Off The Ivy: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola break down another frustrating night at Wrigley Field as the Cubs fall 5–4 in 10 innings to the A’s, extending their home losing streak to eight games. Colin Rea, who went five plus innings and allowed just two earned runs, and the bullpen let a 4–2 lead slip away—highlighted by Caleb Thielbar surrendering the game-tying run before the A's sealed it in extras. The...

Jameson Taillon turned in a solid outing last night at Wrigley Field, but the Cubs’ offense once again fell flat in a 2–1 loss to the A’s. Chicago managed just one run as the bats went quiet, with Alex Bregman, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki combining to go 0-for-11. The team’s struggles with runners in scoring position continue to be a major issue. Taillon did surrender a home run but limited the dam...

Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola break down the numbers as the Chicago Cubs hit the one-third mark of the season. One clear bright spot: plate discipline. Several Cubs hitters are on pace for career highs in walks, showing a more patient and selective approach at the plate. But despite that success, something isn’t adding up. The Cubs find themselves sitting in fourth place — not where many expec...

Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola break down the Chicago Cubs’ latest series loss in St. Louis, dropping two of three to the Cardinals as the team continues its recent skid. The Cubs have now lost 4 of their last 5 series and sit 5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, while also trailing both the Cardinals and Pirates in a suddenly crowded NL Central race. Despite the struggles, there are a few bri...

Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola break down the Cubs’ second straight win as they salvage a split in their four-game set in Pittsburgh — including a statement victory in the Paul Skenes game. Colin Rea delivered another solid outing, allowing just two earned runs over 5+ innings, while the offense gave him enough support to get the job done. Ian Happ continues to swing a hot bat, launching anothe...

The Chicago Cubs finally got back in the win column in a BIG way, snapping their brutal 10-game losing streak with a dominant 10-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park! Ian Happ led the charge with a huge night at the plate driving in five runs including a 3-run homer to break the lead open as he and the Cubs offense finally exploded after days of frustration. We break down the performa...

After getting blown out again last night, the Cubs have now dropped 10 straight games and continue to spiral further down the standings. We break down what went wrong in another ugly loss, the biggest concerns during this losing streak, and whether there’s any hope of turning things around before the season completely slips away. From the struggling offense to the pitching collapse and defensive m...

After a 2-1 loss in Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cubs have now lost 9 straight games and things are spiraling fast on the North Side. Another frustrating night filled with missed opportunities, cold bats, and costly mistakes has the Cubs searching for answers before this skid gets even worse. We break down what went wrong, the biggest concerns during this losing streak, and whether this team can still...

The Chicago Cubs are heading into a huge weekend series against the Houston Astros riding a brutal 5-game losing streak. After falling out of rhythm offensively and struggling to close out games, the pressure is starting to build as the Cubs search for answers before things spiral further. We break down what’s gone wrong during this skid, the biggest concerns with the lineup and pitching staff, an...

The Chicago Cubs are officially in a slump after getting swept by the Brewers and dropping out of first place in the NL Central. Another costly defensive mistake from Pete Crow-Armstrong in the outfield added to a frustrating series as the Cubs continue to struggle on both sides of the ball. In today’s episode, we break down what went wrong at Wrigley Field, the growing concerns with PCA mentally,...

After dropping their fourth straight game, the Chicago Cubs have now lost their grip on first place in the NL Central after another loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. A team that looked unstoppable during their 10-game winning streaks earlier in the season is suddenly searching for answers as the offense continues to cool off and the pitching staff struggles to keep games under control. In this episod...

The Chicago Cubs dropped another tough one to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night, and it all started with an uncharacteristically rough outing from Shota Imanaga. Imanaga struggled to find his command early, putting the Cubs in a hole they were never able to climb out of as Milwaukee took advantage and handed Chicago another frustrating loss. We break down what went wrong for Imanaga, whether t...

The Chicago Cubs dropped the weekend series to the White Sox and have now lost three consecutive series all thanks to the Cubs bullpen inability to keep the White Sox bats cold Sunday afternoon. Cubs lost 9-8 in extra innings after an Edgar Quero walk off 2-run homer. Michael Conforto gave the Cubs new life in the 9th inning with a 3-run homer to tie the game. They eventually took the lead in the...

