Cubs Eye Redemption as Guardians Limp into Wrigley

Alright, let’s talk about what’s brewing at Wrigley Field this week — a three-game showdown between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Guardians. If you’ve been following the Guardians, you already know they’re not coming in hot. They’re limping into this series after a brutal June, and frankly, the Cubs smell blood.

Let’s rewind for a second. The last time these two teams met at Wrigley was back in 2023, and let’s just say the rain got more action than the players. Delays stretched hours long and soaked both the field and the fans’ patience. Cleveland walked away with two wins out of three that series, but the weather was the real headliner. This year? Sunny skies and dry forecasts — and for Cubs fans, hopefully a different result.

Right now, the Guardians are struggling. After once looking like a solid playoff team, they’ve tumbled toward mediocrity with a .500-ish record and four straight losses. Their offense has evaporated — they scored in only two of their last 40 innings. That’s not a typo. It’s been a month of silence at the plate, and fans are begging for the promotion of Chase DeLauter from Triple-A, who’s tearing it up in Columbus. Will we see him in Chicago this week? Probably not. Instead, expect Nolan Jones and Johnathan Rodriguez in the outfield. And if you've ever seen a rough defensive performance, Rodriguez might redefine that for you.

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José Ramírez remains their lone offensive star, but honestly, if Cubs pitching avoids him, Cleveland doesn’t have much firepower left. Their rotation — Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, and Luis Ortiz — is unpredictable. They could dazzle with six innings of two-run ball, or crumble with a four-run meltdown in a single frame. Either way, the Cubs have the better matchups this time.

Cubs’ arms are lined up nicely: Matthew Boyd opens the series with a solid 2.65 ERA, followed by Shōta Imanaga and Cade Horton. None of them have to face any left-handed starters, which plays right into the Cubs' hands. Offensively, the North Siders have been more consistent, and Wrigley will be rocking, especially with national broadcasts lined up all week.

What’s wild is that this is only the third full three-game series between these two teams at Wrigley since interleague play began in 1997. All-time, the Cubs and Guardians are dead even in Chicago — 8 wins each. But this week feels like the moment to tip the scales.

And just looking ahead — after this, the Cubs host the Cardinals. It’s a crucial stretch in the schedule, and grabbing two out of three against the Guardians seems not only doable but necessary.

So here we go: hot bats, solid pitching, and the Guardians reeling. The Cubs have a golden opportunity to keep climbing. Let’s see if they take it.

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