Even as They Limp Toward October, Chicago Cubs Have a Threat in Their Step

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Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

There's no better place on planet Earth than Chicago when the city's North Side ball club bops its way into postseason contention. That's where Craig Counsell's highly capable, talent-rich club finds itself right now. The going has been tough, with the team encountering (and eventually prevailing in) myriad battles and setbacks that would leave weaker squads in ruin. Even before the club's star right fielder Kyle Tucker succumbed to his initial injuries back in the middle of summer, adversity had forced them to find alternative paths to what they still hope will be a happy destination.

Along with Tucker, Cubs standouts Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Javier Assad, and the much-improved and valuable Miguel Amaya have gone down for long stretches—to say nothing of Justin Steele, whom they lost for the year when the season was still just getting going. With each blow, the club regrouped. And at each of those points, a glimmer of unexpected brilliance showed the team a way forward. Whether it was a satisfying but brief star turn from Carson Kelly or yet another on-the-fly reconstruction in the bullpen, the Cubs have done what it takes to stand up and keep going. 

An 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates last Wednesday at PNC Park secured a much-anticipated playoff berth. The squad basked in a locker room celebration for the ages, with each player rejoicing, sharing in the culmination of a job well done. For several of the players in that visitor's locker room, it was the first time they had engaged in such a ceremony.

The nature of the major-league season creates an understanding that while every team wants and thirsts for World Series glory, simply making the playoffs is a big deal. As the Cubs have corrected the wrongs of the past few seasons, that undeniable fact has informed the manner in which the club has treated their accomplishments thus far. Everyone in the North Siders' clubhouse recognizes that participation is not the ultimate prize, but you don't have a chance if you don't make it. For much of the 2025 campaign, you've heard me promote the idea of a team with "championship DNA". Why do I keep saying that? Because the Cubs are a team who looked poised to make it this far since way back then. And what that means is that they are more than just a squad that believes in itself; it's a squad that has enough skill for that belief to matter. 

Enjoy this Cubs team. Though they've trudged through agonizing segments of this season, they've inflicted just about as much pain as they've absorbed. While we are yet uncertain as to if and when the club will return to full strength (and more importantly, what some of those players will look like upon return), this is a dangerous, hungry club even in their current form. The playoffs are a simple thing: "survive and advance". Sure, there is cause for concern in terms of what this team might not be capable of, but there's even more cause for hope in terms of what it could be. 

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