ATLANTA — The only outcome the Chicago Cubs could not allow to transpire against the Atlanta Braves this week at Truist Park was being a handed a three-game sweep.
Two one-run losses, featuring a two-run error on a dropped fly ball by Seiya Suzuki in the opener and three blown saves in a 10-inning defeat in Game 2, and an underwhelming all-around performance in the series finale created a worst-case scenario for the Cubs and their postseason hopes.
[ [Don’t miss] Column: Bullpen collapses in the midst of a playoff race are nothing new for the Chicago Cubs — and their fans ]
The Braves completed the sweep Thursday, handing the Cubs a 5-3 loss and complicating the North Siders’ path to securing the third National League wild-card position.
Advertisement
The Cubs fell a half-game behind the Miami Marlins for the No. 3 spot, pending the Marlins’ result late Thursday against the Mets in New York. That game at Citi Field went into a rain delay at 8:41 p.m. CDT with two outs in the top of the ninth after Miami erased the Mets’ one-run lead to go ahead 2-1 in the inning. The Marlins own the tiebreaker against the Cubs, who finish the season with three games against the Brewers in Milwaukee beginning Friday.
The Cubs (82-77) likely will need to sweep the Brewers to have a shot at making the playoffs. It’s a precipitous decline from their position three weeks ago when their odds to reach the postseason were at 92.4%, according to FanGraphs. Following Thursday’s loss, the odds dropped to 17.8%.
“We just seem defeated at times, you know?” said Marcus Stroman after he lasted two innings Thursday against the Braves. “Things don’t feel like they’re going our way at all. I feel like everything that could be going wrong is going wrong. So hopefully wash it on this trip and hopefully luck starts to be in our favor in Milwaukee.
“I don’t think the confidence is dinged. I just think, like I said, things just aren’t going our way and it’s very apparent. I mean, you could feel that and you can see when things aren’t going your way. … Everyone still knows we can get the job done.”
The Cubs’ best chance for a late rally against the Braves came in the eighth. Three of their first four hitters reached on singles, with Seiya Suzuki’s third hit of the night driving in Nico Hoerner to cut the deficit to two. But Dansby Swanson, in the biggest moment, couldn’t deliver the clutch hit. Ahead 2-0 in the count against Braves lefty A.J. Minter, Swanson couldn’t take advantage of a cutter down the middle and hit into an inning-ending double play.
Advertisement
Cubs manager David Ross watches from the dugout before a game against the Braves on Thursday in Atlanta. (John Bazemore/AP)
It continues a rough two-month stretch for Swanson, who hasn’t provided the consistent offensive production the Cubs have needed, especially down the stretch.
“We’ve got to go out and play good ball, I mean, we’ve got three opportunities left to win some baseball games and see what happens at the end,” Swanson said. “We talk about how we bounce back this, that and the other, like, we’ve done it all year and we don’t really have any options so we’ll come out and be ready to go tomorrow.”
Chicago Tribune Sports
Weekdays
A daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.
Added Ian Happ: “You have no choice. That’s what you’ve got to do. You play this game as hard as you can and see where it shakes out. But it doesn’t change the mentality that we have to go. Play our best brand of baseball tomorrow.”
Advertisement
Stroman didn’t get past the second inning to end his regular season, allowing four hits and four runs (two earned) to squander a 1-0 first-inning lead from Mike Tauchman’s nifty footwork at the plate when he leaped to avoid catcher Travis d’Arnaud’s tag.
Matt Olson’s two-run homer in the first and a two-run second behind Michael Harris II’s RBI double and Ronald Acuña Jr.’s two-out RBI single put the Cubs in catch-up mode early. Happ’s dropped fly ball for a two-base error in the second contributed to the Braves’ damage.
Stroman’s season was a tale of two halves with his June 20 start serving as the divider. Before his London Series outing that was cut short by a blister, Stroman posted a 2.28 ERA, .191 average against and 98 2/3 innings in 16 starts to help him make the National League All-Star team. After London, Stroman recorded a 8.29 ERA, .315 average against and 38 innings in 11 games/nine starts. His six-week stint on the injured list because of right hip inflammation and right rib cartilage fracture did not help.
“It was frustrating ever since the second half,” Stroman said. “I felt like I never bounced back (from the hip injury). … It was just a weird year in the second half.”
Thursday’s brief start could represent Stroman’s last in a Cubs uniform. He has an opt-out in his contract that would make him a free agent this offseason. If he stays, Stroman would earn $21 million in 2024, the final season of the three-year, $71 million contract he signed with the Cubs in December 2021.
Advertisement
“I haven’t processed that yet to be honest with you,” Stroman said. “There’s so much that happened. So we’ll see how it plays out. Definitely not looking too far into the future just yet.”
Atlanta’s dance scene is vibrant and eclectic, and we are honored to highlight some of the many local dancers who move us with their movements in our ongoing series “Speaking of Dance.”
This edition highlights Atlanta performer, Frankie Mulinix, the founder and artistic director of Burning Bones Physical Theatre. She specializes in the evocative Butoh, a 1950s-era Japanese dance-theater art form that blends German expressionism, mime, and European philosophy to explore taboo subjects through dance.
For Mulinix, discovering Butoh during her undergraduate studies was transformative. “My body said, this is home,” she shared.
As an artist-in-residence at Windmill Arts, Mulinix is dedicated to building Atlanta’s Butoh community from the ground up, educating audiences about its history and global significance. Her work aims to transform emotion into experience, creating visceral performances that resonate deeply with performers and audiences alike.
