Rays 6, Cubs 4: Offense and Bullpen Struggles Doom Cubs

The Cubs' bats and relief pitching have not been up to par so far this season.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 10:55pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting the dynamic movements and competing forces of a baseball game.A cubist interpretation of the back-and-forth action on the field as the Cubs and Rays battled in a close game.Chicago Today

The Chicago Cubs lost 6-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, their second consecutive defeat. The Cubs scored first but were unable to hold the lead, as starting pitcher Jameson Taillon gave up three runs in the second and third innings. The Cubs' offense managed just four hits and four walks, continuing their struggles at the plate this season. The bullpen also faltered, with Phil Maton walking the leadoff batter in the seventh inning. The loss drops the Cubs to 2-3 on the young season.

Why it matters

The Cubs' early-season offensive and bullpen issues are concerning, as these were strengths for the team last year. If the Cubs want to contend in 2026, they will need to get more production from their bats and more consistency from their relief pitchers.

The details

The Cubs scored first in the second inning, loading the bases with walks before Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson struck out. Miguel Amaya then walked to bring in a run. However, Taillon could not hold the lead, giving up a two-run homer to Cedric Mullins in the bottom of the second. The Rays added another run in the inning on a Swanson throwing error. Taillon gave up a solo homer to Junior Caminero in the third to make it 4-2 Rays. The Cubs tied it in the sixth on RBI doubles from Ian Happ and Carson Kelly, but the Rays regained the lead for good in the seventh when Maton walked the leadoff batter.

  • The Cubs scored first in the top of the second inning.
  • The Rays tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning.
  • The Rays took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
  • The Cubs tied the game 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning.
  • The Rays regained the lead 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The players

Jameson Taillon

The Cubs' starting pitcher, who went 6 innings, giving up 7 hits and 4 runs.

Dansby Swanson

The Cubs' shortstop, who made an ill-advised throwing error that allowed a run to score in the second inning.

Phil Maton

The Cubs' relief pitcher, who walked the leadoff batter in the seventh inning, leading to the Rays regaining the lead.

Riley Martin

The Cubs' relief pitcher, who made his MLB debut with a scoreless eighth inning.

Cedric Mullins

The Rays' outfielder, who hit a two-run homer in the second inning.

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What they’re saying

“Swanson should have probably just eaten the ball. Had he done so, the runner would likely have held at third.”

— Jim Deshaies, Cubs Broadcaster

What’s next

The Cubs will look to bounce back on Tuesday when Javier Assad takes the mound against the Rays' Drew Rasmussen.

The takeaway

The Cubs' early-season struggles on offense and in the bullpen are concerning, as these were strengths for the team in 2025. If the Cubs want to contend this year, they will need to get more production from their bats and more consistency from their relief pitchers.