Game Recap: Rea impresses as Cubs fry the Marlins

Matt Marton - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 7 hours ago

CHICAGO - Now that the Chicago Cubs (24-18) have gone through their 41-game gauntlet to start the season, it's time for things to fall back into place as their schedule lightens up in a big way. Granted, a lot of things can change from now until September, but as things currently sit, the Cubs have the easiest remaining schedule of anyone in baseball, which could bode well for the rest of the way.

That includes this 21-game stretch they are currently in, as they will see the Miami Marlins (15-25) x2, Chicago White Sox, and the Colorado Rockies, as that accounts for 12 of their 21 games in this stretch. In other words, this is a stretch where the Cubs should take care of business, and that all started at Wrigley Field on Monday when the Cubs welcomed in the Marlins.

What has come to be the expectation when Colin Rea is on the mound is that the Cubs will find ways to win as he improved to 3-0 on the season while continuing to sport an ERA under 2.5. Not only that, but the Cubs are now 5-1 in the games he starts this season as Chicago used a five-run fifth inning to pick up the 5-2 victory.

Ideally, you would love to spread that offense out instead of scoring all your runs in one inning, but given the way Rea was pitching, you will take the runs when you can get them. Rea pitched into the seventh, tossing a season high 6 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on six hits, with both those runs coming in his final inning of work. He walked two and struck out four as he continues to pitch to the conditions presented to him.

Opposing him for the Marlins was right-hander Cal Quantrill, as the 2025 season has been a struggle to say the least. Entering the game with an ERA north of 7.00, you would never have guessed that as Quantrill was able to match Rea pitch for pitch through the first four innings. In fact, you could argue that Quantrill was pitching better than Rea in the early going, as he allowed only a Miguel Amaya hit through four innings.

Compare that to Rea who allowed four singles during that same stretch, including a pair of singles to Liam Hicks and Xavier Edwards in the third and the Cubs had to consider themselves fortunate to be tied as neither team was able to come away with the go ahead run early on. At some point, you had to think the Cubs' offense was going to wake up, and all it took was for the bottom of the order to get it done as Quantrill began to unravel in the fifth.

After watching Nico Hoerner lead off the fifth with a single before swiping second, it was the sudden resurgence of Dansby Swanson that broke through again as he connected for the two-run blast to push across the game's first runs and put the Cubs in front 2-0. For Swanson, that was his ninth homer of the season to lead all shortstops, but his fifth since moving into the seventh or eighth hole, as he has hit north of .400 since that move.

That homer was only the beginning of a big inning with Amaya picking up his second double in as many at-bats before racing home on a Kyle Tucker triple. That triple came off the Marlins' new pitcher Anthony Veneziano, as did the two-run shot for Seiya Suzuki as he capped off the Cubs' five-run inning with his team-leading 10th homer and put the Cubs in front 5-0.

Those were the only runs of the game for Chicago, but with Rea keeping the Marlins off the board through six, five runs were looking to be more than enough. It took Miami seven innings to solve the Rea mystery, and it came after the Cubs wasted a pair of two-out hits from Swanson and Amaya in the previous inning.

After allowing a leadoff walk to begin the seventh, Rea got Matt Mervis to ground into a double play before allowing another hit to Ronny Simon. That single was followed up by the Derek Hill homer, and suddenly the Marlins were within striking distance at 5-2. That was the final hitter for Rea in the ball game as he was lifted in favor of Daniel Palencia, who needed just one pitch to finish off the seventh.

Palencia then came back out to pitch the eighth, and despite walking a man, he struck out two as he lowered his ERA to 1.38 following 1 1/3 scoreless frames. Given the struggles of Ryan Pressly as of late and another horrible outing from Porter Hodge on Sunday, the Cubs closer situation is once again in flux as they are trying to figure out what comes next.

Today, it was Drew Pomeranz's turn to close out a ball game, and considering he has yet to allow a run since getting called up, he may be the best option. Pomeranz continued his strong start to the season, scattering a Connor Norby two-out single in what was otherwise another flawless outing as the Cubs picked up a much-needed victory over Miami, 5-2.

Chicago had eight hits in the game, with Amaya leading the way with three to raise his average to .286. Swanson added two hits and is suddenly hitting .248 as the Cubs hope his recent surge is a sign of things to come. Chicago will look for the series win on Tuesday as they turn to Ben Brown to face Valente Bellozo.

On a side note, Ian Happ missed his third straight game with an oblique injury, which is still considered day-to-day. However, should he miss another game on Tuesday, you have to think an IL stint is forthcoming as the Cubs are playing down a bat.