Cubs Face Young Gun Jonah Tong After Unlikely Collapse

CHICAGO, IL — The Chicago Cubs blew a 6-1 lead in last night’s game against the San Diego Padres, marking a significant shift in the race for the Wild Card spot.

The Cubs’ rookie pitcher, Cade Horton, was pulled from the game due to back tightness that may have stemmed from breathing issues. Cubs manager Craig Counsell decided to take Horton out rather than risk his future starts. Until last night, the Cubs had not lost a game this season when leading by five runs.

Despite their early advantage, a combination of ineffective pitching and defensive mistakes allowed the Padres to turn the game around. The Cubs now find themselves relying on starting pitcher Matthew Boyd, whose performance has declined significantly since the All-Star break. Boyd’s ERA has jumped from 2.34 to 4.74, raising concerns about his stamina as he approaches a career-high in innings.

Boyd enters this game with 174.1 innings pitched, almost 63 more than in the past three seasons combined. He will need a strong performance to regain confidence and stability on the mound.

The Cubs’ batting lineup features first baseman Michael Busch, who recently became the Cubs’ first player since 2019 to hit 30 home runs. Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Moisés Ballesteros, Seiya Suzuki, Carson Kelly, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Dansby Swanson, and Matt Shaw complete the lineup.

Tonight, the Cubs will face rookie right-hander Jonah Tong, who has a unique over-the-top delivery reminiscent of Tim Lincecum. At 6 feet 1 inch, Tong generates an impressive 20 inches of vertical break on his fastball, which he throws around 95 mph. He also features an 86 mph changeup and a 77-78 mph curveball.

This will be Tong’s fifth start in Major League Baseball. Although he has struck out 21 batters in 16 innings, he has also struggled with control, having had outings with multiple walks and home runs allowed.

First pitch for tonight’s game is set for 7:05 PM CT and can be watched on ESPN and heard on 670 The Score.