September 2, 2016 Chicago Tribune Suspense-free September still could be month to remember for Cubs By Paul Sullivan It was only two years ago that the Cubs went into September 15 games below .500 and 12 1/2 games out of first place. Manager Rick Renteria assured us his players were "grinding" it out, but with no September call-ups for Kris Bryant or Addison Russell, the Cubs were content with just playing out the string. Now entering a different kind of September, one seldom seen on the North Side, the Cubs are so dominant there's no real suspense left in the regular season. You can watch the game with one eye and check your Facebook feed with the other without missing a beat. Whether the Cubs will grow complacent with a month to go before the Big Boy games is something to monitor, but before Thursday night's affair with the Giants, manager Joe Maddon was not the least bit worried. "There's enough built-in government within the clubhouse that that's not going to occur," Maddon said. "That doesn't even have to come from me. I mean, David Ross is catching tonight. They better be on their toes. John Lackey is pitching on Sunday. They better be on their toes. They will not accept anything less." There certainly are viable concerns, especially with a middle relief corps that has been inconsistent with Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop out. But overall, the Cubs probably could sleepwalk till October and still be ready for the postseason. Let's not forget the Giants went 4-9 in late September of 2014 before winning the final two games to secure the second wild-card spot. Madison Bumgarner proceeded to shut out the Pirates at PNC Park in the wild-card game, the Giants beat the Nationals and Cardinals to advance to the World Series and then edged the Royals in seven games for their third title in five years. So try not to fret if the Cubs don't repeat their 22-6 run from August. Hitting a road bump in September doesn't mean you're doomed to fall apart in the playoffs. Though baseball players always remind us it's a team game, they still have individual goals on their minds, and watching the Cubs try to reach those numbers will be part of the fun this September. "Everyone wants to reach their personal goals," Anthony Rizzo said. "At the end of the day, it's more geared toward where we need to be in October. Not now, but in a couple of weeks." Bryant and Rizzo obviously are trying to put up big numbers in the MVP race, just as Kyle Hendricks would like to win the ERA title and perhaps a Cy Young award, and Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and Jason Hammel each have a shot at winning 20 games or leading the league in victories. "I set goals," Bryant said. "I look at them every day. I think if you kind of write them down you're more likely to achieve them. It's something, I started in college, just seeing my goals in person and striving for them."

The one pursuit of a statistical goal that may be the most interesting to follow is Russell's quest to drive in 100 runs. The All-Star shortstop had 86 going into Thursday, though he has cooled off since the Dodgers series. "It's attainable," Rizzo said. "Five more weeks left? I'm sure he'll say he's focused on each day, yada, yada, yada. Obviously he's getting a lot of opportunities, but he's exceeding those, taking off with (his expectations). It's fun to watch, fun to see him, just his spirit. He's the same guy every day, but to see how he's climbing to that comfort level." Russell, the quiet Beatle compared to Bryant and Rizzo's Lennon-McCartney act, doesn't shy away from the question. There was no yada, yada, yada. He wants to hit the 100-RBI mark — badly. He and Ernie Banks are the only Cubs shortstops ever to exceed 85 RBIs, and Banks had five exceeding 100 as a shortstop with a high of 143. "It seems almost within reaching distance," Russell said. "If I go do that same routine and same regimen, hopefully 100 RBIs will be there at the end of the year. But when all is said and done, that's really not the goal. We all have a pretty similar goal, a bigger goal in mind, and that's what we're all shooting for." No one will mind if they all shoot for the moon. As Frank Sinatra once sang, "It's been a very good year." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs open September with plenty of options for their playoff roster By Mark Gonzales The fact the Cubs are on pace to win 104 games and have the luxury of a double-digit lead in the National League Central wasn't lost on Giants manager Bruce Bochy. "They have to be the favorites," Bochy said of the Cubs' postseason chances before his club opened a four-game series at Wrigley Field. "That's how good they are." But September presents the Cubs with plenty of questions to be answered before they open the playoffs — likely against the wild-card winner. With closer Aroldis Chapman unavailable and left-hander Mike Montgomery lasting only four innings, the Cubs responded Thursday night with 15 consecutive outs from relievers Rob Zastryzny, Joe Smith and Carl Edwards Jr. That helped paved the way for Addison Russell's two-run single with two out in the seventh to give the Cubs a 5-4 victory. One of the biggest questions will be how John Lackey fares after returning from a right shoulder strain. Lackey is likely to start Sunday against the Giants but is wise enough not to predict the future. "I've been around too long to be thinking that far out," Lackey said after throwing off the Wrigley mound. "I'm worried about my next start." Montgomery likely will serve as an insurance policy if Lackey has a setback, but the Cubs would like Montgomery to harness his wildness and help give the top five starters extra rest before the playoffs. The Cubs suffered a minor setback when reliever Pedro Strop, who underwent surgery Aug. 12 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, suffered a groin strain while working out Wednesday. He probably won't return until the second-to-last week of the season.

His injury paves the way for a longer look at Justin Grimm, who had a 0.82 ERA in 12 appearances in August, and Edwards, who earned his first career save. "I'm not going to lie — I was nervous," said Edwards, who hasn't allowed a run in 21 of 26 outings. The work of Zastryzny, Smith and Edwards alleviated some of the concern over the workload of Chapman and left-hander Travis Wood, who had pitched in 66 games. "When you're winning often, you're going to use up a lot of good bullpen," Maddon said. Maddon has been forced to use Chapman in the middle of ninth innings because of his teammates' failure to hold comfortable leads. Chapman might not pitch until Saturday after throwing in each of the three victories over the Pirates. Chris Coghlan returned from the disabled list and smacked an RBI double to cap a three-run first off Samardzija. Coghlan could compete with Tommy La Stella and catcher Miguel Montero for a spot on the postseason roster as a left-handed hitter. Maddon recalls the 2005 Angels carrying three catchers on their postseason roster, and the 2002 Diamondbacks started three catchers in the NL Division Series — all losses. "You only have a finite number for the playoffs and you want to take as much of a look as you possibly can (beforehand) to try to make your best guess at that time," Maddon said. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Carl Edwards Jr. takes big leap with 1st save By Mark Gonzales The seeds for Carl Edwards Jr. were planted in early July when he was called upon to face New York Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes and last month with Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols. Edwards, 24, looked ready for his biggest stage Thursday night despite feeling some nerves. With a fatigued bullpen watching, Edwards calmly retired all three batters in the ninth inning to earn his first major league save as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants. “My attitude stayed the same,” said Edwards, who threw a dose of 97 mph fastballs before striking out All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence for the first out. “My main goal was to get first pitch strikes and make the at-bat much easier.” This was another major step for Edwards, 24, who has received tender loving care from Maddon, who has avoided using him on consecutive nights since late June. But with closer Aroldis Chapman getting a rest and relievers Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop still on the sidelines, Edwards will get more chances. “I loved his focus,” Maddon said. “The head down, see the target, throw baseball. I thought that was great, and the command of his curve set everything up beyond his velocity.” Edwards’ performance capped a night in which the Cubs received 15 consecutive outs from a trio of rookie Rob Zastryzny, Joe Smith (making his first appearance since coming off the 15-day disabled list) and Edwards. “As they have those kind of moments, they’ll grow from it and make us thicker down the stretch and allow us to spread the work,” Maddon said. --

Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon believes it was just a matter of timing for Jason Heyward By Mark Gonzales Sooner or later Jason Heyward's production was about to arrive on time. "What does that mean?" Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of his right fielder's recent surge after a miserable 4 1/2 months. Then he provided the answer. "He's getting started soon enough and he's getting his foot down early enough," Maddon said. "That means the bat head is out front more consistently and he's on time." Heyward hit .333 in his last nine games entering Thursday night's 5-4 victory over the Giants after batting .225 before that and prompting Maddon to give him a four-day break. Heyward had an RBI single in the first inning and has raised his overall average to .235 Maddon said the left-handed-hitting Heyward struggled with a timing mechanism with his right foot that caused him to be late or miss several pitches. "If your foot is not down and the ball is still in the air, you're in trouble," Maddon said. "You can never be too early, but you can be too late as a hitter. If you're too late, playing catch-up is rarely going to (result in) a well-struck ball that's going to carry. "You have to be on time to have the ball carry properly. He's on time right now." Maddon added that Heyward is starting to look like he did last season with the Cardinals when he batted .293. Soler steps: Left fielder Jorge Soler has shown significant improvement in his first season in left field, but Maddon seems reluctant to leave him in for an entire game. Maddon acknowledged Soler has improved under the supervision of coach Dave Martinez, but Maddon doesn't want to lose a lead or a game with a better defender on the bench. "I've gotten better and more comfortable in left field," said Soler, who made a running catch to rob Josh Bell of the Pirates of an extra-base hit Wednesday. "It's a big difference from right to left field in terms of the wind here." Extra innings: Reliever Hector Rondon is scheduled to pitch Saturday and Monday for Triple-A Iowa on a minor-league rehab assignment. … The Cubs purchased the contract of reliever Jake Buchanan from Iowa. Buchanan, 26, was 1-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 22 appearances for the Astros in 2014-15. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs reliever Pedro Strop suffers setback during workout By Mark Gonzales Reliever Pedro Strop will rejoin the Cubs later than hoped after suffering a right groin injury Wednesday. Strop, recovering from a left knee injury, suffered a slight right groin strain while working out. The prognosis is that Strop will now return closer to the six-week period after progressing closer to the four-week mark. Strop tore the meniscus in his left knee on Aug. 10.

