Michael Busch’s two-run homer can’t stop Cubs’ late bullpen collapse in 10-8 loss to Reds

The Chicago Cubs got a key offensive moment from Michael Busch, who struck for a two-run home run on Friday, but the game swung against them in the final phases. A bullpen meltdown allowed the Cincinnati Reds to take control and finish with a 10-8 victory, a result that immediately put the Cubs’ relief corps under scrutiny.

For much of this month, the Cubs’ pitching picture had seemed steadier than it has been at other points in the season. According to the report, the return of some players from the injured list (IL) helped the bullpen perform “definitely adequate” up until the last week, giving the team and its fans a sense that the late-inning unit had stabilized.

That sense did not survive the final stretch. The same recap describes a physical and mental breakdown in a short window, with the Reds taking advantage once the bullpen started to unravel. The final score did not reflect a one-run slip. It reflected a sequence that flipped leverage, changed baserunners’ comfort levels, and forced the Cubs to recover in the wrong direction.

Chicago’s loss carries a particular sting because the Cubs did not lack for impact at the plate. Busch’s two-run homer provided the kind of momentum shift managers look for when games are tight, and it helped the Cubs stay within striking distance even as the bullpen situation deteriorated. The report frames Busch’s power as a bright spot amid a larger problem, not as the reason for defeat.

The Reds, meanwhile, benefited from the fact that bullpen failures tend to compound quickly. Once multiple mistakes stack, the batting order can get multiple swings at higher-leverage outcomes, and hitters who entered the inning expecting a clean chance often get new lives. In this case, the bullpen portion of the game turned a manageable late deficit into a two-run swing that the Cubs could not fully offset.

What to watch next is whether Chicago can separate two things that often get blended in postseason-thinking. One is bullpen depth and execution on a night-by-night basis. The other is the longer-term question of whether relief reinforcements returning from the IL translate into consistent performances, not just flashes. The report suggests that the Cubs had momentum coming off those returns, so the immediate priority becomes whether this was a momentary collapse or a sign that deeper adjustments are needed.