The Chicago Cubs are now facing playoff elimination. After losing 7-3 on Monday night to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs are down 0-2 in the best-of-five NLDS series. With the team facing elimination, fans will point fingers. As the team hopes to stave off elimination on Wednesdays, these are the Cubs that need to take some blame for the 0-2 deficit.
A Nico Hoerner error looms large
The Cubs have taken early leads in both games of the series. In Game 1, Michael Busch hit a lead-off home run to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. The Brewers stuck back in the bottom of the inning, but with two outs in the bottom of the first, the game was just 2-1 for the Brewers. A ground ball was then hit by the Brewers' Sal Frelick towards Nico Hoerner. He could have turned an inning-ending double play, but instead, the ball slipped under his glove.
“Obviously, that play had an impact, not just win and loss implications, but just the entire use of the pitching staff and everything like that. Had a huge effect on that game and momentum,” said Hoerner after the game about his error. Four more runs would score, the team had to move to the bullpen quickly, and never recovered in Game 1.
Hoerner did partially make up for the error later in the game with a solo home run, but also struck out twice. He is now three for eight at the dish with an RBI and two runs scored in the series.
Kyle Tucker needs to revive his bat
Kyle Tucker was a major reason for the success of the Cubs this season. He played in just 136 games, but was solid at the plate in that time. Tucker hit .266 with 22 home runs, 73 RBIs, and an .841 OPS. While leading the team in on-base percentage, he was also tied for the team lead in runs scored with 91. That was while he had 91 fewer at-bats than Pete Crow-Armstrong, who also had 91 runs scored.
He missed time towards the end of the season and struggled in general in September. The DH and right fielder played in just five games, hitting .158 with three runs scored and three RBIs. He hit .273 in the series with the Padres, scoring once but going without an RBI. In this series, the bat has completely died. He does not have a hit in eight plate appearances, while having two walks and a run scored. If the Cubs are going to make the comeback, it starts with Tucker getting his bat right.
Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga have placed the team in early holes
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in Game 1 of the series, and then a 3-0 lead in Game 2 of the series, both in the first inning. Starting pitching has given those leads right back each time. In Game 1, the starting pitcher was Matthew Boyd. He gave up back-to-back-to-back doubles before recording an out in the bottom of the first inning. After walking a batter, the Hoerner error happened, and the Brewers would bat around. Boyd would finish the game pitching just .2 innings, giving up four hits, six runs with two earned, a walk, and a strikeout. This also led to the Cubs needing to use Aaron Civale to pitch 4.1 innings in Game 1.
In Game 2, Hoerner singled in the top of the first, and then Tucker walked. Seiya Suzuki then gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead on a home run in the first inning. Shota Imanaga took the mound with a lead. He struck out the first two batters before giving up singles to William Contreras and Christian Yelich. With two outs in the inning, Andrew Vaughn took a 3-2 sweeper to left field for a home run that tied the game.
The pitcher would have a clean second inning before giving up a home run to Conreras in the third inning, giving the Brewers the lead for good. He pitched just 2.2 innings, giving up five hits, two home runs, and four runs in the loss. The team also had to burn through three more pitchers in the game, including Colin Rea for 3.1 innings.
Starting pitchers for the Cubs have now given up ten runs in just 3.1 innings of work. Considering the team has scored just six runs in the entire series, these are deficits that the club cannot work out of. Meanwhile, the Brewers had the second-best team ERA in the majors in 2025. The Cubs are struggling to get on base, and being behind early is not an option.
If the Cubs want to survive on Wednesday, James Taillon will need to give the Cubs a solid start. He did just that in the deciding Game 3 against the Padres, going four innings without giving up a run.
