July 22, 2018 • Cubs.com, Cubs falter late after Montgomery's solid effort

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-unable-to-hold-on-for-mike-montgomery/c-286733798

• Cubs.com, Chatwood gets key DP, allows 1 hit in G1 win https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/tyler-chatwood-induces-key-double-play-in-win/c-286678712

• Cubs.com, Cubs add Chavez to roster, place Bass on DL https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/jesse-chavez-joins-cubs-anthony-bass-to-dl/c-286677800

• NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs fight back after Javy Baez ejection: 'We're not animals'

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-fight-back-after-javy-baez-ejection-were-not-animals-mlb-umpire-cardinals

• NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs infielder Ryan Court had a special night in Iowa

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-infielder-ryan-court-had-special-night-iowa • NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs are reported to be 'deeply involved' in trade talks for Zach Britton

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-are-reported-be-deeply-involved-trade-talks-zach-britton

• Chicago Tribune, Cubs relying on offense as starting pitchers come up short

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-offense-pitching-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Cubs squander lead, fall to Cardinals 6-3 in Game 2 of doubleheader http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-cardinals-game2-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Four-run 7th vaults Cubs to 7-2 win over Cardinals

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-cardinals-game-one-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Cubs' top pick Nico Hoerner could return for Instructional League

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-nico-hoerner-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Anthony Rizzo lights out from leadoff spot in doubleheader

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-anthony-rizzo-leadoff-spot-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Cubs decide extra rest is best for 'fatiguing' Jose Quintana http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-jose-quintana-fatigue-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Jesse Chavez leads Cubs' cast of relief reinforcements http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-jesse-chavez-relievers-20180721-story.html

• Chicago Sun-Times, Anthony Rizzo stays hot at top of order as Cubs split with Cardinals

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/anthony-rizzo-stays-hot-at-top-of-order-as-cubs-split-with-cardinals/

• Chicago Sun-Times, Jesse Chavez has perfect debut for Cubs, his ninth major-league team

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/jesse-chavez-has-perfect-debut-for-cubs-his-ninth-major-league-team/

• Chicago Sun-Times, How bad is Cubs’ Tyler Chatwood? So bad, they can’t stop winning when he pitches https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/how-bad-is-cubs-tyler-chatwood-so-bad-they-cant-stop-winning-when-he-pitches/

• Daily Herald, Cubs split doubleheader with Cardinals http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20180721/cubs-split-doubleheader-with-cardinals

• Daily Herald, Reliever Chavez does well in Chicago Cubs debut

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20180721/reliever-chavez-does-well-in-chicago-cubs-debut • The Athletic, Sources: Cubs targeting Zach Britton as trade deadline approaches

https://theathletic.com/440570/2018/07/21/cubs-targeting-zach-britton-as-trade-deadline-approaches/

-- Cubs.com Cubs falter late after Montgomery's solid effort By Matthew Martell CHICAGO -- The Cubs got the quality start they'd been lacking over the last couple of weeks and their offense seemed to have provided them with enough runs to complete a sweep of the Cardinals in Saturday's doubleheader. Then, the Cubs' strong bullpen finally bent and a late-innings surge from the Cardinals sent Chicago to a 6-3 loss at Wrigley Field. The Cubs were leading, 3-1, after six solid innings from starter Mike Montgomery when -- as has been the case this entire series -- Matt Carpenter happened. The hottest hitter on the planet got his first at-bat of the game with two outs in the seventh inning and ripped a solo homer off reliever Randy Rosario. "We're seeing this guy probably at the best moment of his life as a baseball player," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Carpenter, who has hit a home run in six straight games and has hit six homers in the first four games of this series.

