Sports
Cubs continue search for offense against Athletics
May 30, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts as St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) throws to complete the double play against Nico Hoerner at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs continue to be stuck in an offensive slump that has seen the club score three or fewer runs in 10 of its past 16 games.
The Cubs will attempt to break out of the pattern on Wednesday night in the middle contest of a three-game series against the Athletics in Chicago.
The Cubs were 13 games over .500 in mid-May but have since dropped 13 of 16 games, including a 10-game slide, and stand just a half-game ahead of the last-place Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central.
Chicago had just four hits as it dropped the opener 2-1 on Tuesday. The Cubs were handcuffed by Athletics left-hander Gage Jump, who gave up one run and three over seven innings.
Jump, making his second big league start, retired the final 14 batters he faced.
“There’s still a lot of time left,” Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said of the team’s struggles. “But, again, you don’t want to fall into a trap of getting too comfortable. And when stuff isn’t going very well, there comes a time where you do want to turn it around. And it kind of has to.”
A homer by Nick Kurtz and a run-scoring single by Zack Gelof gave the Athletics the runs they needed. Kurtz’s homered was the 20th allowed this season by Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon, who gave up two runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings.
“That’s a good start,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “You get in a 2-1 game and every play feels like it matters. Of course you want something back, but Jamo pitched well. He got us to the seventh inning with two runs on the board. I think that’s a start we need to produce more runs to win that game.”
Chicago’s lone run scored on Alex Bregman’s first-inning groundout.
The Athletics also have been slumping, and Monday’s victory was just their third in the past 10 games.
Kurtz homered for the third time in four games and is 7-for-14 with five RBIs and five runs during the stretch. His solo blast Monday went the opposite way to left-center despite the wind blowing in.
“I thought I hit it further out than it went,” Kurtz said. “I guess I hit it low enough where the win didn’t affect it too much.”
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was impressed with Kurtz’s strength.
“I don’t think the wind matters to Nick when he hits it,” Kotsay said. “It’s pretty impressive that he can hit a ball the opposite field and you know when it leaves the bat that it’s a homer.”
Kurtz is coming off a stellar May in which he batted .333 with a 1.025 OPS. He hit five homers and led the majors with 26 RBIs.
Right-hander Colin Rea (5-3, 4.70 ERA) starts for the Cubs on Wednesday.
Rea, 35, defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates last Thursday when he gave up two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Rea is 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA in two appearances (one start) against the Athletics. Brent Rooker is 3-for-5 with a homer off Rea.
The A’s will start left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-6, 4.07), who has dropped four straight starts and is 0-6 over his last eight outings.
Springs, 33, lost to the Seattle Mariners on May 27 when he allowed five runs (two earned) and six hits over five innings.
Springs is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in four appearances (one start) against the Cubs.
Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki (1-for-1) hit a three-run homer off Springs last season. Ian Happ is 3-for-4 and Michael Conforto is 3-for-5 with three doubles.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals OL Isaiah Adams facing gun charges in Canada
Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams (74) watches from the sidelines during the team’s practice at State Farm Stadium on July 29, 2025. Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams is facing multiple charges related to a guns and gangs investigation in his native Canada.
Adams turned himself into Durham Regional Police in the Toronto area on Sunday on charges of possessing a weapon by crime, possessing a restricted or prohibited firearm without a license, possessing a loaded firearm and possessing a prohibited device.
His 27-year-old sister, Allyson Mae Adams, was charged with the same crimes as part of the investigation.
Adams, who turned 26 on Tuesday, has since returned to Arizona and is expected to report to training camp on Wednesday, according to ESPN. The Cardinals begin practice on Thursday.
The Cardinals said Tuesday that they were aware of the situation.
“Out of respect for the process, we will refrain from commenting further at this time,” a team spokesperson said.
A third-round draft pick by Arizona in 2024, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Adams appeared in 32 games with 16 starts in his first two NFL seasons. He is expected to compete with rookie Chase Bistonis for the starting job at right guard.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals acquire RHP Nate Pearson from Astros
Jun 26, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Nate Pearson (55) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals acquired Nate Pearson from the Houston Astros on Wednesday in exchange for fellow right-hander Max Martin.
Pearson, 29, was designated for assignment by Houston on Sunday after going 1-0 with one save and a 3.60 ERA in 16 relief appearances this season.
He is 10-6 with four saves and a 4.99 ERA in 139 career games (six starts) with the Toronto Blue Jays (2020-21, 2023-24), Chicago Cubs (2024-25) and Astros.
Martin, 22, is 6-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 26 relief appearances across two Class A levels this season. Kansas City drafted him in the 10th round in 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Scottie Scheffler ready to tackle 3M Open for first time
Jul 18, 2026; Southport, ENG; Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Competing in the 3M Open for the first time this week, Scottie Scheffler fielded nearly as many questions about Minnesota’s NFL team as he did about the golf tournament.
The World No. 1 met with reporters at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., after playing in Wednesday morning’s pro-am with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“This might be my first time in Minnesota. I’m not sure if I’ve ever actually been to this state before,” said Scheffler, who is coming off a T4 finish at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Scheffler said he added the 3M Open to his calendar this year because he didn’t want to take time off with the PGA Tour playoffs starting next month.
“This was a tournament that I had heard a lot of good things about and so far everything seems true,” he said. “The people have been tremendous, the fans have been really nice to me so far and the tournament seems to do a really good job just taking care of everybody.”
Even though he’s a football fan, Scheffler said he tried not to pump McConnell for information.
“I love the NFL,” Scheffler said. “I wasn’t going to just start hammering him with questions about football. He’s about to start the season so he’s going to be thinking about football for quite a long period of time, but we did a little bit.
“Yeah, he seemed like a really nice guy. You can tell why he’s such a good coach, seemed very smart. I got to ask him a few questions and he told me some stuff. It was definitely very fun for me to be able to spend some time with him. Like I said, I love the NFL and I’m fascinated by what they’re able to do, especially the head coach. I think in football it’s easily the most important position on the team. I mean he’s got to handle a lot of different personalities and the X’s and O’s. He was definitely an impressive guy to be able to talk to and spend some time with.”
Scheffler was asked he if he had any advice for O’Connell on the X’s and O’s of golf.
“He actually moved it pretty well and hit some really nice shots,” Scheffler said. “I think any advice I give him now will surely be wasted because he’s probably not going to see the golf course for the next six months or so, and hopefully a deep postseason run for them.”
Scheffler, 30, is looking for his first win since The American Express in January.
He said the golf course “has a decent amount of length to it” and the biggest challenge will be keeping the ball in play off the tee.
“There’s some pretty long par 4s and a good amount of water, and so when the rough is up like that there’s going to be a premium I think on hitting fairways,” he said. “When you’re in play, you’re going to get some scorable clubs on some certain holes. And the green are fairly big, so if you’re in the fairway, things are going to be a lot easier for you. Once you start hitting in the rough it could be tough to get on the greens in two.”
–Field Level Media
Cardinals OL Isaiah Adams facing gun charges in Canada
Royals acquire RHP Nate Pearson from Astros
