CHICAGO -- The Cubs headed into the season’s intermission sitting atop the National League Central and sent a trio of players to the All-Star Game to represent what has been one of the best teams in baseball this year. The first few months were not void of obstacles, but Chicago has positioned itself for an exciting stretch run.
“You have to be pleased with how we played the first half,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said recently. “But it’s a looking-back thing, so that doesn’t guarantee you anything moving forward. It shows you you can be a good baseball team. It gives you confidence you can be a good baseball team.
“Now, you have to do it for [the rest of the season]. That’s how the season works. That’s why the regular season in baseball is a great test.”
One second-half goal
The goal has remained the same since the offseason: win the division. That was also the stated goal in each of the past two years, but an 83-win finish in both ‘23 and ‘24 left Chicago in second place and out of the playoffs. The ‘25 team was constructed better from the jump for a run at a postseason berth, and the Cubs headed into the break with 57 wins, sitting in first place in the Central. The North Siders last won the division in ‘20, but have not done so in a full 162-game season since ‘17 (also the year the Cubs last won a playoff game).
Likely Trade Deadline strategy
The Cubs will be buyers at the Trade Deadline. With lefty Justin Steele out for the season and righty Jameson Taillon also shelved at the moment, Chicago’s top priority will be adding to the starting rotation. Landing an impact arm is the goal, but the Cubs could also benefit from added depth as well. Next on the to-do list could be targeting some bullpen help or seeing if there might be an avenue for upgrading the production at third base. Rookie Matt Shaw has been given ample opportunity, but he has struggled to find his footing in the Majors.
Key player
All eyes will be on star outfielder Kyle Tucker down the stretch (and beyond) for the North Siders. The Cubs went all-out to acquire Tucker, sending Isaac Paredes, Cam Smith and Hayden Wesneski to the Astros to secure one year of the All-Star right fielder. Tucker has lived up to the billing, batting .280 with 17 homers, 19 doubles, four triples, 56 RBIs, 22 steals, 68 runs and as many walks (60) as strikeouts (60) in 95 games. It was an October-or-bust decision to trade for Tucker, and the Cubs are in playoff position as hoped. After that, the next task will be to try to entice him to stay in Chicago rather than exit via free agency after one season.
Prospect to watch
Outfielder Owen Caissie -- now Pipeline’s top Cubs prospect after Cade Horton and Shaw graduated from the rankings -- will be worth monitoring in the coming weeks. As the Cubs try to add at the Deadline, they will have to weigh dealing one of the hottest hitters in professional baseball as part of a trade. Caissie, 23, has a .961 OPS in 73 games overall for Triple-A Iowa, but he was scorching going into the break. In his nine games leading up to a Futures Game appearance, the lefty slugger hit .400 with eight homers, 10 RBIs and 10 walks with a 1.676 OPS. He is blocked at the MLB level right now in Chicago, but he could be up in ‘26.
THE ROAD AHEAD
Here’s a glance at the Cubs’ second-half schedule:
Games remaining: 66 (Home, 35; Away, 31)
Remaining strength of schedule: .482, 28th in MLB, 15th in NL, fifth in NL Central.
Key series: The Cubs have a couple of crucial series coming against the Brewers. The rivals will square off in Milwaukee on July 28-30 just ahead of the Deadline, and then again with a five-game series in four days at Wrigley Field on Aug. 18-21.
Other series to circle: Aug. 8-10 (at St. Louis), Aug. 26-28 (at San Francisco), Sept. 1-3 (vs. Atlanta), Sept. 8-10 (at Atlanta), Sept. 18-21 (at Cincinnati), Sept. 23-25 (vs. Mets) and Sept. 26-28 (vs. St. Louis).