With Chicago’s playoff odds holding steady, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back for a rundown on some of the club’s most important players. How the Cubs handle Kyle Tucker’s latest injury issue will be interesting. The hope is that Pete Crow-Armstrong will benefit from the kind of reset that Tucker took recently. And what has been the reaction within the clubhouse to the very conservative approach to Cade Horton’s workload? 

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With the wild-card odds overwhelmingly in their favor, the Cubs can use this final month of the season to their advantage. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney start with Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has cooled off considerably after an MVP-level stretch that carried the team. What does Kevin Alcántara’s promotion from Triple-A Iowa mean for Crow-Armstrong? Plus, a full analysis of Chicago’s recent additions for the stretch run, including an explanation of the move for Carlos Santana, the impact on Justin Turner, and why it is not too soon to start thinking about the playoff rotation.

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You have questions, we have answers. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back with another edition of their mailbag, which not surprisingly revolves around Craig Counsell’s decisions at a time when the offense is struggling. The Athletic writers explain what the Cubs manager is thinking and what they’re observing in the clubhouse. In addition to context on Matt Shaw’s development and Seiya Suzuki’s struggles, there are insights into the club’s pitching plans as October begins to come into focus.   

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With a West Coast trip in full swing, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney get together to bring you the latest on the Cubs. There are updates on Jameson Taillon and the club’s pitching plans for October, vibe checks in San Francisco, and first impressions of the 2026 schedule that just got released. Inspired by pitching Tommy Hottovy – who recently put Kyle Hendrick on his “Mount Rushmore of Cubs pitchers” – The Athletic writers offer their ideas.

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After a mental reset/three-game benching, Kyle Tucker again looked like the difference-maker the Cubs will need to go on a long playoff run. How did it get to this point? And what were the reactions in the clubhouse and the dugout? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney compare notes and share reporting from Angel Stadium after a three-game sweep that put a little heat on the Brewers in the division race.

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In a recent TV appearance, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred fueled talk about expansion and reconfigured divisions. How would that impact the Cubs? Even if these concepts are off in the distance, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney have some ideas. The Athletic’s Cubs beat writers also get into the state of the pitching staff and the idea that maybe it’s time to just focus on the wild card.

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Recognizing that a moment had slipped away, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was not overly enthusiastic after his club won a five-game series against the division leader. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze where things stand after the Cubs did not gain a lot of ground on Milwaukee. Plus more on the Kyle Tucker situation and the organization’s deliberate development plan for Owen Caissie.

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What once would have seemed unthinkable suddenly became inevitable. With Kyle Tucker going through the worst offensive stretch of his career – and the Wrigley Field crowds turning on him – Cubs manager Craig Counsell decided to give him a break during a huge series against the first-place Brewers. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze what led to this point and how the Cubs could get out of it. Plus more news and notes from the Friendly Confines.

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The fallout from an underwhelming trade deadline continues. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back to take more questions from listeners, beginning with Carter Hawkins’ recent comments to ESPN. What did the Cubs general manager mean by the 2032 quote that has gone viral? Plus, much more on what makes the Brewers so good, and so frustrating for Cubs personnel and Cubs fans.  

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At this point, it’s not an overreaction. The Cubs are playing an uninspired brand of baseball while continuing to lose ground in the National League Central. It’s time to sound the alarm bells. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain the current mood within the clubhouse as well as the larger organizational forces that have created this environment. While the Cubs still have time to turn things around, any changes have to happen fast.

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