3 Takeaways After Cubs' Bullpen Problems On Full Display in Crucial Loss to Braves

Everything was going right for the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night, until it wasn't.

The momentum fully swung to Chicago's dugout after Monday's series-opening 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. It was a huge win for a Cubs team fighting to stay atop the NL Wild Card standings. The Braves, who lead the NL East, were never going to be an easy series.

Then, the Cubs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game 2, courtesy of a Pedro Ramirez RBI single in the 2nd inning and some fielding miscues by the Braves in the 4th.

But familiar woes crept back in, and a bullpen implosion led to a 6-3 win for Atlanta.

Let's take a look at everything we learned after a tough loss to swallow.

Wild Card Check-In

Sep 15, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres designated hitter Austin Hays (15) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's that time of the season when a nightly look at the NL Wild Card standings is necessary. Why? Well, number one, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched their fourth straight NL Central title with a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The division is out of the question for the Cubs, but that's long been known.

The wild card race is going down to the wire, and the San Diego Padres are going to make things very interesting in the next two weeks.

Every Cubs loss makes things a little scarier. The Padres had rattled off eight consecutive wins entering Tuesday, but the Colorado Rockies put a stop to that streak with a 9-3 victory to even the series.

With both the Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies losing, the standings remain the same: The Cubs lead the Phillies by a half-game and the Padres by 1.5 games. The Arizona Diamondbacks are the first team out, trailing the Padres by two games.

Ten games remain in the regular season. The Cubs' magic number to clinch a playoff spot, at the very least, is 7. The magic number to clinch the top wild card seed is 10. As a reminder, the Cubs also hold tiebreakers over each of the Phillies, Padres, and Diamondbacks, should it come down to head-to-head records.

The Webb Collapses

Aug 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Jacob Webb (71) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's been a tough scene for Jacob Webb since he lost his 24-game scoreless innings streak.

Jacob Webb has been rough in his last 8 appearances 😬

6.2 IP
11 ER
10 Hits Allowed
4 K
4 BB
4 HR Allowed

He has 3 losses during that span, and a 14.85 ERA pic.twitter.com/Y96MGbOFqk
— The Windy City Breakdown (@wcb_pod) September 16, 2026

For a while, he was on top of the baseball world. And the pillar of the Cubs' bullpen. Then, everything came crashing down.

Webb has now allowed 11 earned runs across his last eight appearances. Two of them came on Tuesday night, after Webb surrendered a go-ahead, two-run home run to Braves star Ozzie Albies in the 7th inning.

Webb didn't last the full inning. He also now has a 13.50 ERA in his five appearances this month. And the Cubs, badly in need of a stopgap reliever as the season enters its most crucial portion, seem to be without one. It's not looking good.

Cabrera's Return: Close But No Cigar

May 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (30) delivers a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Edward Cabrera made his bullpen debut for the Cubs on Tuesday, pitching in relief for just the third time in his MLB career.

The Cubs activated Cabrera (finger blister) off the 15-day IL on Friday, and Craig Counsell told reporters at the time that the aim was to get the right-hander into an "easier situation" for his first game back.

The situation Cabrera inherited was far from easy. He entered the game for Webb, who had just blown the save. But Cabrera retired three of the first four batters he saw and looked to be cruising, touching nearly 100 mph with his fastball.

Cabrera was a strike away from sending the Cubs to the bottom of the 9th down just one run. He had Braves catcher Drake Baldwin on the ropes after two pitches, jumping out to an 0-2 count. He looked poised to end his comeback outing with a scoreless 2.1 innings.

Edward Cabrera in his first game since August 16th and his first relief appearance since 2023:

2.1 IP | 2 H | 2 R | 2 BB | 3 K

He has a 5.74 ERA in his first season in Chicago pic.twitter.com/Vfy1ZeCXXC
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 16, 2026

But then he served up a center-cut fastball to Baldwin, who punished it to the tune of 107.6 mph off the bat, straight into the right-field basket. Two more insurance runs to Atlanta.

As Baldwin rounded the bases, Cabrera looked exasperated when the camera cut back to his face. He was so close to a dream start in his new role.

LOVE THE DRAKE#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/AqS3nCd5Dd
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 16, 2026

That's been so much of the season for a Cubs team that has overachieved on one end and underachieved on the other. Every game has been a test of how far the scales can tip in one direction -- how many things can go right -- before they tip back the other way.

Coming Up Next

Sep 11, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) delivers the ball during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cubs will go for the series win in Wednesday's rubber match. Shota Imanaga (10-10, 3.88 ERA, 156 SO) will take the ball for the Cubs after a solid, six-inning, two-run outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates last time out.

Braves right-hander JR Ritchie (1-2, 4.50 ERA) is slated to start for the visitors.

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