Congrats, Chicago baseball fans, you’ve made it to the All-Star break! Which means you A) have mostly liked what you’ve seen and B) won’t mind as much when summer is over because it means the playoffs are here.
While you’re bracing yourselves for what could be a difficult Bears season to endure, keep these things in mind as the Cubs and White Sox enter the second half of 2016.
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CUBS
Games remaining: 74 (41 home, 33 away)
Make-or-break time: Aug. 26-Sept. 4. Three straight series against solid teams (three games at L.A. Dodgers, three vs. Pittsburgh, four vs. San Francisco). Ease past that and only two series against St. Louis loom large the rest of the way.
We can’t wait to find out: If they will win the World Series, duh! Beyond that, the Cubs are likely to be buyers at the trade deadline. Conventional wisdom says they should get another relief pitcher, though with Theo Epstein and Co. pulling the strings, a blockbuster move is not out of the question.
We’re worried they might: Be worn down by injuries. Not that it’s likely to prevent them from reaching the playoffs, but if anything can derail their title hopes, poor health is the most likely culprit.
WHITE SOX
Games remaining: 74 (35 home, 39 away)
Make-or-break time: Sept. 5-19. The Sox have three games vs. Detroit, three vs. Kansas City, four vs. Cleveland and four at Kansas City in that period. They have a combined 6-18 record against those teams in 2016. Awful. Either they prove they’re contenders then or fans can officially check out until 2017.
We can’t wait to find out: If Justin Morneau has anything left. The veteran slugger could provide a huge boost on a team that desperately needs left-handed power.
We’re worried they might: Fall off the map and fire Robin Ventura. The Sox have a long way to climb to catch Cleveland in the AL Central. Then again, after years of trying to reload instead of rebuild with no playoff appearances since 2008, tearing the roster down to the studs might be best.