Good morning, Bleacher Nation.
After a 3-1 loss to the Dodgers last night, the Brewers NL Central lead is back to just three games. I think the majority of us weren’t counting on a serious race for the division a month or more ago, but what a welcome thing to have happening here in the dog days of August. Sure, maintaining a lead in the Wild Card standings would’ve still kept my fanatical attention, but adding the juice of a division race on top of an awesome trade deadline has made this August’s baseball about as enjoyable as any I can remember.
It’s also been interesting, and fun, to have conversations and thoughts about the day-to-day of this Cubs team colliding with the inevitable conversations and thoughts about next year’s Cubs team as the regular season winds down. Unfortunately, we’re too used to the latter, so having both is as good as it gets as a baseball fan.
Speaking of the here and now, and next year(s), the 1-2 punch in the Cubs’ lineup of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki is garnering attention across the sport as one of the game’s most formidable 1-2’s. The numbers certainly back it up as PCA and Seiya are the only two outfielders in MLB to have a .270 or better average, 70 or more RBI, and OPS’ greater than .830. Not to mention, along with PCA’s best-in-baseball defense in centerfield, Seiya has had a really good season defensively with an FRV of 7 and 4 OAA. Thinking about these two looking ahead begins with Seiya being a free agent after this season at 32 years old. After signing Alex Bregman this past offseason at 32 years old, I think it’d be foolish to think Jed Hoyer won’t be interested in an extension with Seiya (especially with Ian Happ, your other starting corner outfielder, also set to be a free agent). I don’t think Jed will want to offer more than four years, for what it’s worth, but I’d be surprised if Seiya’s market got to a place that’d make Hoyer uncomfortable. Perhaps I’m in the minority here, but I want Seiya in a Cubs uniform beyond 2026, and would like the t-shirt to remain relevant. What a Wrigley Field debut for Clay Holmes yesterday! The former Met became just the seventh Cubs starter in franchise history to go six or more innings, allow 1 or fewer hits, and no runs in his home debut. The sinker was sinking, and the Cubs defense did just what you would expect it to with those groundballs. Holmes’ style, strengths, and skills are tailor-made for this Cubs team, and along with his enthusiasm for being a Cub and pitching at Wrigley Field, his veteran poise has also caught my attention, especially in this article from Patrick Mooney yesterday. “I probably wasn’t as bad as my stat line last time, and I probably wasn’t as good as my one this time. It’s just one of those things where you have to keep finding ways to get better. In between starts, there were some simple things that we worked on (and) tried to nail.”“That’s what you imagine … what you hope for when you put on a Cubs jersey … It’s special. It’s iconic. To do it with this team and these guys that have been just so great at welcoming me in was a lot of fun.” Clay Holmes after making his Wrigley Field debut ? pic.twitter.com/btOHr3seov
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 14, 2026 Does that not look and sound like a guy who wouldn’t be interested in an extension with the Cubs? ICYMI: The Mooney article I linked to earlier also has an update on Ben Brown, who says he’s “probably three weeks, four weeks away, if all goes well.”This is why the Cubs traded for Clay Holmes, plus updates on Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown ahead of the stretch run t.co/33ZzC3b5op
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) August 14, 2026 Down on the farm, 2025 first-round draft pick Ethan Conrad has been on a heater most of August, slashing .400/.415/.725 since the 4th with two home runs, seven extra-base hits, and 13 RBI. And that was prior to last night’s game where he went 1-for-2 with three walks.Aye! Aye! Conrad! pic.twitter.com/U1VASh1lYt
— Myrtle Beach Pelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) August 13, 2026 With regard to the scoreboard-watching world we find ourselves in, it’s Matthew Boyd (8-1, 3.50) vs. Michael McGreevy (4-9, 3.64) this afternoon at Wrigley Field. The forecast includes thunderstorms and rain, so who knows what that may mean for the wind, or the game itself. Meanwhile, after Cubs-Cardinals, the Brewers and Jacob Misiorowski (11-5, 1.76) take on Justin Wrobleski (11-4, 3.44) in game three of their four-game series at Dodger Stadium on Fox at 6:15. Can’t help but mention that the Bears play their first preseason game today, taking on the Cleveland Browns at Noon at Soldier Field. I don’t expect many Bears starters (namely Caleb Williams) to play, but I find it hard to disagree with that decision (or basically any decision Ben Johnson makes). 5 Bears I’m Excited to Watch in the Preseason OpenerMORE CUBS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter
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