Chicago Cubs Reliever Andrew Kittredge, Offense Stumble In 5-1 Loss To Reds

The Cubs cannot lose Shota Imanaga for any reason the rest of the season if they hope to reach the postseason.

Imanaga was brilliant on Tuesday. He allowed three hits, one earned run and struck out seven in 6.1 innings. He didn’t walk anyone and trimmed his ERA to 3.12. He left with a no-decision.

When he strained his left hamstring and went on the injured list on May 5, he needed more than a month to get back. Since he returned on June 26, he’s been the reliable left-hander the Cubs have come to know.

In the seven starts before Tuesday, he went 5-2 with a 3.76 ERA. He struck out 29 and walked three in 38.1 innings. Tuesday’s game fell in line with his last seven outings. It’s exactly what the Cubs need every fifth start.

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Andrew Kittredge took over for Imanaga in the seventh inning. It didn’t go great.

Kittredge, one of the relievers Chicago acquired at the trade deadline, allowed four runs after he replaced Imanaga. Spencer Steer delivered the tie-breaking home run, a three-run shot. Two batters later, Jose Trevino singled home Neolvi Marte to make it 5-1 Reds.

Kittredge had delivered two scoreless innings combined in his first two appearances with the Cubs. But, on the heels of losing another trade deadline acquisition, Michael Soroka, to an injury, Kittredge’s implosion was poorly timed.

The Suddenly Disappearing Offense

For the second straight game at home, the Cubs’ offense couldn’t get much going. But it’s been a larger trend in the last eight games.

Shaw’s home run brought home the only run, but the Cubs only had three other hits, one each from Michael Busch, Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong.

In the last eight games the Cubs are 3-5, but the inability to score runs is a bit alarming for one of the best offenses in baseball.

Chicago has scored 30 runs in the last eight games, an average of 3.75 runs per game. That’s a bit skewed too. One win was by a score of 10-3 over the Brewers. The following game, the Cubs beat Baltimore, 1-0.

Remove those two games and the Cubs have 19 runs in six games, an average of just over three runs per game. Put it together and it’s an ill-timed slump for the Cubs’ offense.

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