Chicago Cubs lost much more than a game on Friday night

The Chicago Cubs lost veteran Cole Hamels before he threw a pitch in the second inning and that pretty much tells the story of Friday’s loss.

After a pretty lackluster homestand, the team’s last of the first half, I think we all hoped the Chicago Cubs would ride the momentum of Craig Kimbrel‘s debut into this lengthy road trip.

But that’s not what happened. Instead, the momentum swung sharply in the other direction early in Friday’s contest in Cincinnati when left-hander Cole Hamels calmly walked off the mound after throwing a warm-up pitch before the bottom of the second.

While Hamels is yet to undergo an MRI, the team has already made it clear – he’ll be placed on the IL regardless. And, by all indications, Carlos Gonzalez is done on the North Side after teammates were spotted hugging him after Friday’s loss. 

Hamels heading to the IL and CarGo’s designation will free up a pair of roster spots, both of which seem likely to go to pitchers in hopes of shoring up a pitching staff that’s struggled and now lacks two big arms in Hamels and rotation mate Kyle Hendricks.

So let’s dive into the Cubs’ 6-3 loss. Obviously, the story coming out of Great American Ballpark is the Hamels’ injury, but there’s a lot more to take note of than just that.