3B Kris Bryant returned to the lineup after sitting out Friday's game. Bryant was 0-for-3 with one walk and three strikeouts.

NEW YORK -- The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs are underwater.They suffered a 9-4 loss to the Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday night to fall to 32-33. At this point a year ago, they were 45-20.This defeat was particularly stinging. The Cubs held a 4-1 lead on Kyle Shwarber's two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, and their relief pitchers, to date the best-functioning part of the organization, gave up six runs in four innings.Chicago is fortunate to be playing in the NL Central. They go into play on Thursday in second place, just two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. They are eight games off the pace for the second wild card."We've earned the right to be in this position. We've played well enough to be a .500 club," manager Joe Maddon said. "We have a nice group and I believe in our group, but we have to prove it on the field."Anthony Rizzo said, "We're battling, grinding and that's what it is until we take off. ... I don't think it's too late. "Go back to 2015... [More]

3B Kris Bryant (2-for-3, double) reached base four times and scored twice Tuesday. It marked the 25th time in his career he has reached base at least four times and the sixth time this season.

3B Kris Bryant hit his team-leading 13th homer of the season in the opening inning. It was just his second this season with runners on base. Ten of his 27 hits at Wrigley Field this season have been home runs. He's now gone 5-for-10 with three homers and eight RBIs against Marlins starter Dan Straily.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Fiers remained unbeaten on the road, and the Houston Astros keep on winning, topping the Kansas City Royals 7-3 Monday night for their 11th consecutive victory.Houston's winning streak is the longest in the majors this year.Yuli Gurriel and Brian McCann homered for Houston.Fiers (3-2) has not lost on the road since Aug. 20, 2016, a span of 10 away starts. He yielded two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four in five-plus innings. He won back-to-back starts for the first time this season.Cubs 3, Marlins 1CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. homered, and Eddie Butler allowed just one run in a 5 2/3 innings as Chicago beat Miami in the opener of a three-game series.The Cubs won their fourth straight while Miami saw a three-game winning streak snapped.Bryant's homer gave Chicago a 2-0 lead two batters into the bottom of the first. Almora was 2-for-3 with a fourth-inning blast.Giants 7, Brewers 2MILWAUKEE -- Jeff Samardzija struck out 10, and Aaron... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Fiers remained unbeaten on the road, and the Houston Astros keep on winning, topping the Kansas City Royals 7-3 Monday night for their 11th consecutive victory.Houston's winning streak is the longest in the majors this year.Yuli Gurriel and Brian McCann homered for Houston.Fiers (3-2) has not lost on the road since Aug. 20, 2016, a span of 10 away starts. He yielded two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out four in five-plus innings. He won back-to-back starts for the first time this season.Cubs 3, Marlins 1CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. homered, and Eddie Butler allowed just one run in a 5 2/3 innings as Chicago beat Miami in the opener of a three-game series.The Cubs won their fourth straight while Miami saw a three-game winning streak snapped.Bryant's homer gave Chicago a 2-0 lead two batters into the bottom of the first. Almora was 2-for-3 with a fourth-inning blast.Giants 7, Brewers 2MILWAUKEE -- Jeff Samardzija struck out 10, and Aaron... [More]

3B Kris Bryant was 1-for-4 with his 12th homer of the season, a solo shot in the third inning on Friday. He's tied for the team lead with Anthony Rizzo and for third place in the National League. Bryant had been 0-for-13 against the Cardinals this season. His 11 solo home runs are tied for second most in the major leagues.

3B Kris Bryant (1-for-4) hit a game-tying solo homer in the first and is tied with Anthony Rizzo for the team lead with 11. Bryant hit .258 with a double, four homers, five RBIs, 10 runs scored and five walks during the nine-game homestand.

3B Kris Bryant clubbed a pair of home runs Sunday against the Brewers to mark his ninth and 10th home runs of the season. Bryant has two multiple-home runs games this season and nine in his career. The reigning National League Most Valuable Player has hit three home runs in his past three games and eight home runs in his past 18 contests.