-- Chicago Tribune Cubs' August ranks as one of franchise's best months By Mark Gonzales It wouldn't be surprising if Kris Bryant and Kyle Hendricks win monthly honors after each playing instrumental roles in the Chicago Cubs' 22-6 record during the month of August. The 22 wins were the most in a month by the Cubs since they went 22-10 in September of 1945 - the last season they went to the World Series. The Cubs averaged 5.1 runs a game in August, and the Cubs' starting pitchers posted a 2.16 ERA. Here's a look at some of the individual statistics during August: Kris Bryant: .383, 10 HRs, 22 RBIs, 1,220 OPS Anthony Rizzo: .324, 2 HRs, 14 RBIs Jorge Soler: .306, 5 HRs, 14 RBIs, .371 OBP Willson Contreras: .288, 4 HRs, 12 RBIs Ben Zobrist: .270, 13 RBIs, 14 BB, .360 OBP Dexter Fowler: .263, 27 strikeouts, 1 SB Jason Heyward: .250, 1 HR, 6 RBIs Addison Russell: .250, 7 HRs, 23 RBIs, 22 strikeouts Javier Baez: .220, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs, 24 strikeouts Pitchers Kyle Hendricks: 4-0, 1.28 ERA, .179 opponents' batting average Justin Grimm: 0.82 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 11 innings, 0.73 WHIP Aroldis Chapman: 1.38 ERA, 11 saves in 12 chances, 22 strikeouts John Lackey: 1-0, 1.66, .184 opponents' batting average Jon Lester: 3-0, 1.71, 35 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings Trevor Cahill: 2-1, 1.93, no HRs allowed in 14 innings Mike Montgomery: 1-0, 2.51, .192 opponents' batting average Jason Hammel: 4-2, 2.84 Jake Arrieta: 4-0, 3.21, 16 walks in 33 2/3 innings Carl Edwards Jr.: 6.00 ERA, 13 strikeouts in nine innings

Travis Wood: 6.10 ERA, 16 hits allowed in 10 1/3 innings -- Chicago Sun-Times Complacency? MLB-best Cubs plan to ‘step up’ in September By Gordon Wittenmyer Somebody asked Cubs manager Joe Maddon Thursday about guarding against the risk of complacency this final month of the season with the biggest Sept. 1 division lead by anybody in baseball in eight years, the best record in baseball by a week of games, and a record sitting at more games over .500 than any Cubs team since World War II. Complacency? What does it matter? With all due respect to John Lackey and Jon Lester, not even that beer-and-chicken crew from Boston in 2011 could blow a lead this big. These guys even took batting practice before Thursday’s series opener against the Giants. Batting practice. Anybody around here remember what that is? And then the boys allegedly at risk of complacency batted around against ex-teammate Jeff Samardzija in the first inning, got 15 consecutive outs from a short-handed bullpen to finish the game and beat a Giants team they might have to face in October 5-4 to open the new month. “It’s September baseball now, and we have to step up our game a little bit,” said shortstop Addison Russell, whose two-out single in the seventh with the bases loaded drove in the tying and go-ahead runs – his 87th and 88th RBIs of the year. “I’m not trying to put pressure on anyone,” Russell said, “but we definitely need to keep it going. We don’t need to do anything different. We just need to go about our business the same way. “But everyone knows this is September baseball, and we have to buckle down a little bit.” So much for complacency. The Giants certainly seem in no danger of complacency, as they cling to a 1½-game lead over the Cardinals for the top wild-card spot in the league, with the Mets, Pirates and Marlins all lurking within striking distance. They fell to 2 games behind the idle Dodgers in the NL West race. They also remember coming to Wrigley Field for a late-season four-game series last year – with a half-game lead over the Cubs for the final NL playoff spot – then getting swept and never sniffing playoff position the rest of the season. “At that point in time it’s not like it was the worst thing in the world,” Giants first baseman Brandon Belt said of the feeling as they left town after that series. But it definitely is a point of reference as the winners of three of the last six World Series open their September stretch drive against the favorites to win it this year. “Right now every series seems pretty pivotal,” Belt said. “It could be season-changing for us in the sense that if you go in and beat a good team like that, then you have a lot more confidence coming out of that series than you did going in. Stuff like that can change a season in a heartbeat.”

Maybe that’s part of what was at play when the Giants jumped on auditioning starter Montgomery for a leadoff double by Denard Span and two-out, two-run homer by Hunter Pence in the first. But then leadoff man Dexter Fowler fought back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk on Samardzija’s 13th pitch of the game – and by the time the inning was over, the Cubs had three runs and Samardzija had thrown 47 pitches. By the fifth, both bullpens were in the game. “When your leadoff hitter is doing that, obviously everybody else sees that,” Maddon said. “So he sets the tone for the whole thing.” The Giants had a 4-3 lead as the pens took over. But Rob Zastryzny pitched another scoreless two innings – six up, six down. Just-activated Joe Smith followed with the same. And rookie Carl Edwards Jr., who got caught off guard by closer Aroldis Chapman’s mandated day off, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth – starting with a strikeout of Pence – to earn his first career save. “I’m not going to lie,” Edwards said. “I was nervous. My main goal was to get first-pitch strikes.” Leverage situations are nothing new for Edwards, who has impressed with increasing responsibility as the season has progressed – including a one-out, bases-loaded, ninth-inning jam Sunday in Los Angeles facing the heart of the Dodgers order. He got a strikeout and what should have been a game-ending grounder if not for a gaffe in the field behind him, then struck out the final batter. “For me it’s not pressure,” he said. “It’s more like just having confidence in myself, because I know what I can do. And just by Joe having that confidence in my, it makes playing this game a little bit easier.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs enter September with historically large division lead By Steve Greenberg Less than three weeks ago, the Cubs lost back-to-back games to the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Maybe “blew” is a more fitting word than “lost.” The Cubs led late in both games before kind of falling apart. After that series, some voices could be heard suggesting the Cardinals had — no kidding — taught the Cubs a lesson about toughness. It was a comical way to look at a Cardinals team that happens to be seven games under .500 on its own home turf, and a nonsensical way to look at a Cubs team that has been the best in baseball at nearly all points of the season. Never more so than in August, when the Cubs were 22-6 — their most victories in any month since 1945 — taking what already was a promising situation and cranking the championship expectations up to 10. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. “They’re as good as advertised,” said ESPN analyst and former Cubs star pitcher Rick Sutcliffe. “I’m sure those guys welcome whatever pressure might be on them right now.” The Cubs closed August with a 15-game lead over second-place St. Louis in the N.L. Central — the largest end-of-August division lead for any big-league team since the 2008 Angels enjoyed a staggering 17-game advantage in the A.L. West.

The last time an N.L. Central team began September with a larger lead was in 2004, when the Cardinals led the Cubs by 15½ games. Another way to look at it: Out of 78 end-of-August division leaders over the last 13 seasons, only two had bigger cushions than these Cubs. In that same 13-year span, only two teams — the 2011 Phillies (86-48) and 2015 Cardinals (85-46) — entered September with better records than the Cubs, who are 85-47. Caution: None of those four superb teams mentioned above made reached the mountaintop. The ’04 Cardinals were swept by Boston in the World Series. The ’08 Angels and ’11 Phillies were eliminated in the divisional round. And we all know how it ended for St. Louis last year. MORE CUBS HISTORY Of the 17 Cubs playoff teams in baseball’s so-called modern era (because what says “modern” like the 19-aughts?), four had better end-of-August winning percentages than this year’s .645 mark. The Cubs were 80-37 (.684) in 1910, 82-44 (.651) in 1918 and 83-41 (.669) in 1929, though none of those teams managed to win the World Series. The 1907 Cubs were a crazy-good 89-32 (.736) on their way to a championship, but you knew that already. THREE UP/DOWN Up: If Kris Bryant didn’t clinch the N.L. MVP award in August, he surely positioned himself squarely at the front of the line. In all for the month, Bryant batted .383 (41-for-107) with 10 home runs, 22 RBI and a sweet-fancy-Moses OPS of 1.220. Up: The Cubs have won 11 series, lost three and tied one since the All-Star break. Seven of those 15 series have ended in Cubs sweeps. The team’s series record at Wrigley Field since the break — 8-0-1 — is kind of good. Down-ish: When a team is playing .700 baseball in its division, there really isn’t going to be much drama. Yet it’s worth noting that the Cubs are a far more modest 19-14 (.576) against the N.L. East and entered the Giants series at only 16-13 (.551) against the N.L. West. Who says October is going to be easy? 1 THROUGH 9 1. Cubs: Time to strap in for the regular season’s home stretch. Stay away from injuries (did we say that word out loud?) and everything should be A-OK. 2. Rangers: They’re 45-21 at Globe Life Park, baseball’s best home team after the Cubs. File that away in case the teams, you know, meet down the line. 3. Nationals: All news on star pitcher Stephen Strasburg — on the 15-day D.L. with elbow soreness — is very encouraging. 4. Blue Jays: A series win in Baltimore was a heck of a way to start a nine-game road trip. Josh Donaldson for MVP again? 5. Dodgers: All signs point to a healthy September return for ace Clayton Kershaw — great for this team and just plain good for baseball. 6. Indians: Mike Napoli (29 home runs) hasn’t hit a bomb in three weeks. Will the big fella heat back up?

