Chicago Cubs Central Podcast

THE CUBS HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM — AND MIKE IS NOT HOLDING BACK! 🚨

The Chicago Cubs are fighting for October, but there is one massive problem that could completely derail this team's postseason dreams:

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike goes OFF on the Cubs' late-inning pitching after another brutal stretch that has left Cubs fans asking the same question:

WHO IS TO BLAME?!

The Cubs' bullpen has a 4.03 ERA on the season, but over the last seven days that number has exploded to 7.72. That's not a small slump — that's a bullpen that is struggling at exactly the wrong time of the year.

And the bigger problem?

The Cubs have now blown 26 games in which they previously held a lead.

The latest collapse against Milwaukee only made the situation worse. Chicago jumped out to a 3-0 lead, only to watch the bullpen give it away. Daniel Palencia, Ryan Zeferjahn, Caleb Thielbar and Tyler Ferguson were among the relievers who couldn't slam the door, with Milwaukee eventually taking the game 9-4.

And Mike has QUESTIONS.

🔥 Why is this bullpen falling apart at the worst possible time?

🔥 Can Daniel Palencia be trusted in high-leverage situations?

🔥 What happened to the bullpen that was supposed to protect this team late in games?

🔥 Is Craig Counsell getting the most out of the arms he has?

🔥 Does Jed Hoyer deserve blame for the construction of this bullpen?

🔥 And most importantly — CAN THE CUBS WIN IN OCTOBER WITH THIS BULLPEN?

The Cubs have too much talent and have played too well this season to allow their postseason hopes to come down to whether the bullpen can hold a lead.

This isn't about one bad game.

It's becoming a pattern.

And with September here, Chicago doesn't have much time left to fix it.

MLB itself is asking the same question: “What is going on with the Cubs' bullpen?”

Mike breaks down the numbers, the individual performances, the decision-making and what the Cubs need to do NOW before this problem costs them a playoff series.

Who's to blame for the bullpen problems?

Jed Hoyer?
Craig Counsell?
The pitchers?
Or ALL OF THEM?

Drop your answer in the comments!

And if you're a Cubs fan who is tired of watching leads disappear late...

HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON, SUBSCRIBE TO CHICAGO CUBS CENTRAL, AND TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS!

We're heading toward October.

The Cubs don't have time for this anymore.

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THE BULLPEN.🚨 CUBS FANS — SOUND OFF!

The Cubs just dropped a 7-5 decision to the Cincinnati Reds on August 30, and Shōta Imanaga is going to take a LOT of the heat for it. But on Chicago Cubs Central, I’m telling you: YOU CAN’T BLAME SHOTA!

Imanaga went 5 innings, allowing 8 hits, 6 runs and 3 home runs while striking out 4. Héctor Rodríguez, Dane Myers and Tyler Stephenson all took him deep as Cincinnati grabbed control of the game. 

So why am I defending Shota after THAT performance? 

 I’m breaking down exactly what happened against Cincinnati.
 Why Imanaga shouldn’t be the only one taking the blame.
 Who REALLY deserves the criticism?
 Is this a Shota problem… or a MUCH BIGGER Cubs problem?
 And what does this mean for the Cubs heading into September?

Pete Crow-Armstrong did his part with TWO home runs, including a ninth-inning blast that brought Chicago within two, but it wasn’t enough as the Reds took the series. 

 Was Shota Imanaga really the reason the Cubs lost?

Watch the entire episode of Chicago Cubs Central and let me know in the comments:

WHO IS REALLY AT FAULT?

 LIKE the video
 SUBSCRIBE to Chicago Cubs Central
 COMMENT: Can you really blame Shota?

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Welcome back to Chicago Cubs Central!

In this episode, Mike breaks down the return of Matt Shaw and why his timing couldn't be more important for the Cubs as they make their push toward the postseason.

⚾ MATT SHAW IS BACK!

Shaw has begun his Minor League rehab assignment with the Iowa Cubs after missing time with a left-hand injury. He's already showing positive signs, including a two-hit performance during his rehab stint.

But the biggest question is:

🔥 CAN MATT SHAW STEP UP AND BECOME A DIFFERENCE-MAKER FOR THE CUBS?

