​CINCINNATI — Alex Bregman characterized the Chicago Cubs’ first half of the season as a mix of “some high highs and some low lows,” which seems about right. The chapter was defined by two distinct stretches of dominance—two 10-game win streaks that lit up the standings—and by standout individual performances, including Pete Crow-Armstrong’s MVP-like run, Ben Brown’s emergence as a trusted frontline starter, and the team’s continued defensive prowess under manager Craig Counsell. There were moments of fireworks too: ten walk-off wins, a 23-run outburst highlighted by eight home runs, and a PCA cycle that will live in Cubs lore. Yet the highs coexisted with lows: the gut-wrenching loss of Cade Horton, a relentless wave of pitching injuries, a 10-game skid, Dansby Swanson’s protracted offensive slump, and an early power outage from Bregman, the club’s marquee free-agent addition. Even a brief, odd cameo from a well-fed rat at Wrigley Field in April—prompting a team spokesman to reassure fans that the Cubs “take the health and safety of our guests seriously”—couldn’t eclipse the ongoing questions about Cubs fans’ mental state as the team swung from dazzling excellence to rough downturns and back toward competence.
The Cubs closed the first half Sunday with a home win over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, finishing strong with an 8-4 victory that amplified the momentum. Bregman’s three-run homer in the seventh—his second in as many games—contributed to a four-run inning that sealed the win. He totaled four RBIs on the day as Chicago moved to 54-42 on the season and 20-8 since June 11, the best record in baseball over that stretch. Afterward, all eyes turned toward the second half as the resounding crescendo of the first half settled into a brief intermission, with most players—save for Crow-Armstrong—heading off to recharge and decompress.
Barring an abrupt reversal in form, the second half figures to be even more chaotic for Cubs fans. With the MLB draft behind them on Sunday, attention quickly shifts to the August 3 trade deadline, where the focus is almost certain to center on upgrades to the pitching staff. Speculation swirls about whether the Cubs will pursue as many as three pitchers—a combination of a starter and two relievers—though the specifics remain uncertain.
“I don’t have a good answer for that,” Counsell said before Sunday’s game. “But there’s opportunity there, and certainly with our injuries we could use pitching.” Counsell later returned to his Wisconsin home to unwind, joking that he might have the All-Star Game on in the background, though he would welcome some non-baseball activities to fill the days.
Here are a few items to consider as the All-Star break arrives: Jameson Taillon is slated to return next week after a rehab outing Saturday for Triple-A Iowa, allowing one hit over 4 2/3 innings, and Brown will begin a throwing program a week after the break, with the plan for him to return as an “out-getter.” Exactly how the Cubs will deploy Brown upon his return from the neck injury remains to be seen. As of Sunday, the club also entered the pause with an eye toward stronger SEO and broader visibility, with a focus on the next phase of the season.