David Banks/AP Photos
When the Cubs were rebuilding, the two months after the trade deadline were chock-full of debuts and young players competing to be part of the team’s vision for the future.
When the Cubs were making a push for the playoffs last season, every game had high stakes.
This year, they’re caught in between: not really in the battle for a National League wild-card spot, but close enough that a winning streak could make a couple teams in front of them sweat.