The Cubs lose a 4-3 heartbreaker to the Orioles on Aug 2, 2025, after an 8th inning collapse. Gunnar Henderson's homer spoiled a big day for Nico Hoerner.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
For seven innings, Wrigley Field was buzzing. The Cubs were in complete control, holding a 3-0 lead over the formidable Baltimore Orioles. Nico Hoerner was raking, the defense was sharp, and it felt like another crucial late-season win was in the bag. Then came the eighth inning, a frame that will haunt fans and serve as a brutal reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in baseball.
It all came undone on one swing: Gunnar Henderson's towering 416-foot, three-run homer that silenced the Wrigley faithful and sealed the Cubs' fate.
It was a classic case of what could have been. The Cubs played nearly flawless baseball for most of the afternoon. Nico Hoerner was the offensive engine, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, including a clutch ground-rule double. Willi Castro added two hits and scored twice, manufacturing runs with his legs. Starter Matthew Boyd was solid, navigating the Orioles' lineup effectively. But the bullpen, a source of strength for much of the year, couldn't lock it down. A four-run Baltimore rally in the eighth, capped by Henderson's devastating homer, turned a comfortable 3-0 lead into a gut-wrenching 4-3 defeat. The loss drops the Cubs to 64-46, now two critical games behind the Brewers in the NL Central race.
Just as the bullpen's vulnerability was laid bare, the front office provided a glimmer of hope. The Cubs officially activated right-hander Michael Soroka, the big arm acquired at the trade deadline from Washington. He's expected to slide into the rotation and provide a much-needed boost for the final push. To make room, reliever Brooks Kriske was designated for assignment. More good news came from the trainer's room. Jameson Taillon is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Sunday after a successful bullpen session, while Javier Assad is also progressing well from his oblique strain. Even Eli Morgan, out since April, has resumed throwing. This wave of pitching talent couldn't be arriving at a better time.
In a strange and frustrating parallel, the Triple-A Iowa Cubs experienced a similar fate on Friday night. Like their major league counterparts, the I-Cubs built a 3-0 lead only to see it evaporate in a late-inning loss. The one major bright spot was the continued development of top prospect James Triantos. The versatile center fielder smashed a game-tying, two-run homer in the eighth inning, showcasing the power that has the organization so excited. While the loss stings, seeing prospects like Triantos, Owen Caissie, and Moisés Ballesteros perform under pressure is a promising sign for the future.
Saturday's loss was a bitter pill to swallow, no question. Losing a game you controlled for so long always hurts, especially in a tight divisional race. But this is not the time to panic. The Cubs are still a 64-46 ballclub, firmly in the playoff picture. With Soroka joining the big league club and Taillon and Assad nearing their returns, the pitching staff is about to get significantly deeper. They'll need to shake this one off quickly, because the road to October is a marathon, not a sprint, and every game from here on out is critical.
