ARLINGTON, Texas — It was an ordinary day in an extraordinary run for the Chicago Cubs.
Another 10-game winning streak was in the books Friday after a 7-1 win over the Texas Rangers before 32,394 at Globe Life Field, the second such run of the season for a Cubs team that continues to defy baseball norms.
Ben Brown threw four hitless innings in his first start for the injured Matthew Boyd, and Javier Assad notched the win with 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit. Pete Crow-Armstrong made the Rangers’ “Elvis Cam” after catching a sinking liner in center and waved to Ian Happ as he lay on the grass.
3 numbers that stand out in the Chicago Cubs’ 9-game winning streak: ‘It’s pretty special’
And Nico Hoerner did another “Nico thing,” winding up on second when the Rangers middle infielders collided on a grounder up the middle and failed to notice he hadn’t stopped running.
Don’t try to understand it. Just let the wave wash over you and enjoy.
It’s crazy to think this was the first Cubs team since 1935 with a pair of 10-game winning streaks, right?
“Not necessarily,” said Seiya Suzuki, whose two-run home run in the fourth inning sparked the offense early. “We’re just playing our brand of baseball and just weighting the wins. Hopefully we just keep stacking them up.”
The Cubs are celebrating their 150th birthday this season, and according to MLB stats czar Sarah Langs, they’ve had six other seasons with multiple 10-plus-game winning streaks: 1880, 1885, 1886, 1906, 1901 and, as mentioned, 1935. In 1906, they had four double-digit winning streaks in a 116-win season but wound up losing to the White Sox team known as the “Hitless Wonders” in the only all-Chicago World Series.
“Obviously incredible,” Hoerner said of the streak. “It’s crazy. Baseball is a game full of a ridiculous amount of stats and things to look up. Any time you have to go that far back, it’s obviously a good sign, especially on a positive like that.
“Just going to keep it rolling.”
The Cubs already were the first major-league team with multiple nine-plus-game winning streaks since the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, who were on their way to their first World Series title.
Oh, and there are still three more weeks in May.
“It gives you goosebumps,” Brown said. “It’s special to be part of. It’s special to witness, special to watch.”
The Cubs have won 20 of their last 23 games, improving to an MLB-best 27-12.
They led 4-1 in the seventh Friday when Hoerner led off with a grounder that shortstop Corey Seager botched while running into Justin Foscue, who was charged with the error. The ball trickled behind second, and Hoerner kept going, hustling his way to second.
“That’s Nico,” manager Craig Counsell said. “If there is a play maybe that they show about Nico’s career, they should show that play, because that’s just who he is. That was a great play.”
Hoerner said it was mostly a matter of instinct and something the Cubs are always looking to do at any moment.
“There was not really any thinking or communication on things like that (while) baserunning,” he said. “Always looking to take extra bases and capitalize on opportunities. Our team plays the game pretty hard and always looks for extra bases. … There are always opportunities to seize.”
Seizing the opportunity has been a recurring theme of this year’s Cubs. The pitching staff has been folded, spindled and mutilated but keeps on trucking. Brown started Friday on a bullpen day, knowing he wouldn’t last long but treasuring the opportunity.
Brown said he was able to go out and “play free” and with “nothing to lose.” He lowered his ERA to 1.82 with his first scoreless start since a six-inning stint on May 2, 2025, in Milwaukee. His value as a late-inning leverage guy had to be sacrificed due to the Cubs’ need for a starter after Boyd underwent left meniscus surgery that will sideline him for about six weeks.
“We couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Counsell said of Brown.
Counsell wouldn’t guarantee Brown a start in Atlanta next week but said he’d “be involved in it somehow.” Hard to believe he wouldn’t give him another shot.
Last year the Cubs went into September without losing more than three straight games until a five-game skid from Sept. 19-24. This year they won 10 straight, suffered a three-game losing streak on April 25-27 in Los Angeles and San Diego and now have whipped off 10 straight wins again.
“Look, I think this is a group that’s collectively playing at a high level,” Counsell said. “From a position-player standpoint I think we’re very well-rounded, and that leads to consistency. It doesn’t lead to winning streaks, but it leads to (the fact) you don’t go in long ruts because we have the ability to beat you in a number of different ways offensively, so it’s not just the home run, it’s not just the speed or something like that.
“And we’ve pitched well. If you go back to the starters, we’re not well everywhere pitching, but the starters getting us outs at the start of the game has been a really big part of this thing. All the bullpen chaos and the name-switching and injuries and only one off day really in this whole stretch … the starters getting deep into games is what really sets that up to be possible to happen, in my eyes. And the defense helps the starters so much in that regard too.”
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The Cubs on Friday activated Ethan Roberts, who suffered a freak injury to his right middle finger while working out in mid-April, and sent Gavin Hollowell down to Triple-A Iowa. Roberts pitched a scoreless ninth.
Lefty Caleb Thielbar threw a bullpen Friday and is closer to returning from his left hamstring strain, though he’ll probably go on a minor-league rehab stint in a week. Hunter Harvey had a setback while rehabbing a right triceps injury and will be shut down for another month.
The bullpen chaos has only added to the wild ride, with many different players playing a role.
“People stepping up in roles they maybe weren’t expected to,” Hoerner said, adding, “you’d think there would be two or three stars” carrying the group in two streaks like this.
“We’re fortunate to have a group that has star talent,” he said. “But every part of the roster has been huge for us in big moments in parts of these streaks. And that’s what it takes for a whole season and beyond.”