7. Red Sox: Dustin Pedroia is batting a mere .680 (17-for-25) over his last six games. That’ll work. 8. Tigers: Every time you think they’re out of the playoff mix, they fight their way back into it. Cleveland isn’t out of the woods yet. 9. Mets: And the hottest team in the National League is … yep. Cubs fans probably don’t want to hear about it. -- Chicago Sun-Times Could Contreras be the Cubs’ Posey in rare World Series role? By Gordon Wittenmyer Looking back on that fall of 2010 when he didn’t know any better, Buster Posey thinks the tight division race and final-day clinch helped him navigate October. “It was nice to kind of have those playoff games before the playoff games even started,” the Giants’ All-Star catcher said. That’s one edge Willson Contreras isn’t likely to get as his Cubs opened September with a 15-game lead in the division – the largest for a big-league team heading into September since the 2008 Angels. But it shouldn’t prevent the Cubs’ rookie catcher from being a favorite to do what only Posey has done in the last five decades: reach the World Series as his team’s starting catcher, as a rookie. It’s one of the rarest achievements in playoff baseball, with contending teams more often importing veteran catchers to handle their pitching staffs in the heat of elimination baseball. Just ask Pudge Rodriguez, who was acquired by the Marlins ahead of their 2003 championship and the Tigers ahead of their 2006 run to the Series. Posey was the first rookie catcher to go to a World Series as his team’s starting catcher since Andy Ectchebarren for the 1966 champion Orioles. In fact, only two other rookie catchers have started even one World Series game in more than 30 years: the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina in Game 4 of Boston’s sweep of his team, and Rod Barajas in Arizona’s Game 5 loss to the Yankees. “That’s amazing,” Contreras said. “I would like to be one of those guys, too.” His progress since his big-league debut June 17 has put him in position to do that. Already the Cubs’ strongest-throwing catcher the day he arrived, Contreras quickly proved to be their best-hitting catcher, too. But the biggest – even remarkable – improvement since then has been how quickly he has become a competent big-league receiver and game-caller with a veteran pitching staff. “He got thrown into a tough spot for sure, with some veteran guys in a playoff race, and he’s handled it well,” said the sometimes intimidating, cantankerous veteran, John Lackey. “The talent is all there. That’s the last step, and sometimes that takes a while, and he’s coming along really fast right now, and it’s been good for us.” Kyle Hendricks, the major league’s ERA leader, said after his first start with Contreras that he spent the early part of the game shaking him off so much that he began to just stare in until he liked the sign he saw and then nodded. After their last start together, last week on the road, Hendricks said he didn’t shake him off at all. “We’ve been rolling fort the last five or six starts at least,” Hendricks said. “It’s been easy.”

Once the playoffs start, David Ross is a lock to catch Jon Lester’s starts. But Contreras is in play to make any or all of the other starts, depending how the final month of the season plays out and what lefty hitting Miguel Montero’s matchup status is. That’s why manager Joe Maddon has had Contereras catch every pitcher, including Jake Arrieta, multiple times in recent weeks. “Holding the edges on Hendricks, being able to handle the really wild movement of Arrieta – he’s done both of those things,” Maddon said. Contreras started more than half (15) of the Cubs’ games in August, and Maddon has suggested keeping him fresh into October is the biggest issue left with the rookie. His pitchers have a 4.03 ERA when he catches this year – but 3.52 since the start of August. “Every game that I catch, every pitch, my confidence level has grown a lot,” said Contreras, who’s hitting .270 with nine home runs heading into his next likely catching start, Saturday with Arrieta against possible playoff opponent Madison Bumgarner. “I have confidence in myself,” said Contreras, who says he’s ready for the “do-or-die” responsibility of the playoffs. “I have an idea what I want to do with my pitchers. I talk to them before the games and we get ready to win every single game.” Posey, who was called up near the end of May in 2010 (after a brief debut the previous September), was starting by June on the way to a Rookie of the Year Award – leading to the trade that summer of veteran catcher Bengie Molina. “From the start when he went behind the plate, he instilled that confidence in us just in how he handled everything,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “And when you’ve got a young catcher, you can’t have a better mentor over there than Ross, who I’m sure has been working with him. “When you have somebody that’s as talented [as Contreras] and can provide the offense like their kid’s doing – like Buster’s doing for us – that’s invaluable,” Bochy said. “As long as they’re doing the job behind the plate it’s a scarce commodity.” Posey’s lasting memory of that first playoff run was how “the games are more taxing on you mentally, more than anything,” he said. “I just remember feeling tired – a good tired, but tired.” His advice for Contreras? “I can’t give him any advice,” Posey said. “I’m hoping we might see them in the playoffs.” World Series Starts by Rookie Catchers Last 50 Years Player, team (Year), GS — World Series result Buster Posey, Giants (2010), 5 — Beat Rangers in 5 Yadier Molina, Cardinals (2004), 1 — Lost to Red Sox in 4 Rod Barajas, D-Backs (2001), 1 — Beat Yankees in 7 Tom Nieto, Cardinals (1985), 2 — Lost to Royals in 7 Steve Nicosia, Pirates (1979), 4 — Beat Orioles in 7 Russ Gibson, Red Sox (1967), 1 — Lost to Cardinals in 7 Andy Etchebarren, Orioles (1966), 4 — Beat Dodgers in 4 --

Chicago Sun-Times Cubs notes: Potential bench lefty battle and Strop injury setback By Gordon Wittenmyer Could Tommy La Stella’s return to the Cubs be even more temporary than he thinks? The Cubs certainly believe he’s a key left-handed bat off the bench as they eye the postseason; it’s hard to imagine tolerating the long boycott of his minor-league assignment and controversy that followed otherwise. But, as manager Joe Maddon said Thursday, “You only have a finite number [of spots] in a playoff situation.” And just-activated outfielder Chris Coghlan – who doubled home a run in his first at-bat from the disabled list Thursday – is another potentially significant lefty bat off the bench. “And you want to take as much of a look as you possibly can and just try to make your best guess at that time,” Maddon said. Both were on the Cubs’ playoff roster in 2015. But the Cubs have not committed to a roster structure that may be influenced by projected matchups as well as bullpen and defensive needs. “Tommy was doing extremely well before we had sent him out,” Maddon said. “Chris came back to us [in a trade], struggled a little bit, and now I’m hearing he’s really recaptured what he looked like last year.” And if it turns out there’s only room for one of those lefty bats by the Cubs’ Oct. 7 playoff opener? “Go for it. Both of them go for it,” Maddon said of the final month of the season. “We’ll see what [they do], to make it a very difficult decision.” Lefty hitting catcher Miguel Montero, who has stirred at and behind the plate recently after season-long struggles, could be in that decision mix, too, Maddon said – though he seems more secure as one of three catchers, including one of only two with more than three months big-league experience. “You just really pay attention this month and see how it plays out,” Maddon said, “and we’ll attempt to make our best choice.” Strop injury setback Setup reliever Pedro Strop, who was ahead of schedule to return from Aug. 12 knee surgery, strained his left groin doing rehab work on Wednesday and has been shut down again. Strop threw a bullpen Monday and appeared to be in line for a return from the DL next week until an MRI revealed the strain. The club anticipates his return will be backed up by at least two more weeks. Lackey, Rondon on tap Veteran starter John Lackey (shoulder) and setup ace Hector Rondon (triceps) both threw bullpen sessions Thursday and, barring setback, could be back in action within the next few days. “I felt fine. I feel like I can pitch in a game,” said Lackey, who is penciled in to start Sunday against the Giants, pending an evaluation Friday morning. Rondon next joins Class AAA Iowa for a quick rehab assignment, scheduled to pitch Saturday and, likely, in Iowa’s season finale Monday before a possible return to the Cub bullpen for the end of next week’s series in Milwaukee. September additions

As rosters expanded Thursday for the final month of the season, the Cubs activated right-handed reliever Joe Smith (hamstring) and outfielder Chris Coghlan (ribs) from the DL. Coghlan started in left field and doubled home a run in his first at-bat. They also selected right-hander Jake Buchanan from AAA Iowa, filling their final 40-man roster spot with the AAA starter who becomes a long man in the pen. -- Daily Herald Russell delivers big hit for Chicago Cubs By Bruce Miles San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy knows good when he sees it. He has presided over world-championship teams in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Visiting with Bochy in the dugout before Thursday night's game at Wrigley Field, I asked him if a young and talented Chicago Cubs team could be poised for a similar kind of run. "They have a very nice club," he said. "You look at their record and what they've accomplished this season, they have to be the favorites. That's how good they are." Bochy no doubt is a future Hall of Fame manager, and he has all he can handle trying to get his own ballclub into the playoffs this season. Addison Russell again came through for the Cubs, dunking a 2-run single into left field in the seventh inning to help rally them to a 5-4 victory. The victory was impressive on several fronts. Russell picked up his 87th and 88th RBI. The Cubs also got stellar work from relievers Rob Zastryzny, Joe Smith and Carl Edwards Jr., who combined for 5 perfect innings in relief of starter Mike Montgomery. Edwards earned his first career save working in place of Aroldis Chapman, who was unavailable after working three straight nights. "Wow," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team is 86-47 and whose magic number for clinching the National League Central dropped to 15. "I heard 15 outs in a row. Is that accurate? Well, Rob Z (2 innings) again straightened the whole game out. He was very, very good. "Smitty, coming back (from the disabled list), from the side it was very good. They had some bad swings. And CJ (Edwards). I don't know if you noticed. From the sidelines, I just loved his focus." As for that focus, Edwards said: "I'm not going to lie. I was nervous. But I felt good, pretty much. My main goals was to get first-pitch strikes." The Giants entered the night trailing the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers by 1½ games in the NL West and holding a precarious lead for the top wild-card spot. Maddon entered September with his team leading the Central by 15 games. "It would be nice to have that kind of a lead," Bochy said. "This team (the Cubs) is a very, very good ballclub -- best record in baseball, very balanced. You have to play well to beat them." The Giants scored twice in the first, but Cubs batters forced former teammate Jeff Samardzija to throw 47 pitches as they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the inning.