Advertisement
Burning Bones Physical Theatre has an exciting 2025 season planned, with more information at Frankie Mulinix’s website here.
Atlanta Hawks (20-19, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (18-22, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Chicago; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bulls -2; over/under is 245
BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta visits the Chicago Bulls after Trae Young scored 43 points in the Hawks’ 122-117 win against the Phoenix Suns.
Advertisement
The Bulls are 15-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Chicago is 10-13 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Hawks are 13-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is eighth in the league scoring 17.2 fast break points per game. Jalen Johnson leads the Hawks averaging 3.6.
The Bulls average 118.1 points per game, 1.7 fewer points than the 119.8 the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Bulls allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nikola Vucevic is averaging 20.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Bulls.
Johnson is scoring 19.8 points per game and averaging 10.1 rebounds for the Hawks.
Advertisement
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 5-5, averaging 120.7 points, 48.1 rebounds, 30.8 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.8 points per game.
Hawks: 6-4, averaging 120.2 points, 42.5 rebounds, 29.8 assists, 11.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.4 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Adama Sanogo: day to day (knee), Torrey Craig: day to day (leg), Ayo Dosunmu: day to day (achilles).
Hawks: Kobe Bufkin: out for season (shoulder), Larry Nance Jr.: out (hand), Jalen Johnson: day to day (shoulder), Cody Zeller: day to day (personal), De’Andre Hunter: day to day (foot).
___
Advertisement
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Clear and cold overnight with lows in the 20s to low 30s in town. Sunny and cool Wednesday afternoon. Milder by the end of the week and rain for Saturday. Here is the latest.
ATLANTA – Residents across Georgia can expect a mix of rain, cold, and the possibility of snowflakes in the coming days as winter weather patterns continue to shift.
Advertisement
What we know:
According to FOX 5 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist David Chandley, widespread rain is forecast for the weekend, with extreme northern areas possibly seeing snowflakes late Sunday into Monday. Significant snow accumulation is not expected.
“Yeah, this go-around into the weekend, really, we’re just going to see some rain across North Georgia,” Chandley stated. He added that next week’s forecast remains uncertain, with Arctic air potentially influencing weather conditions. “We’ve got a whole week to kind of hash that out. All the things can change.”
Advertisement
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday will likely be chilly but dry for much of Georgia. “It’s going to be chilly, but it looks like dry conditions for the MLK holiday celebration,” Chandley explained.
In metro Atlanta, Tuesday could bring a slight chance of wintry precipitation as temperatures drop. “January is very active, no doubt about it,” Chandley noted.
Advertisement
Metro Atlanta forecast
Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 30°F.
Wednesday: Sunny, high around 48°F.
Thursday: Sunny, breezy, high near 53°F.
Friday Night to Saturday: Rain moves in late Friday, with showers likely Saturday. Highs in the mid-50s.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, high near 48°F. A few snowflakes possible in extreme North Georgia late.
MLK Day (Monday): Mostly sunny, high near 37°F. A slight chance of rain or snow.
Extreme North Georgia Mountains forecast
Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 20°F.
Wednesday: Sunny, high near 42°F.
Thursday: Sunny, breezy, high near 46°F.
Friday Night to Saturday: Showers likely Friday night into Saturday, high near 49°F.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, low near 20°F.
MLK Day (Monday): Slight chance of snow, mostly sunny, high near 34°F.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., the snow should move out before noon for the swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill. Highs will be in the 20s and lows will be around 12 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.
Advertisement
Possible snow in Georgia?
What we don’t know:
While the immediate forecast is becoming clearer, there is still uncertainty surrounding next week’s weather patterns. FOX 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Stacey highlighted the potential for snow but emphasized that forecasts remain in flux. “I know many of you are thinking about some snow because you’re hearing about some snow,” Stacey said. “At this point, all we can do is just pay attention and see what’s out there. As we get closer, we’ll look for consistency.”
Advertisement
Key questions remain:
Will Arctic air and other weather systems converge to create snow across Georgia?
How might fluctuating temperatures impact the likelihood of wintry precipitation?
Will it snow in Atlanta again?
The temperature is expected to take a plunge this weekend, with wet weather on the way. How likely is it that this precipitation will turn into snow? Here’s a look ahead with FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Jonathan Stacey.
Advertisement
Snow next week?
Timeline:
Here is a look at the timeline of weather for the next week:
Advertisement
Tuesday: Slight chance of wintry precipitation in metro Atlanta as temperatures drop.
Friday Night to Saturday: Rain moves into the region.
Sunday to Monday: Snowflakes possible in extreme North Georgia; the rest of the state remains chilly with mostly dry conditions.
MLK Day: Chilly but dry conditions for holiday celebrations.
What’s next:
Meteorologists will continue monitoring weather models throughout the week. Residents are encouraged to stay updated via trusted local forecasts, including FOX 5, and prepare for any changes in the weather as Arctic air moves closer. “All we can do is just pay attention,” Jonathan Stacey advised, underscoring the importance of staying alert to new developments.
The Source: This article is sourced from original forecasting by the FOX 5 Storm Team.
:quality(70):focal(3447x716:3457x726)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/QSSFHGOWFB6RL7EVE3OPPNEAAY.jpg "Chicago Cubs lose to Atlanta Braves 5-3")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25822586/STK169_ZUCKERBERG_MAGA_STKS491_CVIRGINIA_A.jpg "Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25821992/videoframe_720397.png "Las Vegas police release ChatGPT logs from the suspect in the Cybertruck explosion")