The Cubs are dealing with injuries in the infield, including Dansby Swanson's oblique injury, which is expected to keep him out for at least four weeks. That could create an even bigger opportunity for Shaw when he returns.

We'll talk about:

✅ Matt Shaw's return
✅ What Shaw can bring offensively
✅ His defensive versatility
✅ Where Craig Counsell could play him
✅ Shaw vs. Pedro Ramírez for playing time
✅ How Shaw could help replace some of the production lost to injuries
✅ Why his return could be HUGE for the Cubs' postseason push

Shaw's 2026 MLB numbers currently sit at .246 with 4 HR and 20 RBI, and his versatility gives the Cubs another option around the infield as they navigate the final stretch of the season.

The Cubs don't need Matt Shaw to be a superstar.

They need him to be healthy, productive and ready to contribute.

Could Shaw be one of the biggest X-factors for the Cubs down the stretch?

🔥 MIKE HAS THE ANSWER ON THIS EPISODE OF CHICAGO CUBS CENTRAL!

👇 CUBS FANS — WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Where should Matt Shaw play when he returns?

Should he be in the everyday lineup?

Can Shaw help the Cubs make a deep postseason run?

DROP YOUR TAKE IN THE COMMENTS!

👍 LIKE
💬 COMMENT
🔔 SUBSCRIBE
📲 SHARE WITH A CUBS FAN

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #MattShaw #CubsNews #CubsBaseball #ChicagoCubsCentral #Cubs2026 #MLB #MLBNews #CraigCounsell #DansbySwanson #PedroRamirez

🚨 ARE THE CUBS DESPERATELY MISSING DANSBY SWANSON?! 🚨

Welcome back to Chicago Cubs Central! In this episode, we take a deep dive into just how important Dansby Swanson has become to the Cubs — especially with the team entering a crucial stretch of the season.

Dansby is currently sidelined with an oblique injury, and the Cubs are facing a major defensive adjustment while they wait for their starting shortstop to return.

⚾ WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CUBS WITHOUT DANSBY?
We break down how losing Swanson affects the entire infield and why his defensive impact may be even more important than his offensive numbers.

🔥 NICO HOERNER AT SHORTSTOP
Nico has stepped over to shortstop, but is the Cubs' defense better with him at second base? We look at his offensive and defensive production at both positions.

💥 PEDRO RAMIREZ AT SECOND BASE
Pedro Ramirez has provided an offensive spark, but can he give the Cubs the same defensive stability they had with Nico at second?

📊 DANSBY VS. THE REPLACEMENTS
We compare the offensive and defensive numbers and ask the biggest question:

DO THE CUBS NEED DANSBY SWANSON BACK TO MAKE A SERIOUS POSTSEASON RUN?

We also discuss Dansby's expected return timeline and whether he can get back in time to make an impact during the most important games of the season.

👇 CUBS FANS — WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Do the Cubs desperately need Dansby Swanson back?
Would you rather have Nico Hoerner at 2B or SS?
Can Pedro Ramirez hold down second base?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

👍 LIKE THE VIDEO
🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO CHICAGO CUBS CENTRAL
💬 COMMENT YOUR TAKE
📲 SHARE WITH A CUBS FAN

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #DansbySwanson #NicoHoerner #PedroRamirez #CubsNews #CubsBaseball #ChicagoCubsCentral #Cubs2026 #MLB

he Chicago Cubs have a problem that could become VERY costly once the postseason begins.

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike breaks down one of the biggest flaws facing this Cubs team: LEAVING RUNNERS ON BASE.

The White Sox exposed the problem, and if the Cubs continue wasting scoring opportunities against better teams, it could come back to haunt them when the games matter most.

⚾ The Cubs are getting runners on — but they're NOT consistently bringing them home.

And that's a dangerous formula heading into October.

• Why leaving runners on base is becoming a major Cubs problem
• How the White Sox exposed Chicago's offensive weakness
• Why the Cubs HAVE to start cashing in scoring opportunities
• Can this offense be trusted in the postseason?
• What happens when the Cubs face elite pitching in October?
• Is this a fixable problem before the playoffs?
• What needs to change for the Cubs to make a deep postseason run?

The Cubs have the talent to make noise in October — but they can't afford to waste opportunities.

