The Chicago Cubs didn’t let a challenging West Coast trip derail a strong stretch.
Although the Cubs saw their 10-game winning streak snapped Saturday by the Los Angeles Dodgers, they finished 3-3 on the trip to L.A. and San Diego and return to Wrigley Field for a seven-game homestand. The Cubs will face a division opponent for just the second time this season when they begin a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.
The Chicago White Sox improved to 5-1 against the American League West after completing a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday at Rate Field. The Sox face the Angels again beginning Monday in Anaheim, Calif.
Every Friday during the regular season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and White Sox.
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell reaches 900 career wins
Craig Counsell celebrated a milestone in the perfect Chicago way.
After winning the 900th game of his managerial career with the Cubs’ 8-3 victory Tuesday over the San Diego Padres, Counsell enjoyed a shot of Jeppson’s Malört with the team. Well, “enjoy” might not be exactly apt given its extremely bitter taste. But for as much as Counsell turns attention to players and staff, he did acknowledge the milestone postgame.
When asked what that number means to him, Counsell first mentioned the players he has been with, then how it’s an indicator of how long he has been managing in the majors.
“Fortunate to be doing it for a long time,” he said. “You think of players going through this journey of their career and somebody like Ryan Rolison getting their shot in the last couple days and doing a heck of a job. And those are the rewarding moments, and hopefully something good is coming from what Ryan is doing the last couple days. So those are things that you’re happy about and proud of as you go through this.”
Counsell ranks fifth in wins among active managers behind the Reds’ Terry Francona (2,052), the Detroit Tigers’ A.J. Hinch (979), the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts (964) and the Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Cash (914). His .534 career winning percentage is tied for 87th all time with former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who reached out to congratulate Counsell after hitting the 900 mark.
Column: Emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong’s power game bodes well for Chicago Cubs’ staying power
He has only three losing seasons in his 12-year managerial career: two at the start of his tenure in Milwaukee and one during the COVID-shortened 2020 season with the Brewers (29-31).
“One of the things that he’s amazing at is he’s a great communicator, he’s always prepared, extremely smart baseball mind,” Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman said. “He loves the competition. He loves winning. He loves the details of the game, and he’s just extremely smart.
“He has a competitive edge to him as well that is super important. And I feel like all the guys in this room have all the respect in the world for him and love going out there and competing with him every single day.”
Sox closer Seranthony Domínguez embraces late-game role
The Sox held a one-run lead, but the Washington Nationals had a runner on third and the dangerous James Wood at the plate with two outs in the ninth inning April 24 at Rate Field.
“I know he’s a really good hitter,” Domínguez said the next day. “He’s got a lot of power. And of course I have two bases open and I didn’t really have to try to pound the zone with him. Just make my best pitches and let him swing and try to get a swing and miss, or if I have to walk him, I walk him.”
The Sox closer relied heavily on his splitter and struck out Wood swinging to preserve a 5-4 victory.
That was the sixth save of the season for Domínguez, who picked up No. 7 in Tuesday’s 5-2 win against the Angels.
He pitched a scoreless top of the 10th on Wednesday and was credited with the win when Colson Montgomery delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th for a 3-2 victory.
Domínguez is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA, 16 strikeouts and nine walks in 13 innings. He is 7 of 9 in save opportunities and entered Thursday tied for fourth in the majors in saves.
The seven saves already match Jordan Leasure’s team high from last season.
Domínguez, who signed a two-year deal with the Sox in the offseason, embraces the ninth-inning opportunities.
“It’s because in the end of the game, it’s the moment when it decides if you win or lose or if you can keep the game on the line,” Domínguez said. “That’s why I love those kinds of moments.”
Number of the week: 9
Drew Romo became the ninth player (12th time) in Sox history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game Tuesday against the Angels. He is the first Sox catcher to accomplish the feat.
Week ahead: Cubs
- Friday: vs. Diamondbacks, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Saturday: vs. Diamondbacks, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Sunday: vs. Diamondbacks, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Monday: vs. Reds, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Tuesday: vs. Reds, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Wednesday: vs. Reds, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Thursday: vs. Reds, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
The Players Trust, the charitable arm of the MLB Players Association, announced Monday that Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd is the recipient of its Most Valuable Philanthropist award, one of six that will be given out over the course of the season.
