In a disappointing outing for rookie pitcher Ben Brown, the Chicago Cubs faced a tough loss against the Philadelphia Phillies. After a solid start through three innings, Brown's performance deteriorated sharply in the fourth, where he allowed six runs on six hits, culminating in a 35-pitch inning. Cubs manager Craig Counsell did not mince words in a post-game press conference, stating, "We need better, frankly," emphasizing the urgent need for starting pitchers to go deeper into games given the current struggles of the Cubs' rotation.

With injuries to key starters such as Justin Steele and Javier Assad, the Cubs are relying heavily on their bullpen, which has struggled early in the season. Brown's current 6.04 ERA across six games, coupled with his inability to limit damage, poses an ongoing challenge for the team as they navigate through a critical stretch of the season.