{"id":104733,"date":"2025-10-08T11:21:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T11:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=104733"},"modified":"2025-10-08T11:21:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T11:21:57","slug":"column-can-the-chicago-cubs-bounce-back-and-win-the-nlds-here-are-7-things-they-need-to-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=104733","title":{"rendered":"Column: Can the Chicago Cubs bounce back and win the NLDS? Here are 7 things they need to happen."},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The last time the Chicago Cubs won three straight elimination games in the postseason was in the 2016 World Series.<\/p>\n

You might remember it.<\/p>\n

They head into Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday with the same objective, but they won\u2019t have a naked Anthony Rizzo dancing to the theme from \u201cRocky\u201d in the pregame clubhouse or Jason Heyward delivering an inspirational speech during a rain delay or Jon Lester being Jon Lester.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a new team, a different era and a massive challenge ahead of them: beating the Milwaukee Brewers in three straight to advance to the NL Championship Series.<\/p>\n

Can it happen?<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of being great at this is responding to the bad stuff,\u201d manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday during the Cubs workout at Wrigley Field. \u201cRun towards it, man. That\u2019s part of this, and you can\u2019t be afraid of it. You\u2019ve got to look forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happens sometimes. We put ourselves in a hole this series, no question about it. And we get to decide how this story ends.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the Cubs want to continue this story, here are seven things that need to happen.<\/p>\n

1. Make contact<\/h4>\n

Cubs hitters had the sixth-lowest strikeout rate this season at 20.7%. With 58 strikeouts in five postseason games, they\u2019ve increased that to 34.5%, flailing away at an unsustainable rate.<\/p>\n

Dansby Swanson (11 strikeouts in 17 at-bats), Pete Crow-Armstrong (10 in 18 ABs), Ian Happ (nine in 18 ABs) and Carson Kelly (eight in 16 ABs) have been the worst offenders, but everyone needs to control the zone better.<\/p>\n

The Cubs offense dominated in the first half of the season, then went into a funk in the second half. It has to get back to that dominance in every game the rest of this series in order to move on.<\/p>\n

2. Let Jameson Taillon pitch longer<\/h4>\n
\"Column:
Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon walks on the field during a workout at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, ahead of Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Brewers. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After brutal outings by Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, who allowed a combined 10 runs in 3 1\/3 innings, it\u2019s up to Taillon to fill the Lester role and save the day. In Game 3 of the wild-card series, Counsell removed Taillon after four shutout innings and only 66 pitches to do his usual \u201cout-getter\u201d maneuvering.<\/p>\n

Taillon pitched six or more innings in four of his last six regular-season starts, and he has been the Cubs\u2019 second-best pitcher behind Cade Horton. So will Counsell let Jameson fly?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re open to whatever,\u201d Counsell said Tuesday. \u201cIt\u2019s, \u2018Read the game.\u2019 We understand that it\u2019s an elimination game, and that means you\u2019re not saving anything. It\u2019s not because our starters haven\u2019t gone that we should just let him (go longer) this game. It\u2019s, \u2018What do we have to do to win the game?\u2019 And that\u2019s how we\u2019ll think about it (Wednesday).\u201d<\/p>\n

If Taillon is on, as he should be, Counsell needs to trust his starter to go a little longer.<\/p>\n

3. Shake up the lineup<\/h4>\n

Maybe Seiya Suzuki can replace Happ in the No. 3 hole? Nico Hoerner leading off and Michael Busch batting second, even against right-hander Quinn Priester? Willi Castro at third base in place of Matt Shaw (0-for-14 in the postseason)?<\/p>\n

Counsell said he\u2019s trying to put people in the best spot to have success, which is obvious coachspeak. Try something new. Anything would be better than seeing the same lineup not produce game after game.<\/p>\n

4. Make William Contreras uncomfortable<\/h4>\n
\"Column:
Brewers catcher William Contreras watches his solo homer during the third inning against the Cubs in Game 2 of the NL Division Series on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Milwaukee. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There was a day when a pitcher would brush back a hitter after he stood at home plate and stared at a home run for as long as Contreras did in Game 2 on Monday. Those days are long gone, unfortunately, but getting Contreras off his feet once at least would make him think about digging in.<\/p>\n

The Cubs didn\u2019t seem as bothered by Contreras\u2019 antics as a grizzled, old sports writer who covered old-school managers Don Zimmer, Lou Piniella and Dusty Baker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the playoffs, anything goes,\u201d reliever Brad Keller told me Tuesday. \u201cEmotions are at an all-time high, especially Cubs-Brewers and how it\u2019s been over the last few years. It\u2019s hard to say. That\u2019s just kind of the game now and something we\u2019ve all had to adapt to.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time he did that, it was a tie ballgame and a big moment, a big flip of the game, and in their environment, where you try to get momentum on your side. I think that\u2019s what that was all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

I agreed \u2014 but would love to have seen how Bob Gibson would\u2019ve reacted to the celebration.<\/p>\n

5. No Sho<\/h4>\n

If the Cubs manage to take the series back to Milwaukee for Game 5 on Saturday, Imanaga would be on track to start. But it\u2019s obvious after listening to Imanaga lament his performance after Game 2 that he has lost confidence and needs a nice break.<\/p>\n

Colin Rea would be the obvious next choice for Game 5, which likely would be a bullpen game anyway. The Cubs need a starter on the mound who knows he will succeed, not someone hoping he can. After serving up home runs in 10 straight games, Imanaga doesn\u2019t look like the same confident guy he was at the start of the season.<\/p>\n

6. Reduce the distractions<\/h4>\n

There\u2019s no need for Cubs executives to be on the field or in the clubhouse before games, unless it\u2019s President Jed Hoyer or general manager Carter Hawkins meeting with Counsell.<\/p>\n

If your name is not Jed or Carter, stay in your office pregame and then go directly to your seat. This is not your time to be seen looking important.<\/p>\n

7. Stop handing out \u2018rally\u2019 towels<\/h4>\n

The fan energy during Game 3 of the wild-card series was as electric as I\u2019ve witnessed at Wrigley since the 2017 postseason. They don\u2019t need to wave towels for the TV cameras to prove they\u2019re into it. Many of them have \u201cW\u201d flags anyway, and it\u2019s a tradition that doesn\u2019t need changing.<\/p>\n

One of the great things about Wrigley is fans need no encouragement to cheer. The rally towels are just another marketing cliche that worked for the Steelers and should\u2019ve remained in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

Let Cubs fans do their thing the old-fashioned way, and hopefully the atmosphere can spark the players \u2014 as it did last week against the San Diego Padres.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Cubs have a massive challenge ahead of them: beating the Milwaukee Brewers in three straight to advance to the NLCS. Can it happen?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":104734,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[282,823,960,290,66,4085,4086,3992,117,1841,1168],"class_list":["post-104733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-craig-counsell","tag-jameson-taillon","tag-milwaukee-brewers","tag-mlb-playoffs","tag-nl-division-series","tag-nlcs","tag-nlds","tag-shota-imanaga","tag-william-contreras","tag-wrigley-field"],"yoast_head":"\nColumn: Can the Chicago Cubs bounce back and win the NLDS? 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