The Cubs knew they could pick up a game on the Brewers in the NL Central standings before this one even started, because the Marlins rallied late in an afternoon contest Friday and defeated Milwaukee 5-1.

Welp. The Cubs offense came out flat against Adrian Houser — who, I hope, might be in the Cubs rotation next week — and Shōta Imanaga got hit early and often and the Cubs got blown out 12-5 by the White Sox in a game that wasn’t nearly as “close” as that seven-run deficit indicates.

Imanaga allowed three hits before he got an out and five in all in the first inning, when the Sox put three on the board. The Sox added another pair in the second, and I want to point out this play in particular [VIDEO].

It would not have been an easy play, but I think Matt Shaw at least stops that ball from going into left field and gets at least one out.

Imanaga served up three home runs in all and after Edgar Quero doubled in the fourth,

More on Imanaga’s rough outing from BCB’s JohnW53:

The 12 hits surrendered by Shōta Imanaga were the most in his 43 starts as a Cub. He gave up 11 to the Mets in three innings pitched at Wrigley Field on June 21, 2024. He had not allowed more than seven in his 14 previous starts this year.

The last Cub to allow a dozen hits was Alec Mills, in four innings at home against the Royals on Aug. 22, 2021.

The last to give up more than 12 was Jason Hammel, 13, in 5⅔ innings at Milwaukee on Sept. 6, 2016.

After Quero’s double, Shōta was given the rest of the night off in favor of Chris Flexen. I am certain that Craig Counsell did not want to put Flexen in this game, because Flexen might be needed in Sunday’s “opener then maybe Ben Brown then maybe Flexen” contest. Flexen gave up two runs of his own (on a home run by old friend Mike Tauchman) and one charged to Imanaga in that inning, and the four-run frame made it 9-0 White Sox.

At that point I was worried that this statement I made in my article posted yesterday about the 10 best Cubs/Sox games might be negated:

The most runs scored by the Sox in a shutout against the Cubs is seven, done twice, once in 2006 — the Barrett/Pierzynski game — and again in 2012.

Fortunately, the Cubs did score a few runs, so that statement is still true.

The Sox increased their lead to 11-0 in the fifth off Flexen, one unearned due to this error by Vidal Bruján [VIDEO].

Just gonna say it right here: I am certain Bruján is a good person, but he is not a major league player. Again, Matt Shaw probably makes that play and possibly even turns a double play on it. I will be hoping that the Cubs trade for Eugenio Suárez this week, not just for the offense Suárez can contribute, but so that Shaw can be made the Cubs’ top bench player and Bruján can be let go. Interestingly, Shaw played the last two innings of this game at second base. A hint, perhaps? It’s just the second time Shaw has played second base this year (and second this month). He handled one chance (a pop fly) without incident.

The Cubs finally got on the board in the seventh. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ led off with walks. Two outs later, Reese McGuire put a baseball in the right-field seats [VIDEO].

That had to feel good for McGuire, who played 53 games for the Sox in 2022, and who had been slumping lately. After Bruján singled, that was it for Adrian Houser. I am hoping his next start might be for the Cubs. As always, we await developments.

Drew Pomeranz and Ryan Brasier threw scoreless innings for the Cubs in the seventh and eighth, so that, at least, is good.

Jon Berti made his fourth pitching appearance for the Cubs in the eighth and allowed a run. The four appearances are more than the following actual 2025 Cubs pitchers have this year: Tom Cosgrove, Michael Fulmer, Brooks Kriske and Luke Little.

The Cubs scored two more runs in garbage time in the ninth. Shaw led off with a double, extending his hitting streak to seven games. One out later, Nico Hoerner singled him to third, where he scored on this single by McGuire [VIDEO].

Nice game for McGuire — 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. When Miguel Amaya is ready to return, it’ll likely be farewell to McGuire, but give him credit for filling in admirably. He has six home runs in only 23 games played and 0.5 bWAR.

The Cubs scored once more. Bruján singled, his third hit of the game. (Still would rather see him not on the team.) That loaded the bases, and after Michael Busch struck out, Kyle Tucker walked, with Nico scoring [VIDEO].

The Cubs have scored five or more runs 52 times this year. Their record in those games is 43-9. “Flush this one and move on,” as the saying goes.

Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame comments, mostly about Shōta [VIDEO].

The Cubs, as noted above, didn’t gain any ground on the Brewers due to the loss. Fortunately, that loss means the Cubs didn’t lose any ground, either, and remain one game out of first place in the NL Central. The White Sox clearly are on a mission to show they’re an improved club. They are 6-1 since the All-Star break and just took two of three from a good Rays team in Tampa. So the Cubs have their work cut out for them to meatloaf this series.

They’ll try to even things up Saturday night on the South Side. Cade Horton will start for the Cubs and Aaron Civale goes for the Sox. Game time is 6:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and Chicago Sports Network/WCIU-Ch. 26 with the Sox announcers).