The Cubs (32-23) are red-hot right now, having gone 9-1 in their last 10 to move 1.5 games into first in the NL Central. The pitching staff held an explosive Padres offense to just five runs in a three-game sweep. Things don’t get easier for Chicago with a week-long trip to the West Coast starting Thursday with four in San Francisco.
The Giants (34-21) are massively over-performing their meager preseason expectations as an unheralded starting pitching staff led by Kevin Gausman has posted the third-best ERA (3.04) in baseball. The bullpen has not been as good and closer Jake McGee has struggled at times, so they’re kind of like the Bizzaro Cubs.