There’s nothing like an off-day coming at the end of a stretch that saw the Chicago Cubs win five of six to open a nine-game homestand. Behind another dominant start from Yu Darvish on Wednesday, the Cubs maintained their season-best 2 1/2-game edge over Milwaukee in the division race.
Of course, that six-game stretch was interrupted by the Cubs trading swingman Mike Montgomery to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for veteran backup catcher Martin Maldonado. Long known as one of the better defensive receivers in the game, Maldonado will, for the time being, back up Victor Caratini as Willson Contreras works back from a foot injury.