Cubs' Bats Silenced in Series Finale vs. Blue Jays

Looking for a series sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Chicago Cubs had everything working on the mound Sunday. Shota Imanaga was dealing and the Blue Jays could only squeak one run across the plate. But the Cubs' offense didn't match Imanaga's hard work, leading to a 1-0 loss.

Toronto's Bowden Francis outdueled Imanaga with seven innings of shutout baseball. Compiling just four hits, the Cubs endured an ugly day at the plate.

Tale of the Tape

Shota Imanaga had a serviceable day on the mound. Through five innings , the only blemish was Joey Loperfido's solo home run. In a perfect world, Chicago's offense should have no problem overcoming that deficit.

But for the Cubs, shutouts have been all too common in 2024. What seems to separate them from their potential is their knack for coming up just short.

After the Cubs won the first two games of the series , a sweep was there for the taking. The playoffs are still possible in 2024, but the Cubs need to emphasize taking series wins with below-average teams on the schedule.

A 1-0 loss is hard to stomach when trying to make the postseason. Given the Blue Jays' struggles this season, there's no excuse for the Cubs to lose these types of games.

Going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, the Cubs left a lot to be desired at the plate. They'll need to improve if they believe a postseason berth is in the cards.

Takeaways

This late in the season, there needs to be more urgency on the part of the Cubs. These 1-0 shutouts have been a recurring theme this season. Even though Shota Imanaga gave his best effort, the offense had no answers against an average pitcher.

Bowden Francis is a fine pitcher, but he's certainly not Toronto's ace. Good offenses find ways to make things happen, and the Cubs don't do so consistently.

With the Detroit Tigers coming to town on Tuesday, it's going to be back to the drawing board for a Cubs team that needs to be all in or ready to close the book on the 2024 season.

What's On Tap Next?

After an off day on Monday, the Cubs will look to get back in the win column against Detroit. Javier Assad will take the mound against Tigers' righty Alex Faedo in Tuesday's series opener. First pitch is at 7:05 PM CT and the game will air on Marquee Sports Network.

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