After 81 games, the Cubs are leading their division and fueling hopes for October baseball at Wrigley Field. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the major surprises, developments and disappointments in the first half, from Kyle Tucker’s huge impact to Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakthrough to the setbacks that rearranged the pitching staff. Now what? Keep listening for the coming attractions and what to anticipate ahead of the trade deadline.

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