3 Takeaways as Cubs Hit Record 9 Homers, Bregman Hits 3 in Rout of Brewers

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The Chicago Cubs really needed to find a way to win on Monday.

They faced a pretty big obstacle in doing so. Enter the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers, who were to face a Cubs team that had lost seven of its last 10 games entering Monday. They also held an eight-game lead in the NL Central after Chicago’s difficult last week of baseball.

But this sport is entirely unpredictable. And the Cubs pulled off a massive win to open the four-game series, routing the Brewers 17-3 behind a masterful performance on both sides of the ball.

It was the perfect baseball game to wrap up the month of August in front of a sold-out Wrigley Field crowd. Now, the mission is to do it three more times.

Here’s the biggest storylines of the night!

Home Runs Galore

Cubs left fielder Tyrone Taylor (55) is greeted by right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) after hitting a two-run home run

Aug 31, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Tyrone Taylor (55) is greeted by right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) after hitting a two-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Everyone who follows the Cubs and the baseball world knows what Pete Crow-Armstrong has done with his bat the last few days. He pumped out his first career three-homer game on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds and crushed two more on Sunday night to bring his season total to 38.

However, Crow-Armstrong’s teammates took the reins on Monday after the heavy lifting he did over the weekend. They set a franchise single-game record with nine home runs, coming off the bats of Tyrone Taylor (his 11th of the season), Nico Hoerner (8), Seiya Suzuki (24), Carson Kelly (10), Matt Shaw (5), Michael Conforto (13) … and a three-homer night by Alex Bregman (23)!

It also meant the Cubs hit a whopping 62 home runs in August, which tied the NL record that the Atlanta Braves set in 2023. The Cubs have now also taken the MLB lead in total home runs (195).

For Taylor, the two-run shot was his first home run as a Cub and first since Aug. 1.

Hoerner then made it back-to-back jacks in the first inning with a no-doubter to left-center field. Hoerner is now only two home runs from equaling his single-season career-high of 10, and three from eclipsing it.

For Bregman, whose third home run of the night came off Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn, it was his second three-home-run game of the season. He became the first Cub with multiple three-homer games in a season since Aramis Ramirez in 2004.

Clay All Day

Cubs pitcher Clay Holmes (25) pitches against the Chicago White Sox

Aug 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Clay Holmes (25) pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Monday night may have been all about the bats, but it didn’t mean Clay Holmes didn’t make his own loud statement.

Holmes was lights-out while his teammates lit up Brewers lefty Kyle Harrison on the other end, hurling six shutout innings while striking out eight. Not too shabby a performance against the best team in baseball.

Holmes, a deadline acquisition from the New York Mets, has allowed just one earned run in his last four starts. He has a 1.96 ERA in 29 innings since trading blue and orange for Cubs pinstripes.

It’s safe to say that the 33-year-old right-hander is becoming a great investment for the Cubs’ front office, which gave up former No. 1 prospect Jefferson Rojas for him and Taylor at the deadline.

A Note on The Position Player Pitching Problem

Brewers pitcher Andrew Vaughn (28) throws the ball against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field.

Aug 31, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Andrew Vaughn (28) throws the ball against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brewers manager Pat Murphy caused a bit of an online uproar when he pulled his real pitcher in the seventh inning for first baseman Andrew Vaughn to take the mound.

That meant Vaughn had to get six outs, which is a bit steep of a task for someone who isn’t a, you know, a pitcher!

Vaughn’s outing on the mound went just about as expected: In two innings of work, he allowed seven earned runs on nine hits, including three home runs and three walks.

It also meant the Brewers got to save the remainder of their bullpen for the next three games in the series.

Vaughn ended up logging more innings than both of Milwaukee’s relievers who entered Monday’s game — Chad Patrick threw 1.1 innings and DL Hall lasted just one frame.

It was clearly a strategic decision by Murphy, and a smart one at that. It’s perfectly legal. But it also begs the question: Should there be limitations on when a position player is allowed to enter the game?

Of course, there are extraneous situations where teams truly need to go to their bench for pitching. However, getting to save your bullpen in a crucial series between two prospective playoff teams on the eve of September doesn’t seem like one of them.

The good thing for the Cubs is that, because of Holmes’ quality start, they only needed to use Ryan Rolison and Colin Rea to get the rest of the outs. So, maybe the Cubs and Brewers are even — for now.

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