Three weeks ago today, the Cubs lost the first game of a homestand, 7-5 to the Nationals. They stood 8½ games out of first place in the N.L. Central and were buried behind seven other teams in the wild-card race, tied with the Mets at 43-50. It was beginning to be assumed that the Cubs would be sellers at the trade deadline.
And then they got hot. REALLY hot. They took the next two games from the Nats, lost one to the Cardinals, then won eight in a row and became modest buyers, adding Jeimer Candelario and Jose Cuas.