story by Coleman Robbins
Chicago — Envision a peaceful Tuesday night winding down for bed and hearing the phone ring at 11:30 pm “Hey be ready for tomorrow… potentially.” That was Trent Thornton’s reality Tuesday night. Twenty four hours later Thorton was standing on the bump at Wrigley Field in the tenth inning of a tie game, making his Cubs debut in front of a packed weeknight crowd that had already watched another night of chaos unfold.
“I think I kind of blacked out to be honest, I’m just glad I got that first one out of the way.” Thornton said after putting up a scoreless frame in the tenth. “But that was a heck of a game, full team effort. That was fun to watch and fun to be a part of.”
Thornton embodies the next man up mindset that has infected the 26’ Northsiders. That moment perfectly encapsulates the 2026 Cubs.
Nothing about this stretch has felt normal. Yet every night, the Cubs continue finding new and increasingly improbable ways to win baseball games. Three walk-offs, a getaway day blowout, and four packed games at the friendly confines
For the first time since 1902, the Cubs walked-off three straight games at Wrigley Field. They’ve won 19 of their last 22 and 15 straight at home, the franchise’s second-longest home winning streak since 1945.
And somehow, it feels like this team is just finding their groove and revving their engines.
Cubs Rotation Combines for 28 Strikeouts in 23 Innings Despite Injury-Depleted Staff
While the late game heroics have garnered all the headlines, the Cubs rotation (albeit tattered by injuries) quietly anchored the series.
Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, Colin Rea, and Shota Imanaga all worked at least five innings while allowing three runs or fewer — combining for 23 IP, 7 ER, 9 BB, 28 K, and 6 HR. The big shots have been a problem, but not an insurmountable one, ranking at sixth in MLB for total homers allowed (47) and long balls surrendered by starters (28).
- Cabrera: 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 K
- Taillon: 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 K
- Rea: 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 K
- Shota Imanaga: 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 10 K
It wasn’t always flashy, but simply steady. Exactly what this team needed while the offense keeps finding ways to deliver late-game magic.
Conforto’s Walk-Off Homer Ignites Cubs’ Historic Streak After Rain-Delayed Monday Night
Monday felt chaotic and hectic from the beginning.
The game was moved up a half hour due to weather, delayed by rain, then finally played in front of 33,000 fans.
“I mean that was a pretty cool Monday.” Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “ 33,000 fans after the game got pushed up thirty minutes and then pushed back an hour and ten minutes after its original start time, that’s just a cool Monday to be a part of.
Cabrera battled through six innings while Seiya Suzuki launched a towering homer through the falling rain off a 96 mph sinker. Suzuki finished with three RBI and a walk as the Cubs clawed their way back into a 3-3 game.
Then came Michael Conforto.
After sitting on the bench for nearly the entire night, the veteran outfielder was called upon. He stepped in and delivered the walk-off homer that ignited the week.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Michael Conforto
“The home winning streak we have, the team is playing, scrapping, and doing everything they can to win,” Conforto said. “It’s awesome that I got the opportunity to go out and do that.”
Crow-Armstrong was impressed by the at-bat and did more than just admire the result when speaking postgame.
“It’s really hard to sit on the bench for 8 ⅔ and find any sort of sexy feeling that we like to feel as hitters in the box.” Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “Against a pretty good MLB closer, that’s just an incredible at-bat.”
Michael Busch Goes 3-for-4 With Walk-Off Single as Cubs Extend Home Winning Streak to 14
Tuesday brought another nail-biter.
Michael Busch powered the offense with a 3-4 night that included a homer, two RBI, a walk, and a walk-off hit up the middle—handcuffing Cincinnati shortstop Elly De La Cruz to seal the game..
Javier Assad (hadn’t pitched in ten days), Jacob Webb, and Daniel Palencia combined for three and a third innings of scoreless relief—before handing the ball to Ryan Rolison in the tenth to notch a scoreless frame—including two strikeouts.
Pitching has become a revolving door all season, but Craig Counsell continues pulling the right strings, despite the plethora of injuries.
| Player | Injury | Expected Return |
|---|---|---|
| Ethan Roberts | Middle finger laceration | Early May |
| Caleb Thielbar | Hamstring strain | Mid-May |
| Hunter Harvey | Tricep inflammation | May |
| Jordan Wicks | Radial nerve irritation | May |
| Riley Martin | Elbow inflammation | June / July |
| Justin Steele | Elbow | Second half of 2026? |
| Matthew Boyd | Meniscus | TBD |
| Jaxon Wiggins | Elbow inflammation | TBD |
| Porter Hodge | Flexor strain | 2027 |
| Cade Horton | — | 2027 |
| Shelby Miller | Right elbow surgery | 2027 |
Whether it’s matchup management, roster construction, or pinch-hitting decisions, which have been stellar so far: 333/.400/583 accounting for twelve hits, three doubles, two long balls (Conforto and Carson Kelly), nine RBI, and four walks. Counsell has had immense trust in his roster, and they have more than delivered.