Boyd is being recognized for his humanitarian work in Uganda through Kingdom Home, the organization he founded in 2018 with his wife, Ashley. The Players Trust is awarding a $10,000 grant to charity for his efforts.
“Matthew and Ashley’s dedication to the children of Uganda demonstrates the power of baseball and the power players possess to make a difference in the global community,” Players Trust Executive Director Amy Hever said in a statement. “We are proud to honor Matthew’s work with Kingdom Home by naming him as our first Most Valuable Philanthropist for 2026.”
Boyd and his wife founded the nonprofit Kingdom Home after a 2018 trip to Uganda in an effort to ensure Ugandan children are protected from exploitation by providing shelter, proper nutrition, career training, music lessons and medical care. Kingdom Home houses 156 children between 8 and 19.
“As a father of four, I know how important it is for the development of every child that they feel safe, cared for and have access to basic necessities,” Boyd said in a statement. “The children supported by Kingdom Home are a true blessing and inspiration to Ashley and me.”
Week ahead: White Sox
- Friday: at Padres, 8:40 p.m., CHSN
- Saturday: at Padres, 7:40 p.m., CHSN
- Sunday: at Padres, 3:10 p.m., CHSN
- Monday: at Angels, 8:38 p.m., CHSN
- Tuesday: at Angels, 8:38 p.m., CHSN
- Wednesday: at Angels, 3:07 p.m., CHSN
- Thursday: off
Changes in the outfield continued Wednesday for the Sox.
Everson Pereira went on the 10-day injured list with a right pectoral strain. The Sox filled the spot by selecting Jarred Kelenic’s contract from Triple-A Charlotte.
Kelenic arrived a couple of days after outfielder Austin Hays returned from the 10-day IL. Hays had been out since April 7 with a right hamstring strain. Infielder/outfielder Tanner Murray went on the 10-day IL on Monday with a dislocated left shoulder.
Column: A modest April is good enough for the Chicago White Sox to dream
Kelenic, a first-round selection in 2018 by the New York Mets, signed a minor-league deal with the Sox in December. The Waukesha, Wis., native went 0-for-1 with a walk after entering as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Wednesday against the Angels.
He had a .202/.346/.464 slash line with four doubles, six home runs, 18 RBIs, 16 runs and seven stolen bases in 26 games with the Knights — but he slashed .333/.467/.833 (12-for-36) with five home runs, 12 RBIs and 10 runs in his last 10 games.
“Ultimately, it was getting him into a free space both mentally and physically to like, ‘Hey, man, just go get as many good swings off as you can,’ kind of thing,” Sox director of player development Paul Janish said before Wednesday’s game of Kelenic’s recent success. “For the last 2½, three weeks, he’s executed that.
“It’s a credit to him. I give a ton of credit to our staff down there for, for a lack of a better word, kind of grinding it out and getting him to a good place.”
What we’re reading today
- Column: A modest April is good enough for the White Sox to dream
- Cubs’ Michael Conforto has a role model for staying elite: his Olympic gold medalist mother
- Column: A Bill of Rights for baseball fans to restore civility and common sense at the ballpark
- Justin Steele’s injury setback means the Cubs lefty is likely out until after the All-Star break
- Former White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramírez tested positive for 4 steroids at World Baseball Classic
- Column: Can slugger Munetaka Murakami be a real drawing card for the White Sox?
- ‘A lot of different solutions to score’: White Sox hitting coach Derek Shomon sees variety in offense
- The mighty NL Central is the majors’ only division with 5 winning teams
- Photos: White Sox rally for win on ‘Dog Day’ at Rate Field
- Don Mattingly thought he was done with baseball. The Phillies instead pinned playoff hopes on him.
Quotable
“This is a major-league season and things happen — we’ve got a big taste of it already — so you play the game in front of you and play with the guys you have and then you go from there. And that builds resiliency if anything.” — Counsell on the first month of the season
