'Calloused' Cubs in good place to start second half, but their high expectations demand more than just good
<p>Somehow, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> were not buried by an avalanche of injuries.</p><p>They didn’t wipe out during a monthlong slump that dropped them from the top of the division to a .500 team. They didn’t watch the Brewers run away with the NL Central even earlier than usual.</p><p>The Cubs survived the first half of the season, a dozen games north of .500 and in playoff position as the All-Star break comes to a close.</p><p>But they’ve got bigger things in mind than just surviving.</p><p>“We’re OK with where we’re at,” outfielder Michael Conforto said last week.
Reported by 1 outlet — Chicago Sun-Times. See all sources ↓
<p>Somehow, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> were not buried by an avalanche of injuries.</p><p>They didn’t wipe out during a monthlong slump that dropped them from the top of the division to a .500 team. They didn’t watch the Brewers run away with the NL Central even earlier than usual.</p><p>The Cubs survived the first half of the season, a dozen games north of .500 and in playoff position as the All-Star break comes to a close.</p><p>But they’ve got bigger things in mind than just surviving.</p><p>“We’re OK with where we’re at,” outfielder Michael Conforto said last week. “We’re still hungry to play better. Luckily, we had two 10-game winning streaks before going on the 10-game losing streak and not hitting, and we gave ourselves a little buffer.</p><p>“But we’re still kind of unhappy with where we’re at, still looking to get better, and we feel like we haven’t played up to our potential yet.”</p><p>The Cubs finished the first half well, going 20-8 in their final 28 games before the break.</p><p>Though <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/07/11/cubs-javier-assad-reds-pitching-injuries-rotation-home-runs-craig-counsell-jameson-taillon-phil-maton" >their injury issues are far from behind them</a>, they are getting healthier.
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- What's the story?
- <p>Somehow, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> were not buried by an avalanche of injuries.</p><p>They didn’t wipe out during a monthlong slump that dropped them from the top of the division to a .500 team. They didn’t watch the Brewers run away with the NL Central even earlier than usual.</p><p>The Cubs survived the first half of the season, a dozen games north of .500 and in playoff position as the All-Star break comes to a close.</p><p>But they’ve got bigger things in mind than just surviving.</p><p>“We’re OK with where we’re at,” outfielder Michael Conforto said last week.
- How widely is it covered?
- 1 outlet, average source rating 6.0/10.
- When was it last updated?
- just now ago.
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'Calloused' Cubs in good place to start second half, but their high expectations demand more than just good
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times