In back-to-back seasons now, Chicago Cubs center fielder Mike Tauchman has potentially dramatically saved the season.
Since Chicago signed Tauchman in January 2023, many Cubs fans have dubbed this stretch of the season as the “Summer of Tauchman.”
On July 28, 2023, it was his game-saving catch on what would have been a walk-off homer from St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Alec Burleson.
On this date in random Cub history:
On this date in random Cub history:
July 28, 2023
Mike Tauchman steals a walk-off home run from Alec Burleson to preserve the Cubs 3-2 win in St. Louis.
— Daily Random Cub (@DailyRandomCub) July 28, 2024
That game-saving catch turned the Cubs into buyers at last year’s trade deadline, where they acquired third baseman Jeimer Candelario and pitcher Jose Cuas. Unfortunately, September was not so kind to Chicago, and they eventually missed the playoffs by just one game.
This year’s deadline saw the Cubs acquire the same third baseman and reliever combination, adding Isaac Paredes and Nate Pearson, making Thursday night’s heroics from Tauchman feel eerily similar to last season.
Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, Cody Bellinger hit a solo homer, bringing the Cubs within one run. Nico Hoerner’s single and stolen base and Dansby Swanson’s double tied the game. Manager Craig Counsell then had only one choice, and it was an easy one: Pinch-hit Tauchman.
He answered the call, roping a double down the left field line off St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley, scoring Swanson to win the game.
TAUCHMAN WALKOFF! pic.twitter.com/c5tASNzcPW
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 2, 2024
Tauchman, in the summer months, playing hero yet again, against the Cardinals.
This was undoubtedly Chicago’s biggest win of the season, and they will look to ride this momentum into the rest of the weekend against St. Louis. Could this victory potentially carry them into a postseason spot?
The Cubs will certainly need to play nearly flawlessly, but if Tauchman has anything to say about it, come October, the boys on the north side of Chicago will be playing postseason baseball.
