Jameson Taillon gained’t overreact to at least one dangerous begin.
“But I also don’t want to just push it aside and move on,” Taillon mentioned Sunday after the Chicago Cubs’ 11-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays accomplished a 3-3 highway journey.
Taillon surrendered eight runs in three-plus innings, his worst begin in six weeks. It was harking back to his dangerous stretch over the primary 2 1/2 months: too many hard-hit balls and inconsistent protection behind him.
He plans to look again on Sunday’s begin however believes he’s nonetheless heading in the right direction.
“I’m very execution-based,” Taillon mentioned, “so there have been some balls that discovered holes in the present day and stuff like that. But I additionally really feel like if I executed a better share of my pitches, I might have put us in a greater spot.
“Whenever those weird things are happening behind you, it’s good to just fall back and resort to really executing at a high level, and when you don’t do that, that’s the type of game that can really balloon.”
Although the Cubs weren’t capable of full the sweep Sunday, they completed the journey in place to construct off of it throughout their homestand in opposition to the White Sox and Kansas City Royals.
Here are three takeaways from the journey.
1. Dansby Swanson’s energy surge continues
Swanson’s introduction to his new dwelling at Wrigley Field and the whims of the spring climate weren’t a sort mixture for the Cubs shortstop.
He didn’t hit his first dwelling run at Wrigley till April 27, and that stood as his lone dwelling lengthy ball till May 9, a part of a 3 extra-base hit recreation. Since then Swanson owns a .483 slugging share over his final 70 video games.
He’ll enter the City Series versus the Sox slugging .444 this season, almost replicating his energy manufacturing the earlier two years in Atlanta. He posted a career-high .464 slugging share in the course of the 60-game 2020 season.
“Early on is always such a challenge just because, weather-wise, I think that goes for most places but especially in Chicago,” Swanson mentioned Sunday. “A number of it, too, is simply a while to get within the groove after spring (coaching) and get adjusted to coming into a brand new setting.
“I give a lot of credit to our coaching staff. They’ve always been really good about keeping me even-keeled and in a good place mentally and just continuing to put the work in to better myself to be able to drive the ball a little bit more.”
Swanson’s three-run homer in Saturday’s 5-4 comeback victory was a part of a four-run fourth. He gave the Cubs a first-inning lead Sunday when he smacked a two-run double.
Midway by way of August, 5 of Swanson’s 18 dwelling runs have come this month. It’s an important signal for a lineup that grew to become deeper on the commerce deadline.
“It’s just a real professional at-bat,” supervisor David Ross mentioned. “He wants to have his plan. … Since he’s been back off the IL, it feels like he’s crushing the ball a little bit better and I think that’s part of the season.”
2. Seiya Suzuki is again
The Cubs have made a push within the postseason race largely by way of pitching and protection, however the offense as a gaggle has been extra locked within the final six weeks.
Those outcomes from the lineup have come largely with out the kind of manufacturing the Cubs envisioned from proper fielder Seiya Suzuki. A four-day psychological reset, which allowed Suzuki to step again and watch from the dugout, ended with a return to the lineup Wednesday in opposition to the New York Mets at Citi Field.
The early returns are encouraging for Suzuki and the Cubs. He went 6-for-15 within the last 4 video games of the journey with three extra-base hits, together with a house run, and three RBIs.
It’s a scary thought for the Cubs — and opposing pitching staffs — how way more explosive their offense might turn into if Suzuki is locked again in and will get on a roll within the subsequent six weeks.
3. Cubs exhibiting bounce-back capability
A mark of crew is abandoning a foul recreation or collection.
The Cubs didn’t let two dangerous video games in opposition to the Mets carry over into their collection in Toronto. They haven’t misplaced back-to-back collection since June 27-July 2 at dwelling in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Guardians.
Playing with added urgency within the weeks main as much as the commerce deadline pressured gamers to remain in a day-by-day mindset. The Cubs have ensured they don’t let losses compound, an vital attribute for a veteran crew that should proceed to rack up wins down the stretch.
“It’s huge,” Swanson mentioned. “I feel like win or lose. you have to continue to show up and prepare to win each and every day. That’s something that we’ve done really well over the past two months, and we’re just going to continue that moving forward.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com