The Giants scored single runs in the second and third. In the seventh, Russell dropped a bases-loaded single to left off reliever Cory Gearrin. Getting to 100 RBI would be something special for Russell. "It's pretty impressive," he said. "It surprised me, but it's like I said, I wouldn't have 88 if it wasn't for those guys that get on." -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs bullpen main focus now for Maddon By Bruce Miles The bullpen was front and center Thursday as the media met with Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon before the evening's series opener with the San Francisco Giants. There were developments on several fronts: • Former closer Hector Rondon will pitch in minor-league rehab games for Class AAA Iowa on Saturday and Monday. Rondon has been on the disabled list since Aug. 17 with a right-triceps strain. • Setup man Pedro Strop has suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a meniscus tear in his left knee. While working out this week, Strop tweaked his right groin. He went on the DL Aug. 11 and was hoping for a four-week stay. Now, it's looking more like Strop will be out a total of six weeks. That still would give Strop time to work in major-league games before the playoffs start. • With rosters expanding Thursday, the Cubs activated right-handed reliever Joe Smith off the DL and selected the contract of right-hander Jake Buchanan from Iowa. Smith had been out with a left-hamstring strain. The Cubs picked up Buchanan early this season after he was released by Houston. The bullpen has been taxed lately, and Maddon used closer Aroldis Chapman three games in a row, Monday-Wednesday. "We've got two fresh arms," Maddon said. "When you're winning often, you're going to use up a lot of good bullpen. That's what happens. "When you're winning a lot of games, the guys you'd like to have in the game are going to get utilized probably a lot in a lot of close games, and, thus, they get tired. It's just part of the way this thing flows." With Strop and Rondon out, Maddon has used relievers such as Justin Grimm and Carl Edwards Jr. more. Grimm has been good since a brief stint in the minor leagues, and Maddon said he doesn't want to overuse Edwards. "The part that's difficult is to manage a bullpen every day, especially when you're winning," he said. "I shouldn't say that in a negative way. "When you're winning, that's what you've got to be careful of because you're so greedy to win another game sometimes that you can overuse somebody, and you don't want to do that." Lackey getting close:

Starting pitcher John Lackey threw his scheduled bullpen session Thursday from the main mound at Wrigley Field. Lackey has been on the disabled list since Aug. 15 with a right-shoulder strain. He's likely to be activated in time to start Sunday. "It felt fine," he said. "I feel like I can pitch in a game. Obviously, you want to be in there trying to help the guys and pitch well. It's the kind of break I needed to get this shoulder thing fixed. Hopefully in the long run it will be something positive." Not too many more: The Cubs activated outfielder Chris Coghlan off the DL (bruised rib) Thursday and started him in left field. With September here, major-league teams can expand their active rosters from 25. The Cubs likely won't overcrowd things. "Not a lot more," Joe Maddon said. "You could see a couple more." -- Cubs.com Cubs Russell up rally to top Giants in opener By Carrie Muskat and Chris Haft CHICAGO -- Before Thursday's game, Cubs manager Joe Maddon was asked whether he has been more impressed by Addison Russell's offense or his defense this season. Russell answered for his manager with two outs in the seventh inning, smacking a two-run single to lift the Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the Giants and spoil Jeff Samardzija's return to Wrigley Field. "He's growing up as a Major League baseball player," Maddon said of Russell after he delivered his 11th game-winning RBI of the season and 10th at home. "His confidence could not be higher." With the Cubs trailing, 4-3, in the seventh, Dexter Fowler reached on an infield single and Kris Bryant walked to chase Hunter Strickland. Will Smith struck out Anthony Rizzo, but Fowler stole third during Ben Zobrist's at-bat. Zobrist then walked to load the bases, and Smith got Jason Heyward to pop out to second baseman Joe Panik in shallow right. Cory Gearrin took over, and Russell greeted him with his single to left, raising his RBI total to 88. "I embrace those situations," Russell said. "In that situation, I didn't try to do too much. I just wanted to see a pitch and go about my approach the same way." Samardzija was making his first start as a visiting pitcher at Wrigley, which was once his home turf. "It was an exciting atmosphere and it reminded me a lot of my earlier years here, when we were filling it up," said Samardzija, a Cub from 2008-14. "It's still different being on the other side, but it was fun." The Giants' right-hander survived a shaky first inning, throwing 47 pitches and giving up three runs, including one on Bryant's RBI single, which extended the Cub's hitting streak to 14 games. In the next three innings, Samardzija threw 40 pitches combined. Manager Bruce Bochy then called upon his bullpen, and did so often, using four pitchers in the seventh inning alone. Cubs relievers Rob Zastryzny, Joe Smith and Carl Edwards Jr. combined to throw five perfect innings to hold the Giants at bay, the second time the bullpen has done that this year. In the previous eight seasons, the Cubs' 'pen had not totaled five hitless innings. "We just couldn't tack on," Bochy said. "That's the difference. Their 'pen did quite a job on us." This was the first of four games between two teams that could meet again in October. The Cubs began the day with a 15-game lead in the Central Division, their largest on Sept. 1 in 109 years, while the Giants are on top of the

NL Wild Card standings despite going 11-16 in August. San Francisco trails first-place Los Angeles by two games in the NL West. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Keep the line moving: The Cubs made Samardzija work from the start, beginning with a 13-pitch at-bat by leadoff man Fowler that resulted in a walk. Fowler moved up on a wild pitch and then scored on Bryant's soft single to right. The Cubs now have scored in the first in six consecutive home games. They weren't finished either. Heyward tied the game with an RBI single and one out later, Chris Coghlan lined an RBI double down the right-field line for a 3-2 lead. The Cubs have outscored opponents, 93-56, in the first. Fowler's at-bat was key. "When your leadoff hitter does that, it sets the tone," Maddon said. Basic offense: The Giants rediscovered the joys of putting the leadoff batter on base. Each time that happened, they scored. Unfortunately for them, they accomplished this only during the first three innings. Denard Span doubled to open the game and set up Hunter Pence's two-run homer off Cubs starter Mike Montgomery. Joe Panik was grazed by a pitch to start the second inning and came around to score without benefit of a hit. Demonstrating the respect he commands, Buster Posey drew a third-inning walk before tallying the run that gave the Giants a temporary 4-3 edge. Pence rejected the notion that the Giants' aim was to excel down the stretch. "If you only come to play in September and October, you're missing out on a lot of the season," he said. "You have to keep getting up there and having at-bats with intention." Start me up: In his third start for the Cubs, Montgomery gave up four runs -- three earned -- over four innings. The lefty has been subbing for John Lackey, who is expected back in the rotation on Sunday. But Montgomery could start again. The Cubs are considering using a six-man rotation in the final month of the regular season to conserve the starters. Nice recovery: This may sound strange, but Samardzija actually pitched capably after his dreadful first inning. Beginning with his strikeout of Montgomery to end the first, Samardzija retired eight consecutive batters and 10 of the final 12 he faced. Bochy removed him after he yielded three runs and five hits in four innings, marking only the third time this season that he couldn't last at least five innings. Samardzija, who also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, said that he's "always upset" when he can't pitch deep into a game and give the bullpen a break. "It's unfortunate we had to burn through seven guys on your day," he said, including himself in that total. SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Russell now has the most RBIs by a Cubs player in their age-22-or-younger season since Vic Saier drove in 92 runs in 1913 at the age of 22. Russell has 32 RBIs in his last 32 games, and has gone 8-for-18 (.444) with 23 RBIs with the bases loaded this season. WHAT'S NEXT Giants: Rookie right-hander Albert Suarez will begin another audition for a starting role Friday when he confronts the Cubs in an 11:20 a.m. PT encounter. Suarez made seven starts in 17 previous appearances for San Francisco, posting a 1-1 record and a 4.38 ERA.

Cubs: Jon Lester will make his 27th start on Friday in the second game of this four-game series. He finished August 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in five starts. The lefty leads the team in quality starts with 21 in his 26 outings. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT at Wrigley Field. -- Cubs.com Edwards' 1st save caps Cubs' perfect 'pen night By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Carl Edwards Jr. tried to stay calm. It was the ninth inning, 38,000-plus at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs had a one-run lead over the Giants. The rookie right-hander tried to channel his inner Mariano Rivera to help him. "I'm not going to lie, I was nervous," Edwards said. "My main goal was to get first-pitch strikes. I told myself, 'First-pitch strikes,' and it made the at-bats much easier." Edwards struck out Hunter Pence on a 97-mph fastball, and got Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik to ground out to preserve the Cubs' 5-4 victory Thursday night over the Giants, giving Edwards his first big league save. "We just couldn't tack on," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's the difference. Their 'pen did quite a job on us." Three Cubs relievers combined for five perfect innings. Rookie Rob Zastryzny and veteran Joe Smith, who was activated from the disabled list on Thursday, each pitched two innings. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was limited in his bullpen options, and closer Aroldis Chapman was not available after pitching in three straight games. It was up to Edwards. "From the sidelines, I just loved his focus," Maddon said of Edwards. "The head down, then pull up, see the target, throw the baseball. And his command of the curveball set everything up, beyond his velocity." Edwards has learned from watching Chapman, the hard-throwing lefty. "It's funny but when he's warming up, I'm like a little kid in the candy store," Edwards said. "I'm stuck, and I'm just looking at him and watching everything he does. Of course, I'm not going to throw 107 [mph] -- that's a little exaggeration -- but my main thing, once I got to professional baseball, was Mariano, Mariano. I started watching more video of Mariano. It's not trying to be him, but watching his pitch locations, his natural movement, and I put that in my head. "If [pitching in relief] is my role in the Major Leagues, it's something I'll have to get better at," Edwards said. "Just continuing to watch his videos has helped me a lot." Edwards was a starter, but the Cubs shifted him to a relief role after some shoulder issues limited him to 48 innings over 10 starts in 2014. He's been called on in key situations, having to face the Mets' Yoenis Cespedes, the Angels' Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, and the Dodgers' Corey Seager and Justin Turner this season. And Edwards hasn't blinked. Maddon has repeated that he wants to be careful with Edwards, and not use him in back-to-back outings. "I'll let [Maddon] make that decision," Edwards said. What will Edwards remember the most from his first save? "What I'll remember the most is David Ross coming to me and saying, 'Good job, that was very exciting to catch,'" Edwards said of the 39-year-old veteran who is retiring after this season. "For me personally, having him back there for me to have my first save, I was very happy. I told him, too. I told him, 'Dude, I had so much confidence just because you were back there.'" --

Cubs.com Lackey aiming for Sunday return to Cubs By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- On Thursday, the Cubs' John Lackey threw his second bullpen session since going on the disabled list, and he is expected to start on Sunday in the series finale against the Giants. However, reliever Pedro Strop had a setback in his rehab from a torn meniscus in his left knee, and will need the full six weeks to rehab. The Cubs want to see how Lackey feels on Friday, and if all is well, he'll start Sunday. He's been sidelined since Aug. 15 with a right shoulder strain. Strop, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 11, tweaked his right groin on Wednesday and his rehab will be slowed down. When he was initially injured, the prognosis was that it would take the right-hander four to six weeks, and it now looks as if the six-week timeline is more accurate. The Cubs did get good news regarding reliever Hector Rondon, who has been out since Aug. 17 with a right triceps strain. Rondon will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa and was scheduled to pitch Saturday and Monday. • Chris Coghlan (right rib contusion) was activated from the disabled list along with right-handed pitcher Joe Smith (left hamstring strain), and the Cubs also selected the contract of right-hander Jake Buchanan from Iowa. Buchanan, 26, went 12-8 with a 4.34 ERA in 24 appearances (22 starts) with Iowa. He was with the Astros in Spring Training, and released on March 31, then signed a Minor League deal with the Cubs and joined Iowa on April 18. In 22 appearances in the big leagues, Buchanan has a 4.06 ERA, giving up 20 earned runs over 44 1/3 innings. Smith and Buchanan give the Cubs two fresh arms, but Aroldis Chapman pitched in his third straight game on Wednesday, and manager Joe Maddon said he was not going to use the lefty on Thursday, and possibly Friday. So, who's the Cubs closer? "I don't know," Maddon said. "I still have to take a show of hands to find out who's available." • Addison Russell entered Thursday leading all National League shortstops with 86 RBIs this season, and has made several acrobatic plays. Maddon says he's more impressed with Russell's offensive development. "The stuff you're seeing on defense, he's just a great athlete," Maddon said. "All the gymnastics stuff he's able to do, he's a great dancer, he's got good feet, the play he made [Wednesday] night, I think that's always been there. I think the offensive side has really grown the last two years." • Chapman took time on Thursday to visit with patients at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. He brought teddy bears and Cubs caps to distribute to the kids and posed for photos. • In his past 12 games, reliever Justin Grimm has given up one earned run over 11 innings while striking out 17. The right-hander may have gotten a wake-up call when he was optioned to the Minor Leagues in late July. "There was probably that moment when you sit there and you talk to yourself, and it might have helped," Maddon said. "The curveball has been fantastic [since he came back], and that's his pitch, that's his bread and butter. There's more strike throwing. There's a more relaxed demeanor. If he misses a couple times, he doesn't continue to miss." • This is catcher David Ross' last season, and he asked teammate Matt Szczur for an autographed Villanova football jersey for his "man room" at home. Szczur, who played football for the Wildcats, had no problem getting one and autographed it for Ross. "It's cool that he wanted it," Szczur said.

Anthony Rizzo also presented Ross, 39, with some fishing poles to use once his playing days are over. -- Cubs.com Lester to lead Cubs against Suarez, Giants By Chris Haft A potential postseason preview continues Friday afternoon when the Giants and Cubs play the second game of a four-game series at Wrigley Field. The Cubs are comfortably leading the National League Central with the NL's best record, while San Francisco is pursuing the Dodgers in the NL West while maintaining a grip on the top NL Wild Card spot. If it were up to the Giants, Jon Lester would be starting for them, and not the Cubs, on Friday. The Giants seriously courted Lester when he was a free agent following the 2014 season. Their offer was said to be competitive, but he ultimately settled with Chicago on a six-year, $155 million deal. Lester has reminded the Giants why they wanted him. He's 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in four career starts against them. Things to know about this game • Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a first-inning single Thursday. • Albert Suarez, who's scheduled to start Friday for the Giants, excelled in a relief outing against Chicago in an 8-1 Cubs triumph on May 20. Suarez pitched three no-hit innings, walking none. • Giants starting pitchers recorded a 2.87 ERA in the team's previous eight games. -- ESPNChicago.com Can the Cubs answer some October questions in Giants series? By Bradford Doolittle CHICAGO — You don’t have to dig very deep into Chicago Cubs postseason history to find anecdotal evidence that head-to-head results in the regular season are not particularly predictive when October rolls around. You’d do just as well to predict when the ivy on the walls at Wrigley Field will turn yellow, or who will come out with this year’s best pumpkin ale. Last season, the Cubs mashed the New York Mets during the regular season, taking all seven contests between the teams. When the Cubs and Mets ran into each other in the National League Championship Series, no small amount of digital ink was spilled on this fact, and not a little actually liquid ink. But of course it didn’t matter. In a series pitting two teams that had evolved a great deal over the 2015 season, the Mets swept the Cubs and extended the most famous curse in sports for one more season. Chicago and New York didn’t meet after July 2 last season, so maybe the calendar for the Cubs-Giants series gives it a little more resonance. But probably not. No budding Nostradamus has yet cooked up the right recipe for turning regular-season results into a reliable postseason forecast. But as with any matchup between good teams, there are a few things on display for close Cubs observers already prepping for the playoffs, should the Cubs and Giants square off. Here are a couple minor questions Chicago might like to see answered. Sure, it’s digging deep to find reasons for concern about a team 39 games over .500, but you can never be too perfect.

Can Anthony Rizzo get it going against the Giants? Over the last three seasons, has just a .652 OPS against San Francisco (entering Thursday’s game). He’s at just .614 for his career, and 1-for-17 this season. He’s hit .188 in his career against Madison Bumgarner, who starts for the Giants on Saturday, and .091 in his career against Johnny Cueto, who takes the hill on Sunday. Who will be the Cubs’ Bumgarner killer? Bumgarner has had success in his career against Chicago (7-2, 2.19 ERA, 11 starts), but of course much of that was compiled against lesser Cubs teams. However, the current roster is a collective .212 against him with a .564 OPS in 167 plate appearances. We mentioned Rizzo, but righty Cubs sluggers Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Javier Baez are a combined 0-for-15 against the big lefty. Ben Zobrist, on the other hand, is 6-for-9 lifetime against him. It’s a start. Who will be the Cubs’ lefty bat in the late innings? With Jeremy Affeldt gone and Javier Lopez and Josh Osich having a down season, the Giants have struggled to find quality lefties in their bullpen this season, with an OPS-against (.748) that ranks 21st in that area. Will Smith was acquired from Milwaukee to shore up that area but he’s struggled as well. (Though he struck out Rizzo in a big spot on Thursday.) With Bruce Bochy perhaps having to lean on righty firemen more than he’d like, the Cubs’ season-long shortage of lefty bats could leave them at a competitive disadvantage. However, with Tommy La Stella and Chris Coghlan both returned to the active roster this week, this series could be good time to show that’s not a concern. Of course, it may not matter, as Bochy may keep rolling out whatever lefties he has on hand. -- ESPNChicago.com Addison Russell has been clutch by any definition By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- At this point, who cares if there really is a clutch gene or if some guys just have those years when they get their hits in big moments? It doesn’t matter what side of that debate you fall on because there’s no convincing Chicago Cubs fans that 22-year-old shortstop Addison Russell doesn’t have something special going when the game is on the line. His 88 RBIs in his first full season in the big leagues tell you everything you need to know. “The ability to handle the clutch situation and get that big hit when it matters is well beyond his years,” teammate Ben Zobrist said after the Cubs’ 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night. “At home, you might as well walk him with the bases loaded. He’s been that good.” It wasn’t a walk, but a base hit with the bases loaded that brought home the tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh inning, as Russell helped erase a one-run deficit the Cubs had been facing for almost six innings. His 59 runs driven in at home this season are better than every National League player, except Nolan Arenado, who plays in hitter-friendly Coors Field. That includes teammates Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. “It’s pretty impressive, I think,” Russell said. “It surprised me. I wouldn’t have 88 if it wasn’t for those guys getting on.” Getting on is one thing; getting them home is another. Remember, Russell only recently moved up in the lineup, making his RBI total even more impressive. Some other notable marks: • Russell has 37 RBIs since the All-Star break, third most in the NL.

• Russell has 28 RBIs with two outs and men on base this season, just two behind the NL leaders. • Russell is tied for the NL lead at 23 RBIs with the bases loaded this season. Cubs manager Joe Maddon thinks he knows why Russell has taken off. It has to do with confidence. “Making the All-Star Game and being in that group in San Diego has really helped catapult his second half,” Maddon said. Russell concurred. “After the All-Star Game, the body felt great,” he said. “I wanted to prove to myself I [could] finish up strong. I think that I’m on my way to doing that.” If you recall, Russell was slighted by some fans and media members who felt he didn’t belong at the All-Star Game, but he has proven at the plate and in the field that he is one of the best shortstops in the NL. “Addy is younger than everyone else,” Zobrist said in comparing Russell to others he has played with. “The other guys that were that good were college players. [Evan] Longoria or [David] Price. Addy is younger than those guys were.” Russell and Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with Trevor Story of the Rockies, might battle for the title of best shortstop in the NL in the coming years, but right now there’s no denying how important Russell has been at the plate for the Cubs. Jason Heyward has struggled for much of the year, while the team lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the first week of the season. Russell has picked up the slack. “He’s growing up as a major league baseball player,” Maddon said. “His confidence could not be higher.” Russell sounds like he has grown up, as he took a mature approach to his first plate appearance against Giants reliever Cory Gearrin in the key seventh inning. As usual for Russell, things slowed down. “I wanted to see what he had and make my reads on that,” he said. Two pitches later, the Cubs had the lead and Russell was two RBIs closer to reaching 100. “Same Addy,” Zobrist said with a shake of his head. “If you get too heightened, that’s when you make mistakes you would not normally make.” As for the clutch debate, Russell might be the best example of someone who raises his game in the most important moments. Considering he is tied for fifth in the NL in RBIs, despite ranking 67th in batting average, something must be clicking for Russell at the right time. “It’s been fun,” he said. “Hopefully, I can keep it going.” -- ESPNChicago.com What we learned Thursday: Cubs loom large in National League playoff races By Mark Saxon The Chicago Cubs are kingmakers, sitting back on their cushy lead and influencing the rest of the National League playoff picture. They are in a stretch of games that could go a long way to determining their first-round playoff opponent. They rallied to defeat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 Thursday night.

1. Addison Russell is making some huge contributions lately: The Giants seemed to have this one in hand until, with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning, Russell swung at Cory Gearrin’s 92 mph sinker and, while breaking his bat, plopped it into left field to drive in two runs. Russell, who made a brilliant, clutch catch in the Pirates series, is coming into his own as a run-producing shortstop. He has 88 runs driven in. The only other Cubs shortstops to provide that kind of run production were Ernie Banks and Roy Smalley. Not long ago, here’s how Cubs manager Joe Maddon described Russell as a hitter: “He’s strong from the fingertips to the elbows, and that’s what you’re looking for from a really good hitter. It makes a different sound when he hits it. He’s one of those guys.” The win kept the Cubs rolling merrily along with their silly 15 ½-game lead in the NL Central. It did some damage to the Giants, who now trail the Dodgers by two games in the NL West and are just 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals for home field in the wild-card game. Giants manager Bruce Bochy usually doesn’t lose bullpen games. In describing the Giants’ disappointment, broadcaster Duane Kuiper said, “Those are usually their games.” The Giants are 15-28 since the All-Star break. -- ESPNChicago.com Bullpen sparkles in Cubs' comeback win By Bradford Doolittle CHICAGO — The last thing the Chicago Cubs needed Thursday was a short outing from their starter. They got one anyway, but during a season in which most everything has gone right, a tired bullpen delivered a perfect response. Three relievers combined for five perfect innings, capped by the first career save for Carl Edwards Jr., and the Cubs came from behind to knock off the San Francisco Giants 5-4. “I heard 15 outs in a row, is that accurate?” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said as he settled in for his postgame news conference. After a week of heavy usage and a stretch of injuries, the go-to guys in the bullpen were unavailable. Or injured. Bolt-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman had thrown three days in a row, so he wasn’t going for a fourth. Unless you ask Chapman, in which case maybe he could. Or maybe he couldn’t. "Sometimes I feel fine, sometimes I feel tired,” Chapman said before the game. "Sometimes I feel good pitching three in a row. Sometimes I don't." OK then. Well, Maddon declared him out, adding that Chapman may not be available Friday, either. Meanwhile, setup men Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop remain out. And if the game came down to matchups, the Giants somehow crammed 11 relievers into the tiny visitor’s clubhouse at Wrigley Field. You gotta love September. This is why Maddon said before the game that even though he’s overseeing a team with a 15 1/2-game lead in the National League Central, he still shows up at the park every day wondering how he’s going to figure out his bullpen. “The only part that’s difficult every day for me is the bullpen,” Maddon said. “Everything else is exactly the same. Nothing changes.” Maddon’s consternation would not have been eased had he known what he’d get from starter Mike Montgomery. The power lefty has been solid for the Cubs since he was acquired from Seattle in late July. But on Thursday, the kind of command problems that have bedeviled Montgomery through his professional career surfaced.

Montgomery, who might have been making his last start for a while with John Lackey set to return from the disabled list, walked three batters, hit another, uncorked two wild pitches and gave up a booming home run into the wind to Hunter Pence. He departed after four innings and 58 pitches, just 32 for strikes. That left Maddon with a short bullpen and a lot of innings ahead. The Giants were up 4-3 after Montgomery left, so there wasn’t much margin for error, either. No problem. First, rookie Rob Zastryzny put up two perfect innings without allowing a ball out of the infield. “Rob Z. again, he straightened the whole game out,” Maddon said. “He was very, very good.” Next up was veteran Joe Smith, who was activated from the disabled list earlier in the day. Smith had struggled with a 7.36 ERA since being acquired from the Angels at the trade deadline. On Thursday, he looked much more like his 2.51 ERA and 23 saves during the five years prior. He zipped through two innings on three groundouts and three strikeouts, using only 22 pitches, and earned his first win as a Cub. “He was really, from the side, very sharp,” Maddon said. “They had bad swings at him, I thought. Ball was on the ground.” The Cubs grabbed the lead courtesy of Addison Russell’s two-run single in the seventh, so after Smith's outing, that left only the last three outs. Normally, that's Chapman time. But before the game, when asked point blank who his closer was for the night, the always-effusive Maddon was without an answer. “I don’t know,” Maddon said. “Honestly. Looking at their lineup, they’ve got four lefties and a switch-hitter in there. Their bench, they’ve got a lot of things to do on the bench. It’s just going to be mix and match.” Edwards got the call. He struck out Pence to start things off. Maddon could tell he was locked in. “I don’t know if you noticed the look,” Maddon said. “From the sidelines, I just loved his focus. Head down, see target, throw baseball. I thought he was great. And his command of his curveball set everything up.” For his part, though, Edwards said there was some anxiety. “I was nervous,” he said. “But I felt good tonight. My main goal was just to get first-pitch strikes.” After Pence, Edwards got the last two batters on drama-free grounders to give the Cubs the win in the first of a four-game set against a Giants team they could potentially see again in October. The final tally for the bullpen: five perfect innings and five strikeouts. Overall, the Cubs' staff retired the last 19 Giants in order without a single ball hit out of the infield. “I know what I can do,” Edwards said. “For Joe to have that confidence in me, it makes playing this game easier.” How’s that for bullpen answers? As for Edwards, he knows the job as closer is the domain of Chapman, who enters the game to a murmur and thrills the crowd with the anticipation of every radar-gun reading. But now Edwards has one thing in common with Chapman: knowledge of how it feels to nail down a win at Wrigley Field, as a packed house goes nuts and then launches into another rendition of “Go, Cubs, Go.” And how poised is Edwards? Even after his first save, he remembered to tip his cap to veteran catcher David Ross. “What I’ll remember the most is David Ross coming to me saying, ‘Good job, that was very exciting to catch,’” Edwards said. “That’s what sticks out the most. It’s his last year. Me personally, to have him back there for my first save, I was very happy.” --

ESPNChicago.com How they won: Addison Russell breaks through against Giants By ESPN Stats & Information Addison Russell has had at least one hit against every team he faced this season -- except the San Francisco Giants. He ended that skid Thursday with a single that delivered the winning run in the Chicago Cubs' 5-4 win. Russell entered Thursday’s game 0-for-8 against the Giants in 2016 and hitless in his past 16 at-bats against them. His first three plate appearances Thursday produced a strikeout, a groundout and another strikeout. But with the Cubs trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Russell sent a pitch off the inside part of the plate to left field for a two-run single. Russell has a .557 OPS on similar pitches this season -- out of the zone, inside and below the waist. That ranks right about the middle of qualified major league hitters, but it's a big improvement from his mark of .300 in 2015. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs-Giants storylines start with Jeff Samardzija and the player he was traded for By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- When the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants last met in May it was being billed as an National League Championship Series preview. After all, both teams were in first place and backed by big names in their starting rotations. Things have changed since then as the Giants find themselves fighting for a playoff spot while the Cubs are coming off their best August in franchise history at 22-6. If the standings hold as they are right now, this weekend might still be a playoff preview, but only if the Giants advance past the wild-card game to face the Cubs in the divisional round -- not the NLCS. And while these four games might have that playoff feel to them, they simply don’t have as much at stake for the home team. The Cubs enjoy a 15-game lead in the Central with their magic number to clinch dropping on a daily basis. Let’s just say the meaning of the series is a little different for both teams. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some cool storylines, starting with Thursday’s starter for the Giants: former Cub Jeff Samardzija. He had talks concerning re-signing with his former team last offseason before inking a five-year, $90 million deal with the Giants. The trade that sent him to Oakland in July 2014 still resonates in Chicago because of whom the Cubs got in return: 22-year-old All-Star shortstop Addison Russell. At the time, Russell was still a prospect but the Cubs knew they had a good one on their hands when they sent both Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Athletics. “I’m very happy the Cubs gave me the opportunity to play in this organization,” Russell said Wednesday night. “I wanted to take full advantage of it.” Russell has exceeded all reasonable expectations as he’s on pace to hit about 25 home runs and drive in well over 100 runs. And his stellar play at shortstop has him in the Gold Glove conversation. In short, the Cubs could not have made out better in their deal with Oakland. "Now that I put my foot through and made a splash in the big leagues, [I'm] just trying to keep it pushing,” Russell said. “I’m still developing.” Russell made a highlight-reel catch in the Cubs' 6-5 win over the Pirates on Wednesday. Samardzija, meanwhile, has made it through seven innings in his past two starts. His ERA this season is 4.00 as he has had mixed results in his first year with the Giants. Could this be a changing of the guard in the NL? It’s an even year; San Francisco has won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 -- so the Giants are supposed to be there in the end, and maybe they still will be. But right now the Cubs own the NL or at the very least the NL Central. It doesn’t hurt to have some of

the brightest young stars in the game. They've helped the Cubs to the best record in baseball, though the Giants took it from them for a short period of time around the All-Star break. That's about the time when Russell was making his debut in the Midsummer Classic. Since then, he and the Cubs have taken off. “There’s going to be some upside, especially with the young core we have here,” Russell said. “It’s going to be pretty good moving forward I think.” -- ESPNChicago.com Pedro Strop suffers setback; John Lackey OK after mound session By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Cubs reliever Pedro Strop suffered a setback in his rehab from a knee injury as an MRI revealed the righty strained his right groin during workouts on Wednesday. Strop originally was to be out four to six weeks after tearing the meniscus in his left knee last month, though the Cubs had thought he might be back on the shorter end of that diagnosis. Now the team says he'll be out a full six weeks with a mid-September return. It still gives Strop plenty of time to prepare for the postseason. The Cubs got better news in the form of John Lackey, who threw off the Wrigley Field mound on Thursday as he readies for a return from the disabled list due to shoulder soreness. "I feel fine," Lackey said afterward. "I feel like I can pitch in a game." If Lackey feels OK on Friday morning, he'll be slated to start Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. There's also good news for setup man Hector Rondon (triceps), who is headed to Triple-A Iowa for rehab outings on Saturday and Monday before he's expected to be activated as well. The Cubs called up some reinforcements as rosters expanded on Thursday. Reliever Joe Smith (hamstring) and outfielder Chris Coghlan (rib contusion) were technically activated from the disabled list, as both were on rehab assignments at Triple-A, and righty Jake Buchanan was called up along with them. Buchanan, 26, was 12-8 with a 4.34 ERA in 24 appearances for Iowa including 22 starts. He gives the bullpen some "length," as manager Joe Maddon has used his top relievers often during the Cubs' 22-6 August run. "When you're winning often, you're going to use up a lot of good bullpen," Maddon said Thursday. "It's part of the way this thing flows." Lackey is expected to be a playoff starter for the Cubs while Strop and Rondon are their seventh- and eighth-inning bullpen arms in front of closer Aroldis Chapman. -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Could Have A New Mr. October Coming In Addison Russell By Patrick Mooney Addison Russell can stand on his hands, do Ozzie Smith backflips and dance like Michael Jackson. That explosive athleticism allows him to make highlight-reel plays on defense — running, sliding, leaping — and profile like a middle-of-the-order hitter. At the age of 22, Russell also has this incredible sense of calm in the batter’s box, an inherent quality that could turn him into a Mr. October for the Cubs.

Russell did it again with the bases loaded on Thursday night at Wrigley Field, lifting the two-out, two-run, go-ahead single into shallow left in the seventh inning of a 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants. A quiet kid couldn’t help showing his emotions, pumping his fist as he ran toward first base and the crowd of 38,536 started shaking. “I feel pretty confident there,” Russell said. “It’s more of a mental at-bat, so I just try to take my time. Just take a deep breath and just try to put the ball in play.” Cubs players almost never wear Cubs gear outside of the workplace, but Russell is so young that he actually wore a white throwback Cubs hat out of the postgame clubhouse, like it was an updated version of the letterman’s jacket. The Cubs can thank Jeff Samardzija and Billy Beane for their franchise shortstop and future MVP candidate on an All-Star infield already anchored at the corners with Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Honestly, Russell couldn’t have envisioned his career going any better than it has since Theo Epstein’s front office pulled off that blockbuster Fourth of July trade with the Oakland A’s in 2014. “I’m very happy that the Cubs organization gave me the opportunity,” Russell said. “I definitely wanted to take full advantage of it. And now that I’ve put my foot in and kind of made a splash in the big leagues, I’m just trying to keep pushing it.” The Cubs made Samardzija work during his first Wrigley Field start in a road uniform, scoring three quick runs and forcing him to throw 47 pitches in the first inning. This has been an up-and-down first season of a five-year, $90 million contract for Samardzija and the Giants (72-61) — and this game would be no different. Samardzija recovered to throw three scoreless innings and escape with a no-decision, leaving him on a pace for a good-but-not-great season (11-9, 4.06 ERA, projected 30-plus starts and 200 innings). And a Giants team that had the best record in the majors at the All-Star break — and has been baseball’s worst group in the second half — still finds itself right in the middle of playoff contention. In Russell, the Cubs have a dangerous postseason hitter who’s already put up 19 homers and 88 RBIs this year. Remember, Russell missed last year’s National League Championship Series with a strained hamstring. Not that one rookie’s presence alone would have beaten the New York Mets and their power pitching and reversed a four-game sweep, but any talk about the lineup’s year-over-year improvement will have to include Russell’s emergence. “I think I’m still developing, so there’s going to be some upside,” Russell said. “Especially with the young core that we have here, it’s going to be pretty good moving forward.” With Samardzija knocked out early, Russell got jammed and still won his matchup against right-hander Cory Gearrin, the fifth of six relievers Giants manager Bruce Bochy used out of an expanded September bullpen. Russell notched his 11th game-winning RBI this season (10th at Wrigley Field) and finished with his team-leading 25th multi-RBI game. “It’s the same Addie,” second baseman Ben Zobrist said. “That’s what makes him great in those situations — he’s the same guy. That consistency plays really big in those big situations. If you get too heightened, that’s when you make mistakes you wouldn’t normally make. “He’s just been extremely clutch. And at home, I mean, you might as well walk him with the bases loaded. He’s been that good at getting those big hits for us.” Russell is now 8-for-18 (.444) with 23 RBIs in bases-loaded situations this year, helping the Cubs chop their magic number to clinch the division down to 15. “He has that nose for the RBI,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s working good at-bats. He’s not just chasing and opening up his strike zone. He’s really maturing offensively. “He’s got extremely strong hands (and) he’s really strong from the fingertips to the elbows. That’s what you look for in really good hitters.

“Still, think about him in two or three years.” The thought crossed Zobrist’s mind when he reported to Arizona, coming off a World Series run with the Kansas City Royals and meeting his new shortstop. “In spring training, I think I told somebody that he’s a potential MVP type of guy,” Zobrist said with a laugh. “We got a couple different guys like that in this clubhouse, obviously. But I think he’s got the speed, the glove, the bat, the power — everything you kind of have to have to be that electric player. And he’s only going to get better. As long as he can stay healthy, the sky’s the limit.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Come Through In The Clutch Again To Top Giants By Tony Andracki Another game, another late comeback for the Cubs. Ho hum. The Cubs keep demonstrating that "it" factor, utilizing an Addison Russell broken-bat single with two outs in the seventh to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 in front of 38,536 fans on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. Russell's 87th and 88th RBIs lifted the Cubs (86-47) to their fourth straight victory as they continued to cruise into the season's final month. The Giants (72-61) jumped all over Mike Montgomery in the first inning with a Denard Span double and then a Hunter Pence homer smacked into the teeth of a 15 mph wind blowing in from left field. The resilient Cubs bounced right back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first off Kris Bryant's bloop single, Jason Heyward's RBI single and Chris Coghlan's run-scoring double. Montgomery allowed solo tallies in the second and third innings, but the bullpen bailed him out and the Cubs proved they had one more late comback left in them. Three relievers - Rob Zastryzny, Joe Smith, Carl Edwards Jr. - combined to throw five perfect innings. It was the second time this season the Cubs bullpen had tallied at least five hitless innings (seven innings on May 30 against the Dodgers after Jason Hammel had to leave his start early due to cramping). Prior to 2016, it had been eight years since a Cubs bullpen had notched even one such dominant outing. "Wow," was all manager Joe Maddon could muster initially after the game, marveling at the work of his bullpen. "Just a good game. ... Limited bullpen day; give the guys credit." The Cubs were without closer Aroldis Chapman - who worked all three games of the Pirates series - and Maddon didn't want to use several other guys in the bullpen if he didn't have to. "Most of your normal guys are out - to have those kinds of moments, they're all going to grow for it," Maddon said. "It makes us thicker down the stretch here. You're able to spread the work out, keep guys fresh. "Chapman, [Justin Grimm], [Trevor] Cahill, [Travis] Wood - nobody lifted their arm. It was great." That left Zastryzny to halt the Giants in the fifth and sixth innings, running his ERA down to 0.87 to start his MLB career.

Smith was activated off the disabled list Thursday and picked up his first win in a Cubs uniform with three strikeouts amidst two perfect innings. And then Edwards notched his first big-league save in the ninth. "Not gonna lie, I was nervous," Edwards said. "I felt good. My main goal was just to get first-pitch strikes. "My attitude pretty much stayed the same. I didn't really try to do too much. Just stay on the path that I've been on, going after guys, pitching with confidence and conviction." "I just loved his focus," Maddon said. "The head down, pull up, see the target, throw a baseball. It was great." -- CSNChicago.com Time For Cubs To Preserve Aroldis Chapman For October By Patrick Mooney Even Joe Maddon admits Aroldis Chapman is the shiny new toy the Cubs are trying to figure out how to use out of the bullpen. Maddon’s many strengths as a manager include his sense for high-leverage moments and killer instinct to win the game that night. Chapman’s 100-mph velocity and intimidating ninth-inning presence make it difficult to go with a lesser reliever. But with the Cubs entering September holding a 15-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals — their largest spread in the standings since the end of the 1907 season — it’s time to preserve Chapman for October. There’s no need for the superstar closer to pitch three straight games — the way Chapman did during this week’s sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates — until the Cubs enter the next phase of this World Series-or-bust season. “I definitely want to take care of him,” Maddon said, ruling Chapman out for Thursday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants and doubting he would be available Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. “I honestly think we’ve done OK to this point.” Chapman began this season serving a 30-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic-violence policy, didn’t debut with the New York Yankees until May 9 and still made 31 appearances before that blockbuster trade in late July. The Cubs have used Chapman 19 times, including five back-to-back appearances, twice in an Aug. 16 doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers and three in a row against the Pirates, which ended with a 31-pitch effort in Wednesday night’s 6-5 win. Maddon credited Pittsburgh’s resilient at-bats, saying Chapman’s stuff had been sharp and on point. Maddon also feels boxed in when Hector Rondon (strained right triceps) and Pedro Strop (torn left meniscus) are on the disabled list. As Maddon said: “Some of (Chapman’s) usage has just been based on our inability to hold 5-nothing leads a couple times.” The good news/bad news for the Cubs: Rondon is expected to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, but Strop strained his right groin while recovering from knee surgery, though the expectation is the elite setup guy will be back pitching in the big leagues by mid-to-late September. Rondon — the former closer who’s notched 77 saves in a Cubs uniform and handled losing his job with class — should help keep Chapman energized for the playoffs.

“When those two guys become available, the eighth and ninth innings become a little bit more clear,” Maddon said. “Ronnie’s done it really well (before). Strop’s definitely got that in his abilities. So it would be somewhat easier to not abuse Aroldis under those circumstances.” Chapman, who will become a free agent this offseason, has been as good as advertised — 12-for-14 in save chances, 1.62 ERA, 28 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings — though not the four- or five-out closer the Cubs envisioned changing the shape of entire playoff games. There’s so much at stake for Chapman, who can use the October stage to cash in and reset the market for closers, as well as a franchise set up for a massive disappointment if this team doesn’t win the World Series this year. The Cubs also have arguably the game’s best manager at the controls. “With Aroldis, you definitely want to watch it,” Maddon said. “Moving forward, I want to keep him as fresh as possible, and then anticipating Rondon and Strop coming back. “When you’re winning often, you’re going to use up a lot of good bullpen. That’s what happens when you’re winning a lot of games — the guys that you normally like to have in the game are going to get utilized a lot. “Thus, they get tired. That’s just part of the way this thing flows.” -- CSNChicago.com Despite Strop Setback, Cubs Pitching Staff Returning To Full Health By Tony Andracki Pedro Strop suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, but the hiccup currently falls in the "minor" category. Strop strained his groin while working out Wednesday and will shut down for a week or so. Once he gets the green light, he will head out on a rehab assignment and the Cubs still plan on having the veteran setup man available in late September and for a potential World Series run. Meanwhile, the Cubs received good news Thursday as John Lackey's bullpen session went well and he is on track to return from the disabled list and start Sunday's series finale against the San Francisco Giants. Lackey has been dealing with a sore shoulder. He spoke to the media before Thursday night's game and said he feels good to go. When he does return, Joe Maddon acknowledged the Cubs could still go with a "soft" six-man rotation to help keep starters fresh down the stretch. That means Mike Montgomery will likely still get a few starts in the final month of the season, but could appear out of the bullpen in between turns in the rotation. Hector Rondon (triceps) is heading out on a rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa, where he will throw Saturday and then likely Monday. He could rejoin the big-league club sometime next week. The Cubs also got some reinforcements with rosters expanding Thursday, activating veterans Joe Smith and Chris Coghlan off the disabled list and calling up right-hander Jake Buchanan from Triple-A. Maddon immediately inserted Coghlan into Thursday's lineup and said the two pitchers are available, which should help a bullpen that has been taxed of late. Maddon said closer Aroldis Chapman was unavailable Thursday and possibly Friday after working all three games of the Pirates series.

As of his media session a couple hours before Thursday's game, Maddon still didn't know who else would be unavailable out of the bullpen besides Chapman. "When you're winning often, you're gonna use up a lot of good bullpen," Maddon said. "That's what happens. When you're winning a lot of games, the guys that you normally like to have in the game are going to get utilized a lot in a lot of close games and thus they get tired. "It's just part of the way this thing flows." With Thursday's moves, the Cubs' big-league roster sits at 28 players. In addition to the injured players returning to full health, more call-ups are still on the way, likely including reliever Spencer Patton (who has shuttled back and forth between Iowa and Chicago this season), young outfielder Albert Almora (who spent time with the big-league club earlier in the summer when Jorge Soler was on the DL) and entertaining infielder Munenori Kawasaki. -- CSNChicago.com 5 Things We Learned About The Cubs In August By Tony Andracki For the second straight year, the Cubs took off in August. Last season, an upstart team turned a corner as the calendar flipped to August, sweeping the San Francisco Giants in a four-game series at Wrigley Field and marching to 97 victories before taking down the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals in the postseason. In 2016, the Cubs once again shifted to a higher gear in August, storming out to a 22-6 record and their best month since at least 1946: But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in August for the Cubs. 1. The Aroldis Chapman move now looks like it was a necessity. When the Cubs first traded for the dominant closer, it looked like a luxury item for Joe Maddon's bullpen. After all, Hector Rondon had taken the next step into the "elite" category of stoppers, Pedro Strop was rolling along and Carl Edwards Jr. was emerging as a force in the late innings. Just a few weeks after the game-changing trade with the New York Yankees, both Rondon and Strop hit the disabled list and Chapman suddenly turned into a necessity at the back end of the Cubs' bullpen. Strop could be back this week, Rondon is just around the corner, and with a month left in the regular season, there is currently no concern about either's status for the playoffs. But August still gave Cubdom a snapshot at what life would be like without those guys, and it'd be a whole lot scarier if Chapman wasn't already in the fold. 2. Getting off to a great start was crucial. The Cubs stomped on the gas pedal from Opening Day and they're reaping the benefits now with the stretch run looming. Jumping out to a big lead in the division afforded the Cubs the luxury to take things slow with injured players like John Lackey, who hit the disabled list with a strained shoulder.

If the Cubs needed to grind out every game in August in a tight postseason race, things may have gone differently with Lackey, Rondon and others. The huge cushion also gives Maddon the opportunity to rest everyday guys like Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist to keep them fresh down the stretch. 3. The only thing Kyle Hendricks has lost is a label. Ain't nobody calling Hendricks a fifth starter anymore. Instead, he may be the frontrunner for the National League Cy Young Award. After another stellar outing against the playoff-hopeful Pirates Tuesday night, Hendricks not only leads the majors with a 2.09 ERA, but he's 40 points up on the next closest guy (Madison Bumgarner - 2.49 ERA). Since June 24, Hendricks has gone 8-1 with a 1.25 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 13 games (12 starts) and he was 4-0 in August with six quality starts. 4. These Cubs have "it." From the last day of July through Monday's wild walk-off, the Cubs have repeatedly shown their TWTW (The Will To Win). With the big cushion in the division, it would be understandable if the Cubs had an off game here or there with a lack of focus or effort falling short of 100 percent. Yet this club is keeping their foot on the gas, putting together late comebacks against contenders like the Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers. These are the kinds of victories that can give the Cubs confidence if they're trailing late in a game in October. 5. The Cubs will be in the playoffs. Look, entering August, there wasn't exactly a doubt the Cubs would be playing in October. But a huge month reinforced the notion that the lull right before the All-Star Break was the outlier. The Cubs' 6-15 stretch at the beginning of summer created a sense of panic within the fan base, but Theo Epstein was never worried. "No. I was just waiting for that to happen. It's baseball," Epstein said. "When you get off to such a ridiculous start, I think it's skewed everybody's perception about how easy this season might go. It just doesn't work that way. "It's kinda interesting 'cause as we were going through that stretch, if you recall, the players just kept saying, 'We just need to get to the break. We just need to get to the break.' That might sound like an excuse or whistling past the graveyard. "But in the end, the players know best. We did just need to get to the break. Just as we made really good use of the last week in spring training to focus on getting off to a good start to the season, I think they made really good use of the All-Star Break and focus on getting off to a great start in the second half. That's impressive. "There's a clear goal and it's time to focus and adopt a team-wide approach and really lock in, and we have. I hope that bodes well going forward." --