Cubs’ Craig Counsell gets brutally honest on playoff clinch failure vs. Marlins

The Chicago Cubs had an opportunity to officially clinch their spot in the playoffs on Tuesday. But with an 8-2 loss to the Miami Marlins, Chicago is still waiting.

Despite that score, the game actually went into extra innings, knotted at two after nine. However, the Marlins poured on six runs in the top of the 12th inning to secure victory.

At 87-7o, the Cubs still hold the top Wild Card spot. Only the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are four games out, are within striking distance. Furthermore, the Cubs hold the tiebreaker over both the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, giving the franchise a bit of a buffer.

But Chicago still hasn’t officially made the playoffs. And once they get there, Chicago doesn’t want to be an easy out. Manager Craig Counsell knows they can’t afford many games like Tuesday’s.

Craig Counsell calls out Cubs’ biggest flaw

On Tuesday, the Cubs went just 1-of-18 with runners in scoring position. While the six-run 12th may may thinks look lopsided, Chicago had ample opportunities to grab a lead. Counsell didn’t hold back on those missed opportunities, via Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

“We just didn’t get a hit,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “You’re not going to win many games with that. Obviously, the 10th and 11th, we had opportunities. We needed a hit. We didn’t get a hit. It’s pretty simple.”

Overall, the Cubs stranded 15 total runners, including seven in the last four inning. Chicago has one of, if not the most imposing offenses in the league. But they must come up in clutch situations to earn that respect.

The Cubs can still clinch their playoff spot with a win on Wednesday. They must shake off their previous loss quickly. Furthermore, Counsell will be looking for Chicago to be much more impactful with runners on base.

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