Chicago Cubs win on Bryant’s walk-off after bullpen blows lead

Bryant’s walk-off diverts attention from Cubs’ struggling bullpen

Watching Kris Bryant hit the walk-off two-run shot for the Chicago Cubs sent fans into a frenzy, temporarily overshadowing the fact that the bullpen as of late isn’t getting the job done. Kyle Hendricks survived a rough start while the offense got it together to put him in position to get the win. But Jason Motte and Rafael Soriano couldn’t hold the lead as the Colorado Rockies took the lead heading into the ninth. 

Dexter Fowler singled, which almost didn’t happen as Rockies closer John Axford didn’t get a strike call on a curve ball that looked pretty good. David Ross hit a high fly ball to center that got fans on their feet for a brief second, but Bryant brought them to them and kept them there with one dramatic swing of the bat–for a team that desperately needed a win.

There are rumors abound that the Cubs and Padres are in talks on a trade, but for whom they are talking about is unknown. Conflicting reports showed up on Twitter, as James Shields was rumored to be the target while another said he wasn’t. Tyson Ross is the more likely candidate, but the Padres asking price is still higher than the Cubs are willing to go. While not the ace some fans want to see, Ross would be a legitimate option to shore up the back-end of the rotation.

With just a few days left in the non-waiver deadline, it’s unclear what the Cubs are looking to do. Pitching has been a clear priority, but the offense clearly needs help. It should be an intriguing couple of day as we near July 31.

These and other stories you might have missed:

‘Bryant’s bat leads Cubs to 9-8 win over Rox’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Cubs Rumors: Chicago targeting Padres Ross, not Shields‘ – Cubbies Crib

‘Tyson Ross a cheaper alternative for the rotation’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Top five trade destinations for Justin Upton’ – MLB.com

‘Dodgers have let teams know Puig is available’ – MLB.com

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