Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Trent Thornton expressed clear frustration over his performance. In the fifth inning of the Cubs’ 9-5 defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field, Thornton was visibly upset after being pulled from the game.
Thornton joined the game in the fourth inning with a man on third and the Cubs down 6-5. He effectively struck out Luis Lara, preventing a further score. However, his momentum shifted in the fifth inning. After striking out Christian Yelich, he allowed three consecutive baserunners, walking Joey Ortiz and giving up singles to Cooper Pratt and Jackson Chourio. Manager Craig Counsell then removed him from the game, triggering his outburst.
“F—!” Thornton exclaimed after spiking his glove in the dugout.
Despite Thornton’s struggles, reliever Ryan Rolison successfully managed the situation, retiring the next two batters to maintain the 6-5 score.
Thornton, in his first season with the Cubs, has been a solid reliever with a performance record of 3.40 ERA over 45 innings in 44 games, including three saves. Despite these stats, the Cubs failed to score further and lost 9-5, marking their third game loss in a crucial four-game series against the Brewers.
The Cubs with a current record of 78-62 aim for a split in the series finale against the Brewers, who hold an 87-53 record. The game is set for Thursday at 7:15 p.m. ET.