Division Matchups And Blue Jays Clash Set Tone For Cubs Playoff Chase

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The Chicago Cubs are trying to keep pace with the Milwaukee Brewers, who not only lead their division (NL Central), but have the best record in baseball.
At 65-46, the Cubs would be leading any other division as they have the second-best winning record in the league, but unfortunately they find themselves in a battle with the Brewers who have a two-game lead on their ball club.
This upcoming stretch is gong to prove vital if they want close the gap for the division title as they are about to face off with two division rivals: the Saint Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds.
Both of those ball clubs are not out of the wild card race and will be ready to battle as they chase their 60th-wins on the season.

Up next for the Cubs
The first matchup will be against the Reds at Wrigley Field. Cincinnati is 6-4 in their last 10 and only four games back from the bottom wild card spot in the National League.
The Cubs will then get a day off before a road trip to Saint Louis, who would have to have quite the turn around, but are still not totally out of the race to the postseason.
The Cardinals sit just under .500 at 56-57 and are much better at home than they are on the road. This will be a tough matchup as they are eight games over .500 at home compared to nine under at opposing stadiums.

Chicago's road trip doesn't get easier after that. The team will then head to the Rogers Centre in Toronto to face off with the Blue Jays who are not only coming off an 18-win July, but are the best in baseball at home.
The Brewers, on the other hand, will have their toughest matchup in the next few weeks against the New York Mets, who have one of the better records in baseball at 63-49.
The Mets hiccup on the season has been playing on the road, which this series will be for them. They are 20 games over .500 at home while they have gone 25-31 on opponents' fields, which could ultimately make it a much easier matchup for the Brewers..
The Cubs have started the month off 2-1 with a series win against the Baltimore Orioles. All eyes are on the postseason and the next eight weeks are crucial, but Chicago has to make sure they stay within striking distance of the Brewers or they will end up going through the wild card.
Upcoming Cubs Schedule
Date / Time (ET) | Opponent |
|---|---|
August 4 (8:05 PM) | Cincinnati Reds |
August 5 (8:05 PM) | Cincinnati Reds |
August 6 (2:20 PM) | Cincinnati Reds |
August 8 (8:15 PM) | St. Louis Cardinals |
August 9 (7:15 PM) | St. Louis Cardinals |
August 10 (7:10 PM) | St. Louis Cardinals |
August 12 (7:07 PM) | Toronto Blue Jays |
August 13 (7:07 PM) | Toronto Blue Jays |
August 14 (3:07 PM) | Toronto Blue Jays |
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.