17) each have more stolen bases than the Giants (15).
3. Heading into play last night, the White Sox were 2.5 games out of first with a record of 32-29. In the NL Central, the Cubs were in fourth place and 6.5 games out with the same record.

Apropos of Nothing

If the Cubs continue to lose and become sellers at the deadline, who do they trade? Suzuki, Swanson, and Ian Happ have full no-trade clauses. So do Bregman, Nico Hoerner, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. Jameson Taillon has a limited NTC, but he won’t get Hoyer much in trade. The Cubs have no replacement for Michael Busch, and Ben Brown should be untouchable, something we never would have said a year ago.

That leaves Shaw, Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, Matthew Boyd, and Colin Rea, plus any of their catchers and relievers.

This team had better turn things around quickly, or it’s going to be a long summer. That said, let’s not forget the huge elephant sitting next to Hoyer. It’s an awful reflection on his talent evaluation skills if he has to churn and burn this roster. He could slightly save face if Happ and Suzuki agree to be traded because their contracts are expiring.

Extra Innings

A heck of a milestone for Happer!

A hustle double for Ian Happ's 1,000th career hit! pic.twitter.com/N4emkgvmG9

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) June 4, 2026

They Said It

• “We’re not winning a lot of baseball games right now … and we’re not playing well enough to win a lot of baseball games. You have to earn it and we’re not earning it.” – Counsell
• “Sometimes, you do have to wait for things to happen. As much as you want to put your finger on it and say, ‘Change it,’ the game makes you wait. It makes you sit in discomfort for a little while.” – Counsell

Thursday Walk-Up Song

Are we approaching the graceful closure part of this season?