Still hanging on
The Cubs have the final wild card spot. But they're going to have to win to keep it.



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You have to give the Cubs credit. They needed to go at least 4-2 on their final home stand of the season and they did. And they made you watch it with your fingers splayed across your face. They lost two of three to the hapless Pirates, and then swept the much more terrible Rockies.
Wait until you see how all of the single and multiple team wild card tiebreakers play out for them at the end of this newsletter.
With six games to go the Cubs are hanging onto the final wild card spot by a single game over the Marlins, but they are also just a half game behind the D’bags for the second spot.
Their lead over the Reds is more comfortable, and it grew to 2.5 on Saturday when Cincinnati incredibly blew a 9-0 lead in a loss to a Pissburgh team that Cubs’ manager David Ross had just apologized to for saying they weren’t any good. Oh, that Rossy, he’s a motivational genius.
Ross better hope his analysis of other teams is as bad as his own, because the Cubs are likely going to need the Pirates to win a game or two, or three against the Marlins in the final series of the season.
The Cubs schedule this final week is three in Atlanta against the Barves and then three in Milwaukee. Ol’ Rossy put on his big strategic genius hat on and will be pitching Justin Steele on Tuesday (good), Jameson Taillon on Wednesday (oh, god no) and Marcus Stroman on Thursday (well sure, he’s probably good for a couple innings.)
So, where is Kyle Hendricks? His normal turn would be the Taillon start on Wednesday, but it looks like the Cubs will hold him until Friday in Milwaukee.
It makes sense, given that Kyle has held the Brewers to one run over 12 innings in two starts this year (0.75 ERA) with 11 strikeouts.
And, though my math might be fuzzy, in recent years he’s allowed 472 homers to the Barves in his last 17 innings.
Something like that.