Trent Thornton Makes Cubs Debut in Extra Innings, Busch Draws Walk-Off Walk in Wild Game 3
Wednesday may have been the most ridiculous game of the series, and that’s saying something for this historic set.
The Cubs bullpen finally bent. No Palencia and no Ben Brown available meant it was time for some early-season trial and error for relievers like Corbin Martin (now DFA’d), Hoby Milner, and newcomer Thornton.
Yet the Cubs still found a way.
Ian Happ finished 3-5 with a longball, two RBI, and a stolen base, but struck out when the pressure was on in the tenth. Following the bullpen blunder in the ninth, Pete Crow-Armstrong belted an oppo taco to left-center off a low slider to even the game at six apiece.
Then came Thornton.
Eight months removed from tearing his Achilles and watching his team (Seattle Mariners) make a deep postseason run without him, the journeyman right-hander got the call to join one of the hottest teams in baseball.
“It was just kind of a whirlwind,” Thornton remarked when asked about his appearance. “You know it’s been eight months since I tore my achilles, long road. But, I’ve been ready and chomping at the bit for game action.”
Counsell admitted it was hardly an ideal situation he was thrust into.
“When a guy comes to your team for his first appearance, it’s not generally recommended you put them in extra innings.” Counsell said. “Try to let them get a little softer landing. But, Trent’s a kid that’s got that in him.”
Thornton responded with a scoreless 10th inning.
Moments later, Miguel Amaya laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to move the runner over, Alex Bregman and Suzuki were intentionally walked to set the stage for Michael Busch once again. Busch drew the walk-off walk surrendered by the beat-up Reds bullpen that saw their closer Emilio Pagán writhing in pain (ultimately having to get carted off) due to a grade two left hamstring strain.
Getaway day felt like an afterthought of a game after the first three. Shota Imanaga dazzled with ten strikeouts and the offense put up a crooked number in the fourth, propelling Chicago to a lopsided 8-3 win over Cincinnati, who couldn’t get out of Chicago faster after the four-game stinker.
Counsell once again tested his new bullpen arms, throwing Thornton and Hollowell in with a substantial lead. Thornton produced another scoreless frame, unlike Gavin Hollowell who was left scathed, allowing two earned runs, needing Palencia to bail him out.
Next Man Up: How Cubs’ Roster Depth and Bench Production Are Fueling the 2026 Run
What makes this Cubs run feel different is that every night belongs to someone new.
One night it’s Conforto. Next it’s Busch, then Happ, then Crow-Armstrong, and then a reliever who was in bed less than 24 hours earlier wondering if he’d even pitch in the show again.
“That’s what streaks are made of,” Counsell exclaimed. “And that’s hopefully what good teams are made of.”
Even a failed relay between Suzuki and Crow-Armstrong became symbolic of the season—one player falls down, another is there to pick up the other.
The execution isn’t always perfect.
The effort always is.
“That was absolutely huge,” Crow-Armstrong said of Amaya’s sacrifice bunt. “That’s another example of a guy sitting on the bench for eight innings and getting the job done.”
That mentality has defined the Cubs all season. Next man up. Whether that’s from the end of the bench or the farm.
“I think we just all have a belief in our preparation and each other,” said Crow-Armstrong.
Cubs Tied for Best Record in Baseball at 26-12 as Reds Drop to Last in NL Central
While the Cubs keep stacking wins, Cincinnati and the rest of the division is left scrambling. The Reds entered May in first place before collapsing into a seven-game losing streak that dropped them from first to last in the NL Central (20-18 record, behind the 19-16 Brewers, 21-17 Pirates, and 22-15 Cardinals).
Meanwhile, the Cubs are tied with the Yankees and Braves for the best record in baseball (26-12, .684) and have surged through another dominant stretch after briefly stumbling against Los Angeles and San Diego following their 10-game April winning streak.
Now they’re rolling again to the tune of nine in a row.
The “Cardiac Cubbies” continue to find new ways to win games in ways that feel improbable and impossible to predict.
“You just don’t know what’s going to happen when Pete comes up,” Counsell said. “It’s not supposed to happen, then it happens. That’s just Pete.”
That unpredictability has become the identity of this team.
The Cubs aren’t just beating teams right now. They’re exhausting them. Every game becomes a new grind. Every inning feels alive. Every role player suddenly becomes capable of deciding the outcome.
Three games. Three walk-offs. Chicago is alive and fully believing again.
At this point, the improbable is starting to feel routine at Wrigley Field.
