Every MLB season has those brutal nights where a starting pitcher simply has to absorb a pounding to save the bullpen. For the Chicago Cubs' Javier Assad, that night came Monday in Philadelphia, and the Phillies' offense showed no mercy.

Assad was roughed up for nine runs on eleven hits over just 4 1/3 innings, setting the tone for a decisive 13-7 Phillies victory at Citizens Bank Park. The final score, inflated by some late Cubs runs, couldn't hide the nature of this blowout.

After the game, a searching Assad admitted he needed to review the tape to pinpoint the exact cause of the onslaught. "Every time you go out there, you try to battle, so today was a bad day," Assad said through an interpreter. "It's in the past, move forward."

With a taxed relief corps, Manager Craig Counsell had little choice but to leave Assad in to weather the storm, especially as a 4-2 game unraveled in the fifth inning. Counsell pointed to location issues with Assad's primary fastball and sinker. "There were balls in the zone, but he needs to get them in good places. And he didn't get the fastball and the sinker to good places," he noted.

The Cubs turned to long relief to mop up, calling on left-hander Charlie Barnes for his first big-league appearance since 2021. The rust showed, as Barnes surrendered four runs over three innings. The loss kicks off a tough stretch in the Cubs' schedule on a sour note, a reminder of how quickly a game can slip away when a starter's command abandons him.