What to Make of the Cubs Split with the Brewers
The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers faced off in a critical series this week at Wrigley Field. The two teams entered the series as the top two teams in the National League Central. With that in mind, this was about as big as a series can get for the middle of June. It lived up to the hype as star players had superstar performances, and clutch plays were made on both sides. The only thing that did not cooperate was the weather. Wednesday’s game was canceled due to rain, so this ended up just being a two-game set in which the clubs split 1-1. Here are the two main takeaways from the rain-shortened series between the two best teams in the NL Central.
Pete Crow-Armstrong Is a Certified Superstar
As if it wasn’t already confirmed, Pete Crow-Armstrong made it clear to the baseball world that he is indeed one of the brightest young players in the whole sport. In game one, he had one of the most remarkable innings a player can have. He started the eighth inning with a sensational catch running into the left-center field gap to rob a double that would have represented the tying run. The ball had just a five percent catch probability according to Statcast. Then, leading off the bottom half of the inning at the plate, he clobbered a 452-foot home run off the video board in right field. That solo shot gave the Cubs a crucial insurance run in their 5-3 victory. As if that wasn’t enough, PCA had more for an encore in Thursday’s game. He hit a two-run home run in his first at-bat of the game off Brewers’ ace Freddy Peralta, who has owned the Cubs throughout his career. The 23-year-old has become the first Cubs player ever to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases before the All-Star break. So, if there is one thing to take away from this series, it is that Pete Crow-Armstrong is well on his way to the All-Star game this year, and it probably won't be his last appearance.
The Division Race Is Far from Over
It can be easy for the Cubs and their fans to get complacent as the team has been comfortably in first place for the better part of two consecutive months at this point. They have shown that they are one of the best teams in the National League when they play to their full potential, but a series like the one we just saw play out can serve as a gentle reminder that there is a lot of baseball left to be played in this season. Not to mention, the Brewers have been the cream of the crop of this division for the last handful of years, so they know what it takes to be right there at the end. With plenty of games left against the Brewers and Cardinals, this five-and-a-half-game lead that the Cubs currently possess could easily dwindle as August and September arrive.