The Chicago Cubs avoided a sweep in Atlanta with a gritty 2-0 shutout win over the Braves. Ben Brown delivered his best starts of the season, attacking the zone and keeping Atlanta’s powerful lineup off balance all night. The bullpen took over from there, combining to slam the door and preserve the Cubs’ shutout victory. In this episode, we break down Brown’s dominant outing, the key bullpen perfo...

Shota Imanaga did his part, but the Chicago Cubs offense didn't. Imanaga turned in another strong outing against the Atlanta Braves, keeping his team in the game and giving them every opportunity to snap their losing streak. But once again, the Cubs' offense failed to deliver. In this episode, we break down Imanaga’s performance, what continues to go wrong for the Cubs at the plate, and the bigges...

The Chicago Cubs were held to just one hit in a frustrating 5-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves, marking their third straight defeat. After one of the hottest starts in baseball, the Cubs' offense has suddenly gone cold the last three days. Is it cause for concern of 'just baseball'? In this episode, Cody, Matt, and Dan break down what went wrong for the Cubs, how the Braves' pitching completely shut d...

Alex Bregman hasn’t looked like the superstar many expected to see at the start of the 2026 season for the Chicago Cubs, but should fans be worried? In this episode, we break down Bregman’s slow start at the plate, what the underlying numbers say, and whether this is just a temporary slump or a sign of something more concerning. From his plate discipline and hard-hit rates to his track record of h...

The Chicago Cubs head to Atlanta after dropping their weekend series to the Texas Rangers in Arlington. After opening the series with a strong 7-1 win, the Cubs' offense went cold in the final two games, getting shut out on back-to-back days as the Rangers stormed back to take the series. On Sunday, Jacob deGrom turned back the clock, striking out 10 Cubs hitters over seven dominant innings in a 3...

Behind a dominate performance from Shota Imanaga on the mound and Michael Conforto's perfect day at the plate, the Cubs completed the series sweep over the Reds and continue to steamroll through the 2026 season. The Cubs have now won nine straight games and 15 consecutive home games. From clutch hitting to timely offense, the North Siders delivered once again as Wrigley Field keeps rocking. In thi...

For the THIRD straight night, the Cubs walk it off at Wrigley Field to win their 8th consecutive game! Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered with a clutch game-tying 2-run homer in the 9th inning before Michael Busch drew the walk-off walk to complete another unforgettable comeback later in extra innings. From PCA’s superstar emergence to the relentless late-game magic, this Cubs team keeps finding ways t...

For the SECOND straight night, the Chicago Cubs walk it off against the Cincinnati Reds, capping off back-to-back dramatic wins at Wrigley Field and extending their winning streak to 7 games! From clutch late-game hitting from Michael Busch in the 8th inning to lockdown bullpen performances from Ryan Rolison in the 10th inning, this team is finding ways to win in every possible fashion—and the ene...

The Chicago Cubs delivered late-night drama as Michael Conforto played hero in unforgettable fashion! After Nico Hoerner tied the game with a sac-fly, Conforto stepped up and crushed a walk-off home run to left-center field to lift his team past the Cincinnati Reds in thrilling fashion. The ballpark erupted as his clutch swing sealed the victory, capping off a back-and-forth battle that kept fans...

The Chicago Cubs complete the sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend, extending their dominance at Wrigley Field with their 11th straight home win and pushing their overall streak to 5 in a row. Everything is clicking right now — timely hitting, lockdown pitching, and a team that’s playing with confidence and energy. The Cubs complete the sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks, extendin...

The Cubs’ pitching staff has been put to the test early this season, and yet they continue to find ways to win. How? In this deep dive, we break down how manager Craig Counsell is navigating a wave of injuries while still getting elite production from his arms. From creative bullpen usage to carefully managing innings and matchups, Counsell has been forced to adapt on the fly—and so far, it’s work...

The Chicago Cubs are rolling into May with serious momentum 🔥 After a strong series win on the road against the San Diego Padres, the Cubs improve to 19-12 on the season and continue to prove they’re one of the hottest teams in baseball right now. Winning in San Diego is never easy, but this group continues to show resilience, timely hitting, and clutch pitching when it matters most. From big-tim...