It’s August 8, and the Cubs have a…[checks notes] 2 1/2 game lead in the division. This is not what we’ve grown accustomed to around these parts after the break the last few years, but a combination of factors–the tatters of the rotation suddenly forgetting how to pitch at times, a feast-or-famine lineup that changes from day to day, injuries, and the Brewers being a godawful menace–are making this race a much tighter one than it has been. And if the season were to end today, the Cubs would be staring down the barrel of a NLCS matchup against either Atlanta or Milwaukee.
Padding the Lead
