You know, it was probably worth a shot.
After Drew Smyly threw well in three relief appearances, the Cubs needed to find out whether he could return to the rotation and be as effective as he was earlier this year.
Welp. They got the answer, in a definitive fashion. Smyly got pounded for eight hits, three walks and seven runs, including a pair of homers and didn’t make it out of the fourth inning. The Cubs did try to fight back, but eventually dropped the game, 8-6 to the Tigers.
The second Detroit hitter of the game, Andy Ibañez, homered off Smyly, and they scored one more in that inning and another in the second to take a 3-0 lead.