The Chicago Cubs dropped all three of their games against the Milwaukee Brewers, and in addition to that, they're now on a four-game losing streak. It was effectively the last chance the Cubs had to make the division battle interesting, but now at ten games behind with only 15 games left in the regular season, barring anything catastrophic from happening, the battle has been lost.
It's never an easy thing, but that's how baseball lives and breathes. The Brewers have held the top spot in the entire MLB for much of the latter half of the season, and they've not been topped from their perch in the NL Central since the Cubs lost it back in May.
The Cubs must quickly refocus on a tightening Wild Card race
Now, the Cubs must prepare for the advantages and disadvantages of the Wild Card. At present, the Philadelphia Phillies hold a one game advantage over the Cubs, while the San Diego Padres sit 2.5 games behind that. If the season ended now, those would be the wild card teams, with the Cubs taking the 5th spot.
It's important to note that the race isn't over. The Arizona Diamondbacks are only a half of a game behind the Padres, making the seat highly contested. Given that there's only a little over two weeks left in the regular season, it's entirely possible that one or more of those teams could swap.
The Pirates are on the bubble of the Wild Card race, sitting only 4.5 games behind. With the Cubs on a losing streak, and a three game home stand against one of the teams that could potentially threaten their Post-Season aspirations, it's paramount that the Cubs win now.
Beyond the Pirates series, the Cubs remain at home for another three game series against the Atlanta Braves, before going on the road for a three game series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds sit nine games out of the Wild Card standings, but theoretically, it's possible for them to meet the bar. A lot of things would need to go right for the Reds, and simultaneously wrong for everyone else, but it could happen.
The division may have escaped them, but the Cubs still control whether this season produces another opportunity in October. If they cannot recover against Pittsburgh, their comfortable postseason position could disappear quickly.
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