Cardinals rally for an 11-4 win over Cubs at Wrigley Field as Edward Cabrera struggles and Dansby Swanson leaves

The Cardinals took control at Wrigley Field and handed the Cubs an 11-4 loss on Sunday. According to game coverage, Edward Cabrera returned to the Cubs’ pitching rotation after an injury, but the comeback did not go smoothly, as Chicago struggled to find command and surrendered a steady stream of runs.

Cabrera’s outing, as described in the report, was marked by effectiveness problems from the start. He was hit hard and, just as importantly, had trouble locating his pitches. That combination left Chicago playing uphill for much of the afternoon, with the Cardinals able to capitalize on every mistake rather than forcing the Cubs to work through a slower inning by inning pace.

The late-game story for the Cubs became more difficult when Dansby Swanson exited the game shortly after the third inning began, after taking a swing and then coming out immediately. Swanson’s departure, even before any further details are confirmed, adds a layer of urgency for Chicago because it affects both on-field innings and the rhythm of the lineup.

Even with the final margin, the bigger takeaway for the Cubs is the pair of issues that emerged in one afternoon: a pitcher working through a return to action and a key position player leaving the contest after an at-bat. Teams can usually absorb one problem in a given game, but when both show up quickly, it compresses the choices available to the manager for the rest of the contest.

For St. Louis, the win was reinforced by sustained production against a starter returning from injury. When a team can build runs early, it not only turns the game into a chase but also changes the defensive and bullpen decision-making for the opponent. That kind of leverage matters in late-season baseball because it can ripple into how teams deploy their pitching staff in the days that follow.

What to watch next is how the Cubs handle uncertainty. If Swanson’s exit results in additional missed time, Chicago will have to adjust both its defensive alignment and its everyday batting order. Separately, Cabrera’s next step will matter because a return outing shaped by command issues typically prompts a closer look at mechanics and the timing of subsequent starts.