Village optimist checking in here (it's been a few days), but I keep going back to a version of this, which isn't the Cubs actually playing better but the Brewers just being a normal level of hot and not this historic run. Instead of 27-8, let's just say they've gone 22-13. We'd be a game and a half back from the Brewers with those five games still coming, ahead of the Dodgers and Padres, down a couple games to Philly, still comfortably up on the Mets. And then it's like....all those last facts are still true.
Granted, obviously that's not reality, and also granted I think we were all expecting a better roster post trade deadline than we currently have. But the Brewers didn't really improve themselves either, especially if you, like me, believe that the Andrew Vaughn Summer was a mirage. It might be too late to catch them, but I don't see why we should be taking ourselves out of playoff consideration at this point.
(Though, yes, things are very annoying and bad right now, will not argue against that)