The Cubs narrowly avoided embarrassment at the hands of the Reds on Sunday, squeaking by withe the series win. And with it, the All-Star break has arrived. The Cubs are only sending Pete Crow-Armstrong to the mid-season event this year, and for good reason. He alone hasn't had any setbacks this season. For the Cubs, this is not only a momentous achievement, but it's obvious that the baseball gods were looking the other way.
The Cubs have desperately needed a break. A whole week where the players don't have to get out there is something invaluable to a team that's just been barely hanging on. From the exterior, Craig Counsell has put things together nicely, but when you scratch the surface, it's clear that this team could really use the time off.
The Cubs finally get a chance to reset
It's needless to say that the Cubs have seen some injuries this season. There were points during the first half of the season that genuinely thought some sort of cruel joke was being played on me. From Justin Steele facing more setbacks and extending his timeline to Jameson Taillon going to the 15 day IL, it just never seemed to stop. Suddenly Counsell was having to put games together with five or six pitchers because we only have two healthy rotation pitchers.
The break isn't going to cure it all. It's not going to bring Steele back. It's not going to magically heal the entire roster. But it will provide a baseline with which the players can take off from. With more support from more rested pitching, the Cubs could use it as a spark to ignite a second half that's worthy to take the NL Central title away from Milwaukee. The thing is, it requires the Brewers to cool off their streak as well, which is easier said than done.
The Cubs made it to the All-Star break, and at this point, that alone feels like a victory. Now comes the hard part, proving the first half was merely surviving and not the beginning of the end.
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