Takeaways After Cubs Lose Ground with Strikeout-Filled Loss to Tigers

The Cubs offense fell asleep at the wheel on Wednesday.

The Chicago Cubs (57-45) lost 5-1 to the Detroit Tigers (48-54), giving the Tigers the series after stealing both the opener and finale. The Cubs struggled to muster any offense against Keider Montero and the Detroit pitching staff.

Sadly, the loss also coincides with a Milwaukee Brewers win, and the Cubs now sit 7 games behind them for first place in the NL Central. Not a great day to be a Cubbie!

Here are some takeaways from the Cubs missed opportunity against the Tigers.

Suzuki gave them a lead...

Jul 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) celebrates with right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) after they both scored against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seiya Suzuki has been on a tear in July. Before today's game, the Cubs RF/DH had a .976 OPS this month with 4 home runs and 13 RBI in 15 games. Suzuki's season-long OPS dropped to .799 on June 30th but has stayed above .800 since July started. He raised it to .836 after his solo home run in the first gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead.

Seiya Suzuki gives the @Cubs an early lead! pic.twitter.com/TY92W7PS8h
— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2026

That ball was crushed at 109.2 mph, going 397 ft to left-center, a no-doubt deep shot from Seiya. Also, it was nice to hear Boog Sciambi on the ESPN national call!

Suzuki got the Cubs' offense started with a bang, but it was sadly the only run they'd drive in and one of only four total hits from the Cubs' bats. Suzuki would strike out two times along with Alex Bregman and Pete Crow-Armstrong, who both went hitless as well.

Michael Conforto got the start at DH and struck out in all 3 of his at-bats. Carson Kelly and Dansby Swanson both went hitless at the bottom of the order, as the Tigers struck out 12 Cubs batters.

The Cubs had the makings of a scoring chance in the bottom of the 6th after Crow-Armstrong reached on an error to leadoff the inning. After Suzuki swung through a slider for the first out, Michael Busch ground into an inning-ending double play. Cubs wouldn't threaten the rest of the night.

Tough go for the bats, but at least it was encouraging to see Suzuki crush his 17th home run on the season.

Colin Rea might have a home run problem

Jul 8, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea (53) pitches in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colin Rea took his seventh loss of the season, giving up 4 earned runs on 6 hits, with all four runs coming from two home runs. Rea gave up the game-tying solo home run to Spencer Torkelson in the top of the 2nd despite getting ahead in the count and making a quality pitch.

Spencer Torkelson ties things up for the @Tigers! pic.twitter.com/OORzinQ9tc
— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2026

Torkelson got underneath Rea's 1-2 slider and deposited it into the left-field bleachers. Not an ideal result, but it's hard to blame Rea on that one. Torkelson simply showed why he was a No.1 overall pick on that swing, pulling a slider located low and away out of the park.

However, the go-ahead 3-run home run from Hao-Yu Lee was simply not a good at-bat for Rea. He missed badly on three straight pitches and grooved a 3-0 middle-middle fastball to Lee that put the Tigers up for good in the top of the 4th.

HAO-YU GOT THE GREEN LIGHT 🟢 pic.twitter.com/LT3oYD5REf
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 23, 2026

Safe to assume Rea thought Lee was taking on 3-0. He thought wrong ... and the Cubs paid for it.

The two home runs were the 16th and 17th allowed by Rea this season, putting him tied for 18th in home runs allowed this season. The Cubs' starting staff is second in the league in homers allowed, with 94 on the year. It's worth mentioning that Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga are both tied for the club lead with 22 home runs and tied for the third most home runs given up this season.

Rea has now given up a home run in his last four starts, a concerning trend but not out of the ordinary for a pitcher like Rea, who isn't throwing hard and relies on his off-speed pitches for swings and misses. It felt like Rea ran out of gas in the 5th inning, and that's going to happen from time to time. But what can't happen is the Cubs' offense putting only two runners in scoring position all night.

On the road again

Jul 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cubs have Thursday off and then kick off a six-game road trip that starts Friday with three games in Pittsburgh. Matthew Boyd and Jared Jones will face off on Friday. Saturday will be Shota Imanaga and Paul Skenes, and then Sunday's game features Jameson Taillon and Braxton Ashcraft.

The Pirates at 53-50 are tied with the Cardinals for 3rd place in the NL Central and are not a team to take lightly. The Cubs can't afford to give up ground to the Pirates or the Cardinals in the division, and a sweep would be massive. Between Paul Skenes, Ian Happ returning to Pittsburgh, and Suzuki's hot bat, there will be plenty to watch for in Pittsburgh!

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