In a big market city like Chicago, with a faithful fan base that never fails to fill Wrigley Field to the brim, the Chicago Cubs are a baseball team that carries a distinct aura. However, the way they’ve been operating for the past few years is more reminiscent of the Pittsburgh Pirates, which is genuinely puzzling. The Cubs are a few moves away from really being a contender in the NL Central.
One of the hottest topics of late has been the scintillating performance of Marcus Stroman. His sensational form has prompted many to wonder if he might get traded ahead of the deadline. Given his impressive performance, it’s clear that other clubs would be willing to pick up the phone and make an offer. What’s mystifying, however, is the Cubs’ apparent openness to this.
This has led to a scenario where the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers seem to be the only contenders in this division, with the two set to go head-to-head for the rest of the way. The Reds have been on fire recently, winning an impressive 20 of their last 24 games. Their performance has been stellar ever since the call-up of promising prospect Elly De La Cruz.
The Cubs, on the other hand, have been unpredictable. With the return of Justin Steele, there was a period when the Cubs were getting elite starting pitching. Their bats were hot, and with the addition of Cody Bellinger, it seemed like things were about to fall into place. But then, the bats went cold. The Cubs even lost their star free-agent acquisition to injury, which didn’t help.
Even Nick Madrigal, whose future return remains uncertain, hasn’t fully provided the spark the Cubs desperately need. The Cubs management team has some tough questions to answer, especially considering the Cardinal’s struggles and other teams seemingly capitalizing on it.
The Brewers have managed to stay in the race even with Corbin Burnes not pitching at the Cy Young level we’re accustomed to. The question remains, despite being players in the free agent market last offseason, will the Cubs have to sell more assets again at the trade deadline and continue their rebuild?
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