Cubs Provide the Fireworks in 9-4 Win Over Royals

There's not much to be excited about with the Chicago Cubs lately, but Saturday's 9-4 win over the Kansas City Royals was a rare offensive explosion.

At this point, it's hard to watch a team that has dug itself such a deep hole that the season seems all but over by July. Even with efforts like Saturday's, it's still hard to invest time into a team that's already going through the motions.

The Cubs haven't hit consistently this season and the verdict on them being a bad team is already out.

Tale of the Tape

Shota Imanaga took the mound looking to end the Cubs' misfortunes. He's proven time and again that the Cubs can lean on him amid struggles in all other aspects of the game. While it wasn't a usual start from the lefty, the team still benefitted from his contributions.

Seiya Suzuki got the Cubs out in front with a two-run homer. It's good to see a spark coming from the power bat as the inability to stack runs has plagued the Cubs all season.

It's unclear if he'll be dealt at the trade deadline, but Suzuki has had his moments as a member of the Cubs. While injuries have affected him, he's still provided some decent production in relation to his contract .

The Cubs' offensive outburst against Royals' All-Star Seth Lugo was quite impressive. He's been masterful on the mound this season and the Cubs jumping on him early was a surprising development.

But in the sixth inning, the Royals' bats started to wake up. With the Cubs ahead 3-1, Bobby Witt Jr. and Hunter Renfroe provided RBI hits to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.

Fortunately for the Cubs and Imanaga's fate, the Cubs offense immediately responded. Patrick Wisdom took a stand with his impressive pinch-hit grand slam that put the Cubs up 7-4. From there, the North Siders never looked back.

Chicago tacked on two more runs in the ninth inning thanks to David Bote and Nico Hoerner. In what might be his last appearance with the Cubs, Hector Neris provided a clean outing that shut the door on any hopes of a Royals' rally.

With Adbert Alzolay on the shelf, Neris was thrust into the closer role early on. The veteran was a consummate professional through it all and will undoubtedly provide value to a contending team.

Upon signing him, the Cubs had grander visions of Neris serving as their setup man on what they thought was a team ready to ascend to playoff contention. That didn't work out, and the righty will likely be on the move before Tuesday.

Takeaways

It's always good to win, but when a losing season is the endgame, it can be hard to enjoy it. The Cubs aren't a good team and Saturday doesn't change that reality. At this point, the only intrigue should be in regards to the young talent getting more experience at the big-league level.

The Cubs must have a robust trade deadline to start pointing the organization back in the right direction. Jameson Taillon is their most valuable trade piece at this time, and the Cubs should be able to take advantage of a seller's market.

Since 2024 appears to be a lost season, moving veteran pitching has its benefits. It's all about tryouts for the younger players to see who can stick. A guy like Mark Leiter Jr. will just waste away in the bullpen while also blocking prospects.

What's On Tap Next?

Looking for a series win on Sunday, the Cubs will turn to Javier Assad on the mound against Royals' lefty Cole Ragans. First pitch is at 1:10 PM CT and the game will air on Marquee Sports Network.

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