3B Kris Bryant (1-for-4) slugged a solo home run in the fourth inning and now has hit safely in 16 of his 19 home games against the Reds. Overall, he has hit .356 with seven homers, seven doubles, 17 RBIs and 10 walks against Cincinnati. His 12 career homers against the Reds are the most against any one opponent.

3B Kris Bryant (stomach bug) didn't start for the third straight game, although he was available for pinch-hitting duty if needed. Bryant fell ill before the series opener Friday night and was scratched just before manager Joe Maddon handed the lineup card to the umpires, then sat out again Saturday. Bryant is one of the few Cubs to get off to a good start, batting .299 with seven homers and 18 RBIs.

3B/OF Kris Bryant (stomach bug) was scratched just before the first pitch Friday night. Bryant was announced in the starting lineup by the stadium's PA announcer at 7 p.m., although he apparently didn't feel well during batting practice. After Chicago's 3-2 win, manager Joe Maddon said Bryant won't start Saturday, which means the team will have to do without their most consistent hitter in the season's first six weeks.

3B Kris Bryant, who broke up German Marquez's no-hitter with a leadoff double in the seventh, has reached base in 19 of his past 20 games. During that span, he is hitting .350 with a .448 on-base percentage.

3B Kris Bryant made his first starts of the season in the outfield when he played right field both games. His previous 31 starts this season were at third base. Last season, Bryant appeared in 14 games in right field, 50 in left field, one in center and 104 at third base. He called it a "change of scenery" and welcomed the start in the outfield. "You don't have to really worry about the short two-hopper, the in-between hopper that you have to come and get," Bryant said. "I've always liked moving to the outfield here and there because it changes up my mind a little bit. I wouldn't say it's relaxing, but you're not involved in every single play." Bryant said heightened focus can be a challenge at times in the outfield. "That's why I feel it'd be tough to play there every day," he said. "I'd probably get used to it if I did make that switch, but you're thinking about your at-bats more often because there's more down time, I guess. I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing but here and there it might be good."

3B Kris Bryant was in the lineup in right field Monday before the game was rained out. Bryant played third base in each of the Cubs previous 31 games. After he played 18 innings at the position Sunday night, manager Joe Maddon said, "Putting KB in the outfield, I thought he might actually enjoy the vacation out there." Last season, Bryant appeared in 14 games in right field, 50 in left field, one in center and 104 at third base. Bryant has reached base safely in 18 straight games, the second-longest streak of his career. He reached base safely in a career-best 21 consecutive games last season from Aug. 14-Sept. 4.

3B Kris Bryant went 4-for-5 and also walked once, collecting his fifth career game with at least four hits. He has now reached base in 15 consecutive games dating to April 18, the longest streak of his career. He's batting .424 in that span. Bryant's average improved to .321, the first time this season he's above .300.

3B Kris Bryant was 1-for-3 with a first-inning home run and his sixth home run of the season extended an on-base streak to 16 straight games. It's the second-longest such streak in his career. He has hit safely in 15 of those games, batting .413 with six doubles, one triple, four homers, 16 runs, nine RBIs and 10 walks.

3B Kris Bryant was 2-for-4 with a triple and his 70th career home run, a solo shot in the first inning. It was his third career game with both a home run and three-base hit. He's batting .333 (20-for-60) with five homers and 14 RBIs in 15 career games against Philadelphia.

3B Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a solo homer in Sunday's game against the Red Sox. Bryant blasted an 0-1 fastball from LHP Eduardo Rodriguez an estimated 410 feet into the seats in left-center in the fifth. It was his fourth homer of the year and he joined Nate Schierholtz (2) as the only two Cubs players with multiple homers at Fenway.

3B Kris Bryant, whose dad was drafted by and played two years in the Red Sox farm system, hit the longest Fenway home run of the season -- 449 feet -- in the first inning and pointed up into the stands, at his parents, as he crossed the plate. Bryant also made a nifty play to turn a soft liner into an unassisted double play in the fourth inning, but struck out his last two times up. He is 11-for-28 on the current road trip and has a nine-game hitting streak.