ATLANTA — The clock is ticking for the Cubs as they compete for playoff seeding, navigate injuries and try to end the regular season firing on all cylinders.
In their 4-1 loss to the Braves on Monday night, a lack of offensive production was the root of their problems. But with Pete Crow-Armstrong back in the lineup and Kyle Tucker nearing a return, pitching was the area most in flux.
Starter Shota Imanaga (9-7) again had trouble with the Braves’ Ozzie Albies, who hit a solo homer in his first at-bat after going 2-for-4 with a homer against Imanaga last week at Wrigley Field. The blast Monday kicked off a string of four straight hits for the Braves as they took an early 3-0 lead.
After a mound visit from pitching coach Tommy Hottovy, Imanaga settled in, allowing just one more baserunner through the rest of his six innings. In all, he allowed five hits and three runs and struck out four.
Although the in-game bounce-back was cause for confidence, Imanaga has shown subtle cracks as of late. In each of his previous two outings, both quality starts, he also allowed multiple homers.
Fellow lefty Matthew Boyd also went through a recent rough patch, raising further questions about the Cubs’ potential playoff rotation. Although he rebounded Saturday by holding the Nationals to two runs in seven innings, Boyd (12-8) has a 5.70 ERA in his last four starts.
At least two regular Cubs starters have been sidelined at a time for much of the year. Right-hander Jameson Taillon is slated to return Wednesday, having made just two starts since the beginning of July because of a strained calf and then a strained groin. The silver lining of all that missed time is that he should be feeling fresh for this time of year. However, he’ll land in the middle of a high-pressure stretch, with only about four more starting opportunities before the end of the regular season.
Also nearing a return is right-hander Michael Soroka, who could be a wild card down the stretch and into the playoffs. When the Cubs acquired him at the trade deadline, they envisioned him making more than one two-inning start, but a shoulder injury in his debut upended those plans. He’s on track to return as a reliever.
“I have no question that if he’s throwing as hard as he is in the bullpen, and if he’s healthy, he’s going to have an impact on us,” Cubs team president Jed Hoyer said earlier this month.
Soroka’s fastball was in the mid-90s during his recent live batting-practice sessions. That’s as hard as he was throwing earlier this season before a steady decline in July.
In the meantime, the bullpen must deal with another shake-up, with closer Daniel Palencia landing on the 15-day injured list Monday with a strained right shoulder. It was unclear whether he’d be back before the end of the season. In his absence, the Cubs will turn to more of a closer-by-committee approach, likely leaning into matchups at the back ends of close games.
They have several late-inning candidates. Brad Keller hasn’t allowed a run in 20 straight appearances. Fellow right-hander Andrew Kittredge already has two saves since joining the Cubs at the trade deadline. Lefty Caleb Thielbar has a 2.12 ERA and 20 holds.
Monday’s game, however, offered no insight on the closer situation. The Cubs trailed from the bottom of the first inning on. Right-hander Aaron Civale covered the last two innings, allowing two hits, including a solo homer by Matt Olson.
