In a recent TV appearance, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred fueled talk about expansion and reconfigured divisions. How would that impact the Cubs? Even if these concepts are off in the distance, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney have some ideas. The Athletic’s Cubs beat writers also get into the state of the pitching staff and the idea that maybe it’s time to just focus on the wild card.

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Recognizing that a moment had slipped away, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was not overly enthusiastic after his club won a five-game series against the division leader. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze where things stand after the Cubs did not gain a lot of ground on Milwaukee. Plus more on the Kyle Tucker situation and the organization’s deliberate development plan for Owen Caissie.

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What once would have seemed unthinkable suddenly became inevitable. With Kyle Tucker going through the worst offensive stretch of his career – and the Wrigley Field crowds turning on him – Cubs manager Craig Counsell decided to give him a break during a huge series against the first-place Brewers. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze what led to this point and how the Cubs could get out of it. Plus more news and notes from the Friendly Confines.

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The fallout from an underwhelming trade deadline continues. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back to take more questions from listeners, beginning with Carter Hawkins’ recent comments to ESPN. What did the Cubs general manager mean by the 2032 quote that has gone viral? Plus, much more on what makes the Brewers so good, and so frustrating for Cubs personnel and Cubs fans.

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At this point, it’s not an overreaction. The Cubs are playing an uninspired brand of baseball while continuing to lose ground in the National League Central. It’s time to sound the alarm bells. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain the current mood within the clubhouse as well as the larger organizational forces that have created this environment. While the Cubs still have time to turn things around, any changes have to happen fast.

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It’s happening again. That small-market team in Milwaukee has taken control of the National League Central, leaving the Cubs to play catch-up and making their recent performance look even worse. What’s the current mood inside the clubhouse? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney share their insights and explain whether it’s time to panic. Their discussion also involves recent developments with young players such as Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong, as well as how Craig Counsell is handling the situation.

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After another rough showing by the offense Friday night in St. Louis, Sahadev takes your questions about why this group always has extended slumps at the plate, whether the lack of deadline moves impacted this team mentally and more.

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After an MVP-level start carried the Cubs into the summer, and fueled more talk about the huge contract he could command this winter, Kyle Tucker has slumped at an inopportune time. Is this a physical issue, a mechanical flaw or simply just the nature of a long baseball season? Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney pass along what they’re hearing. The Athletic’s Cubs beat writers also discuss the emergence of Cade Horton and the faith the organization showed in the young pitcher at the trade deadline.

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