Is leaving runners on base the Cubs' BIGGEST weakness?

👇 SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS!

🔥 LIKE THE VIDEO
🔥 SUBSCRIBE TO CHICAGO CUBS CENTRAL
🔥 TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS
🔥 JOIN THE CUBS CENTRAL COMMUNITY

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #CubsCentral #GoCubsGo #CubsNews #MLB #ChicagoSports #CubsBaseball #Postseason #MLBPlayoffs

🔥 IN THIS EPISODE:

The Chicago Cubs had a BAD day at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 11-4, and what was supposed to be a positive return for Edward Cabrera quickly turned into a nightmare. Cabrera returned from the injured list and was rocked for 7 earned runs in just 3⅔ innings, including a disastrous six-run fourth inning.

But the bad news didn't stop there.

Dansby Swanson left the game with a left oblique injury, creating another major concern for a Cubs team trying to stay in the NL Central race. Swanson is expected to undergo further evaluation, with the Cubs preparing for a stint on the injured list.

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, we break down:

⚾ Edward Cabrera's disastrous return
⚾ Why Cabrera's 7 earned runs are so concerning
⚾ The Cardinals' offensive explosion
⚾ Dansby Swanson's oblique injury
⚾ What Swanson's absence could mean for the Cubs
⚾ The Cubs' 11-4 loss to St. Louis
⚾ What this means for Chicago moving forward
⚾ Are the Cubs starting to lose momentum at the worst possible time?

Was this just ONE BAD DAY, or is there something bigger going on with the Cubs?

🔥 LIKE the video, SUBSCRIBE to Chicago Cubs Central, and DROP YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS!

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #CubsCentral #EdwardCabrera #DansbySwanson #MLB #GoCubsGo #CubsNews #ChicagoSports

The Chicago Cubs may have one of the deepest pitching staffs in baseball heading toward the playoffs — but Craig Counsell has a HUGE decision to make.

With Matthew Boyd, Shōta Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Javier Assad, David Peterson and Colin Rea all in the mix, plus Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown nearing their returns, the Cubs suddenly have a massive pitching logjam.

So who actually deserves a spot in the playoff rotation?

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike breaks down the Cubs' pitching situation and asks the BIG question:

🔥 WHO STARTS IN THE PLAYOFFS?
🔥 WHO SHOULD MOVE TO THE BULLPEN?
🔥 Could Clay Holmes be MORE valuable as a reliever?
🔥 Does Javier Assad belong in the rotation or become a multi-inning weapon?
🔥 What do the Cubs do with Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera?
🔥 Can Kevin Gausman become a postseason ace?
🔥 Is Shōta Imanaga the Game 1 starter?

Mike also breaks down the pitch mix, 2026 performance and postseason potential of each pitcher before revealing his projected Cubs playoff rotation.

🥇 Shōta Imanaga
🥈 Kevin Gausman
🥉 Matthew Boyd
4️⃣ Javier Assad

And the bullpen could feature some SERIOUS weapons:

💥 Clay Holmes
💥 Ben Brown
💥 Edward Cabrera
💥 Colin Rea

The Cubs have spent the season searching for pitching depth.

Now they may have the opposite problem — TOO MANY OPTIONS.

And that could be exactly what Chicago needs to make a deep October run.

👇 CUBS FANS — I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Who should start Game 1?

Imanaga, Gausman, Boyd, Holmes or somebody else?

And who are YOU moving to the bullpen?

Drop your playoff pitching staff in the comments! ⚾️

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #ChicagoCubsCentral #CubsBaseball #MLB #CubsPlayoffs #CraigCounsell #ShotaImanaga #KevinGausman #MatthewBoyd #ClayHolmes #JavierAssad #BenBrown #EdwardCabrera

🚨 MY PROJECTED PLAYOFF ROTATION:

The Chicago Cubs are 5.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers with just 43 games left in the regular season — so can the Cubs make one final push and steal the NL Central?!

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, we break down the Cubs vs. Brewers division race and what Chicago has to do over the final stretch of the season to catch Milwaukee.

