Cubs lose 3-2 to Reds on Aug. 5 after Michael Soroka's debut injury and Dansby Swanson's shocking baserunning error that negated the tying run.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night that was supposed to signal a reinforced push for the postseason. Instead, Tuesday at Wrigley Field felt like a cruel joke. The Cubs' newest arm, Michael Soroka, didn't even make it through two innings of his debut before leaving with a shoulder injury, and a gut-punch of a 3-2 loss to the rival Reds was sealed by one of the most bizarre plays of the season—a tying run wiped off the board when Dansby Swanson simply missed first base.
One step. That's all that separated a tied game from a soul-crushing out, a perfect metaphor for a team that feels agonizingly close yet frustratingly far from where it needs to be.
The excitement for Michael Soroka's first start in Cubbie blue evaporated in the second inning. After giving up a solo homer to Tyler Stephenson, the trade deadline acquisition signaled to the dugout, walking off the mound with what was later described as shoulder discomfort. The team confirmed he's headed for the injured list after just 1.1 innings pitched. The hope was that Soroka would solidify the back end of the rotation; now, his injury reopens the very hole Jed Hoyer tried to patch, putting immense pressure on the remaining arms like Ben Brown, who pitched admirably in long relief (3.2 IP, 1 ER).
The game's defining moment came in the bottom of the seventh. With the Cubs trailing 3-2 and a runner on third, Dansby Swanson, who had earlier hit a two-run homer, hit a chopper and hustled down the line, appearing to beat the throw for an infield single that would tie the game. Wrigley erupted. But the celebration was short-lived. A Reds challenge led to a replay review that showed Swanson's foot came down just next to the bag, never making contact. The call was overturned, the run was erased, and the rally was dead. For a team whose execution has been under a microscope, it was an unbelievable and costly gaffe.
A loss like this, compounded by an immediate injury to a trade acquisition, inevitably shifts focus to the front office. The Soroka injury now amplifies the criticism of Jed Hoyer's decision not to trade top prospects like Owen Caissie for a proven ace. The 'all-in' move never came, and with Soroka sidelined and the team dropping to three games behind Milwaukee, the choice to opt for depth over a top-tier starter is facing its first, and harshest, test.
Despite the gut-wrenching loss, the season is far from over. The Cubs are still just three games out of first place with plenty of baseball left to play. But the margin for error has vanished. The rotation is now a question mark, the offense needs to find consistency, and the team must eliminate the costly mistakes that turned a winnable game into a painful memory. The pressure is on, and how the Cubs respond in the coming days will tell us everything we need to know about their true pennant chances.
