Still chasing Brewers, Cubs driven to go deeper than last year’s playoff exit: ‘It’s on your mind every day’
<p>For a brief moment, after a win last Friday, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> were closer to the Brewers than they had been since the end of May, shrinking the gap between them and their division-leading rivals to 4 1/2 games.</p><p>Though only slightly, the gap is larger now.</p><p>Another year, another seemingly relentless grip on the NL Central by the team from north of the border.</p><p>For the last couple months, the Cubs have been as good as they come, with a 35-16 record since June 11 that’s tops in the National League and ranks second in baseball. Yet they’ve only chipped into the gap in the standings, with the Brewers entering Monday at 33-19 in the same span.</p><p>There’s a lot of baseball left before playoff seeds lock in.
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<p>For a brief moment, after a win last Friday, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> were closer to the Brewers than they had been since the end of May, shrinking the gap between them and their division-leading rivals to 4 1/2 games.</p><p>Though only slightly, the gap is larger now.</p><p>Another year, another seemingly relentless grip on the NL Central by the team from north of the border.</p><p>For the last couple months, the Cubs have been as good as they come, with a 35-16 record since June 11 that’s tops in the National League and ranks second in baseball. Yet they’ve only chipped into the gap in the standings, with the Brewers entering Monday at 33-19 in the same span.</p><p>There’s a lot of baseball left before playoff seeds lock in. But should the Cubs start worrying about how – if – they’re going to catch these Brewers?</p><p>“That’s not going to help,” manager Craig Counsell said last week. “We would like to make up ground, but worrying about it is not going to help me do it.</p><p>“We’ve just got to do our thing.”</p><p>The Cubs doing their thing has been darn effective, and they’re riding high after an eventful week that featured <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/03/cubs-mlb-trade-deadline-jed-hoyer-top-prospects-trades-kevin-gausman-clay-holmes-ryan-zeferjahn-braxton-garrett-tyrone-taylor" >trade-deadline reinforcements</a>, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/05/cubs-pete-crow-armstrong-shohei-ohtani-nl-mvp-race-dodgers-playoffs-craig-counsell-shota-imanaga" >a sweep of the Dodgers</a>, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/06/cubs-walk-off-win-alex-bregman-home-run-pete-crow-armstrong-stolen-base-blue-jays-dodgers-shohei-ohtani-nl-mvp" >a walk-off win against the Blue Jays</a> and a series win over the Royals that capped <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/08/cubs-pete-crow-armstrong-17-games-17-days-ian-happ-homer-clay-holmes-debut-injury-royals" >a stretch of 17 games in 17 days</a>.</p><p>But those Brewers just won’t stop.</p><p>The Cubs weren’t just bested in the division a year ago, their rivals bounced them from the postseason.
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- What's the story?
- <p>For a brief moment, after a win last Friday, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> were closer to the Brewers than they had been since the end of May, shrinking the gap between them and their division-leading rivals to 4 1/2 games.</p><p>Though only slightly, the gap is larger now.</p><p>Another year, another seemingly relentless grip on the NL Central by the team from north of the border.</p><p>For the last couple months, the Cubs have been as good as they come, with a 35-16 record since June 11 that’s tops in the National League and ranks second in baseball. Yet they’ve only chipped into the gap in the standings, with the Brewers entering Monday at 33-19 in the same span.</p><p>There’s a lot of baseball left before playoff seeds lock in.
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- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
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Still chasing Brewers, Cubs driven to go deeper than last year’s playoff exit: ‘It’s on your mind every day’
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times