⚾ IN THIS EPISODE:

• 🔥 Cubs have just 43 games remaining
• 📊 Cubs vs. Brewers — the numbers that matter
• 🏆 Can Chicago overcome a 5.5-game deficit?
• 🚨 Why every game matters from here on out
• 💪 What the Cubs need from their offense and pitching
• 🧠 What Craig Counsell needs to do during the stretch run
• 🏟️ Why winning the NL Central is so important
• 🎟️ The massive advantage of earning a first-round playoff bye
• 🔮 What kind of finish the Cubs need to overtake Milwaukee
• 🏆 Can this Cubs team make a serious October run?

The Cubs have put themselves in position to compete, but the margin for error is getting smaller by the day. Milwaukee has been one of the best teams in baseball, but Chicago still has enough time to make this a legitimate division race.

43 games. 5.5 games back. One division title on the line.

Can the Cubs catch the Brewers?

👇 LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS:
Do you believe the Cubs will win the NL Central?

👍 LIKE the video
🔔 SUBSCRIBE to Chicago Cubs Central
💬 COMMENT your prediction for the final NL Central standings

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #CubsCentral #MilwaukeeBrewers #NL Central #MLB #ChicagoSports #CubsFans #MLBPlayoffs

The Chicago Cubs are HOT — but not everything is perfect on the North Side! 🔥⚾

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike breaks down the recent struggles and downfall of Ian Happ and asks the biggest question: What will Craig Counsell do next? Could a lineup change be coming, or does Happ still have a role to play as the Cubs push toward the postseason?

We also dive into the impact of Pedro Ramirez, who has been providing a major boost for the Cubs and proving just how valuable he can be to this team.

And despite the concerns, it's time to give the Cubs their flowers! 🌹 The team has been rolling lately, putting together an impressive stretch of baseball and showing why they could be a serious force down the stretch.

🔥 In this episode:

• Ian Happ's recent struggles and what went wrong
• What should Craig Counsell do with Happ?
• Could the Cubs make a major lineup change?
• Pedro Ramirez's impact on the Cubs
• Why Ramirez has been such a big help
• The Cubs' recent hot streak
• Why Cubs fans should be excited about what's ahead
• Can Chicago keep this momentum going?

Are you concerned about Ian Happ, or do you think he can turn things around? And what should Craig Counsell do next?

👇 LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

Don't forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔, and TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS so you never miss an episode of Chicago Cubs Central!

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #CubsCentral #IanHapp #CraigCounsell #PedroRamirez #MLB #GoCubs

The Chicago Cubs just made a statement by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers, proving once again they have what it takes to compete with baseball's elite. But before Cubs fans start planning a World Series parade, Mike Jones has a serious warning that every fan needs to hear.

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike explains why this incredible series win shouldn't cause anyone to lose sight of what this team still needs to accomplish. The Cubs played outstanding baseball, but there are still questions that could determine whether this team is truly built for October.

The good news doesn't stop there. Reinforcements are on the way as Edward Cabrera inches closer to returning to the rotation, and several other key Cubs pitchers are expected back soon. Mike breaks down how these returns could transform the pitching staff and give Craig Counsell even more weapons for the stretch run.

Finally, we discuss the shocking news surrounding Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) that has Cubs fans buzzing. What happened? What does it mean for the Cubs moving forward? And should fans be concerned or excited? Mike gives his full reaction and explains why this story could have a major impact on the remainder of the season.

• Cubs complete an impressive sweep of the Dodgers
• Mike's stern warning for Cubs fans after the huge series win
• Edward Cabrera's return is getting closer
• Other Cubs pitchers nearing a return
• Breaking down the latest shocking Pete Crow-Armstrong news
• Can the Cubs maintain this momentum into the playoff race?

The Cubs are playing some of their best baseball of the season, but is this team truly ready for a deep postseason run? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

👍 If you love Chicago Cubs coverage, be sure to LIKE this video, SUBSCRIBE to Cubs Central, and turn on notifications so you never miss breaking Cubs news, trade updates, injury reports, and postgame analysis.

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #CubsCentral #PeteCrowArmstrong #PCA #EdwardCabrera #MLB #Dodgers #CraigCounsell #JedHoyer #Baseball #MLBNews #CubsNation #GoCubs #NLCentral #BaseballNews #ChicagoSports #MLBHighlights

⚾ In this episode: