CHICAGO -- There were clear needs for the Cubs heading into Monday’s Trade Deadline, but there was another layer to the work done by the front office. In a way, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer wanted to repay the pitching staff for the work put in to date on

CHICAGO -- The Cubs’ bullpen has experienced a high rate of turnover, especially in the late-inning roles, as injuries have steadily impacted the group all season long. Adding a legit arm to the mix at the Trade Deadline was one of the top priorities for Chicago’s front office. Prior to

CHICAGO -- The Cubs headed into the Trade Deadline not only searching for an impact starter to help the rotation immediately, but with the goal of continuing to strengthen the rotation’s depth chart. The North Siders have found one potential answer for the latter. After pulling off big-ticket deals to

CHICAGO -- With the Trade Deadline fast approaching, the Cubs are looking to add talent for the final two-month sprint to the postseason, and they already started by swinging a deal with the Blue Jays for Kevin Gausman on Sunday night. While fans are focused on who else Chicago’s front

CHICAGO – At the mention of the Cubs’ trip to New York to play the Mets in late June – when the team added starters Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera to the already-lengthy list of injured pitchers – second baseman Nico Hoerner’s eyes widened and he gave a quick shake

CHICAGO – Pete Crow-Armstrong is no stranger to hearing the Wrigley Field crowd send chants of his initials through the old ballpark. With the calendar now flipped to August, repetitive cries of “M-V-P” might be around the corner soon as well. In the seventh inning Saturday night, Crow-Armstrong showed once

CHICAGO – The goal behind the Cubs swinging a blockbuster trade to land Edward Cabrera from the Marlins over the offseason was to add an impact starter to the rotation. Cabrera now has an opportunity to essentially act like a big-ticket acquisition down the stretch. On Friday night, Cabrera began

CHICAGO – Amid the Cubs’ search for rotation help before Monday’s Trade Deadline, Shota Imanaga once again put his importance to the team's playoff run on display. Imanaga has been pitching like an ace for several weeks now, adding another interesting layer for Chicago’s final two months. On Friday, he

ST. LOUIS -- When the Cubs were in New York to face the Mets late last month, the state of the rotation had reached an alarming level. Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera both landed on the injured list, joining a handful of other starters already on the shelf. Depth that

ST. LOUIS -- Alex Bregman pumped a fist in the air after sliding into second base in the 10th inning on Thursday afternoon, following his sixth double in the Cubs’ four-day stay at Busch Stadium. The hit sparked a late rally that helped the North Siders claim a series win

ST. LOUIS -- Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered a must-see moment for the Cubs in the 10th inning on Wednesday night, launching an emphatic two-run homer that temporarily jolted the North Siders out of an offensive lull. He flicked the bat hard to the dirt at his feet, backpedaling into his trot,

ST. LOUIS -- The strength of the Cubs’ offense has been the ability to have multiple hitters delivering on any given night. Of course, there has been the incredible step forward from center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, but Chicago’s lineup was built to be the sum of all parts, not a

ST. LOUIS -- There is no escaping the weight of each game in front of the Cubs over the next several days. With each win the players secure, it potentially increases the front office’s willingness to extend beyond a statistical comfort zone and try to seize this moment with an

ST. LOUIS -- The players inside the Cubs’ clubhouse began their day Monday by learning that starter Jameson Taillon -- a well-respected veteran and leader -- had been designated for assignment. It was the latest unexpected turn for a Chicago team that has weathered plenty of storms this season. Through

ST. LOUIS -- Given the goals that the Cubs have for this season, combined with the current moment in baseball’s calendar, the team was at a difficult crossroads with veteran starter Jameson Taillon. The ballclub determined there was simply not enough leeway to allow the pitcher to sort through his

The Cubs have tried a few things with their bench configuration while super sub Matt Shaw has remained on the injured list due to a sprained left hand. Prospect James Triantos will be the latest player given a chance to pitch in for the North Siders. The Cubs promoted Triantos

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CHICAGO -- With the exception of a quiet May, the Cubs have featured one of baseball’s more prolific lineups this season. The North Siders headed into Wednesday ranked fourth in the Majors in runs scored and the Tigers felt it first-hand one night earlier when Chicago rattled off six runs

CHICAGO -- As David Peterson headed off the field in the seventh inning on Tuesday night, the lefty experienced his first ovation from the Wrigley Field faithful. With each step off the mound and toward the dugout, the volume level ticked up in the old ballpark. “It’s special,” Peterson said.

CHICAGO -- Pete Crow-Armstrong pulled a pitch from Tigers lefty Framber Valdez deep into the right-field corner to lead off the first inning on Tuesday, and then both the Cubs’ center fielder and the North Siders were off and running. Crow-Armstrong legged out a triple, igniting a six-run first inning

CHICAGO -- Trent Thornton hunched over in pain by the first-base line and then made his way back to the mound for the Cubs Monday night at Wrigley Field. As the reliever moved awkwardly up the hill, it quickly became clear that he was very much feeling the effects of

CHICAGO -- With the Wrigley Field crowd on its feet and roaring, the Cubs were poised for a dramatic walk-off win on Monday night. The North Siders had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth against Tigers closer Kenley Jansen, and Alex Bregman worked the count full with

CHICAGO -- The Cubs were hopeful that Phil Maton’s last trip to the injured list -- combined with the All-Star break -- would give the veteran reliever ample time to rest the right knee that has been a persistent issue dating back to last season. That turned out to be

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian's Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- After Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong chased down a drive from Royce Lewis deep into the gap to his right -- sending ivy leaves flying off the vines clinging to the Wrigley Field’s famous wall -- Shota Imanaga stood on the mound with his hands on his hips.