Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ben Brown (32) leaves the field after being relieved by manager Craig Counsell, center right, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Boston.
Michael Dwyer/AP Photos
BOSTON – A trio of Cubs corner infielders converged on the mound, choreographing a change of positions and gloves, searching for some way to end what would become a 17-0 loss to the Red Sox on Saturday.
The moment summed up exactly how lopsided the game became, as the Cubs used two different position players as pitchers in the eighth inning.
First baseman Michael Busch tossed his mitt in, swapping it for a regular infielder’s glove to take over at third base for the first time this season. Mervis walked to the dugout railing for his first baseman’s mitt, handing over the ball after his first professional pitching performance. Wisdom went from third to the mound.
“When it’s that score, you’ve got to start thinking about tomorrow, absolutely,” manager Craig Counsell said. “So, they beat us. On to the next day.”
Unfortunately for the Cubs, the next day held its own bad news.
Left-hander Jordan Wicks was originally scheduled to start Sunday. But the team announced Saturday evening that he was dealing with left forearm tightness. Right-hander Hayden Wesneski replaced him as the probable starter.
Wicks’ injury made it even more important for the Cubs to save as many bullpen arms as possible Saturday.
Wesneski has been throwing out of the bullpen, and his regular pitching schedule has been altered by a pair of call-ups, so he isn’t fully stretched out. He last pitched Thursday, tossing 2 ⅓ scoreless innings against the Astros.
Strong pitching performances like that had been a theme for the Cubs all week. Until Saturday.
Cubs rookie Ben Brown was making his first start Saturday in almost two weeks, after moving to the bullpen when Jameson Taillon was reinstated from the injured list.
Brown gave up some hard contact, most notably a solo homer from Tyler O’Neil that comfortably cleared the Green Monster, striking one of the light towers. O’Neil had the green light in a 3-0 count.
“That at-bat went wrong pitch one, not making strike one,” Brown said. “Other than that, I feel like I executed pretty well, especially after that homer.”
The Cubs were still in striking distance, trailing by three runs, when Brown handed the ball to manager Craig Counsell with two outs in the fourth inning.
Counsell called on reliever Luke Little, who hadn’t allowed a run in his last two outings. But it was quickly apparent that he was battling control issues Saturday.
Little got out of the fourth inning unscathed, despite walking the first batter he faced. But the fifth inning didn’t go as well.
O’Neil showed off his power again, driving a single off the upper half of the Green Monster. Then Little induced Wilyer Abreu to hit a ground ball to Busch, but no one covered first base, handing Abreu a hit.
Little also hit two batters. With one out, he got a ground ball up the middle from Bobby Dalbec. But Little went to field the ball and deflected it away from shortstop Dansby Swanson. The Red Sox took a 5-0 lead.
“He’s a little bit struggling with the slider command and getting that pitch in a good spot and making it competitive,” Counsell said.
Right-hander Colten Brewer came in with the bases loaded and gave up a three-run double, all but putting the game out of reach, if it wasn’t already. He remained in for mop-up duty, until the position players took the mound in the eighth.
The Cubs were shut out for the first time this season.