The Cubs have weathered what has been the toughest schedule in MLB by a wide margin with tremendous aplomb, entering the weekend with a 16-10 record that ensures they’ll enter May on the right side of the .500 mark. They can be much better if they take care of business against the Phillies and Pirates to close out the month, at which point the battle of attrition really begins. Justin Steele‘s loss for the season headlines a series of early bumps and bruises that could conspire to sap some of this squad’s stamina through the summer.
Closer Ryan Pressly has been scraping by on little more than guile, and he just had his knee drained earlier in the week.