The Cubs at the halfway point: Big expectations for what’s next

After 81 games, the Cubs are leading their division and fueling hopes for October baseball at Wrigley Field. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the major surprises, developments and disappointments in the first half, from Kyle Tucker’s huge impact to Pete Crow-Armstrong’s breakthrough to the setbacks that rearranged the pitching staff. Now what? Keep listening for the coming attractions and what to anticipate ahead of the trade deadline. Get up to 10 FREE meals and a free high protein item for life at HelloFresh.com/FT10FM. One item per box with active subscription. Free meals applied as a discount on the first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. Try Huel with 15% OFF for New Customers today using code FOUL at https://huel.com/foul. Fuel your best performance with Huel today!