The Cubs continued their prolonged slide on Tuesday night. It was ugly from the beginning as Jordan Wicks's 2026 debut saw him surrender five first-inning runs to the Pirates in a game Pittsburgh would ultimately win, 12-1. That's now 10 consecutive losses for Chicago, a cratering-out that has seen them sink like a stone from the top of the National League Central to the cellar.
All is not lost as the Cubs are still three games above .500 at 29-26 and only one game out of the final wild card spot in a bunched-up race. Not all 10-game losing streaks are created equal and Craig Counsell's team finds itself in uncharted territory to draw some optimism.