Dominant setup man Pedro Strop faltered in the eighth when Yairo Munoz singled home Tommy Pham to tie the game at 3. The single came on a grounder up the middle that slipped past second baseman Ben Zobrist, a play that Maddon said Javier Baez "might've been able to make" had he still been in the game. Both Baez and Maddon were ejected at the end of the fifth when Baez was visibly upset that home plate umpire Will Little did not ask for help on a strike-three call. Little said Baez swung for the third out, and when he didn't appeal to first-base umpire Ted Barrett, Baez threw his bat and helmet. "I didn't think I said anything to disrespect anyone," Baez said. "It was a pretty close call. I only asked for [Little] to check with the umpire at first. [Little] didn't say anything. I threw my helmet and he threw me out for no reason -- I guess for my helmet [toss]. "My message -- we're not animals. Sometimes we ask, 'Where was the pitch?' or if it was a strike. They want to come at us like we're offending them. I think we can talk the things out. If you disrespect somebody, then you get ejected. I don't think there was anything there to get ejected." Maddon, too, didn't think Baez did anything that warranted an ejection, which was why he went out and argued, leading to him being tossed as well. "I told [Little] to kick me out because I was not going to leave under those circumstances," Maddon said. "As an umpire, you have all the right to kick a guy out if he's belligerent, obnoxious, profane, and Javy was none of that." The Cubs turned to Justin Wilson and Steve Cishek to get through the ninth, both of whom pitched in the first game -- a 7-2 Cubs win. Wilson issued back-to-back walks to open the final frame before Cishek relieved him and gave up Paul DeJong's go-ahead double. Pham helped pad the Cardinals' lead with a two-run double to right field to make it 6-3. "I was really trying to work a ground ball the whole at-bat [vs. DeJong]. I just didn't finish it," Cishek said. "I actually felt pretty good on my fastball away to Pham. He put a great swing on it. The bottom line is they got it done, I didn't." It was the 11th loss charged to the Cubs' bullpen this year, which is the fewest in the National League. Montgomery did his part to keep his team in the game. The left-hander allowed one run on five hits through six innings. It was just the fifth time in the past 22 games that a Cubs starter completed six innings. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Rematch: Wilson came in to face Carpenter, who was leading off the ninth in a tie game. The two had faced off in the seventh inning of Saturday's first game, and Wilson got Carpenter to hit a 393-foot fly out with two runners on. This time, Wilson walked the Cardinals' first baseman on four pitches, which started St. Louis' go-ahead rally. "It's a tough spot to be in," Maddon said of the second Wilson-Carpenter matchup. "You just try to make as good a pitch as you possibly can. He's got to make an out at some point, you'd think. It's almost an impossible spot for him right there."

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS Cubs center fielder Albert Almora Jr. ended the top of the fourth inning in style with a tumbling, diving catch to rob Francisco Pena of a hit. According to Statcast™, it was a 4-star catch for Almora, who ran in 52 feet on a ball that had a 50 percent catch probability. UP NEXT Jose Quintana starts the finale of this five-game series on Sunday. He is 0-2 with a 2.00 ERA in two starts against the Cardinals. Quintana has not fared well at Wrigley Field, posting a 3-2 record and 5.50 ERA in seven games (3.06 on the road). The Cubs are counting on a strong second half from the lefty, who went 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA after the break last year. St. Louis will counter with Miles Mikolas. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT from Wrigley Field. -- Cubs.com Chatwood gets key DP, allows 1 hit in G1 win By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- When Anthony Rizzo spoke, Tyler Chatwood listened and executed a perfectly timed double play to spark the Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field. The game was tied at 1 when the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the fifth against Chatwood. Paul DeJong was up, and Rizzo went to the mound. "He just told me, 'Hey, you're going to get a 6-4-3 double play right now and then we're going to score some runs next inning, so here you go,'" Chatwood said of Rizzo's message. "Obviously, I got in the way of the 6-4-3 double play and turned it into a 1-2-3. Sure enough, they went in and scored some runs the next inning. It was pretty cool to see that happen." DeJong hit a comebacker to Chatwood, who initiated the double play. In the Cubs' fifth over a span of four pitches from Cardinals starter Luke Weaver, Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Javier Baez rattled off consecutive singles to go ahead, 2-1. Zobrist then scored on Kyle Schwarber's sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead. After the double play, Chatwood was pretty fired up and pumped his arm. "I haven't had many things go my way lately," Chatwood said. "[DeJong] hit a ball hard off me [his] at-bat before, so any time you can get out of bases loaded, one out with no runs is big. Big momentum going back into dugout as well." "Big swing [in momentum]. Big swing," Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt said. "That's the game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of the double play. "That's the game changer, that's the seminal moment. Was I anticipating that? No." Chatwood did walk six to raise his Major League-leading total to 79, and it was the fifth time he's issued at least six walks in a start this season. But he only gave up one hit -- Matt Carpenter's 24th home run -- over 5 1/3 innings. "I told [Rizzo] when we got back in the dugout, 'That's the kind of captain meeting we needed,'" Zobrist said of the pep talk. "He recognized something needed to be said and he said it. Maybe it helped

[Chatwood] turn his attention. [Rizzo] was prophetic in what he called. He said, 'We're going to score a couple runs for you.' I think it was one of the best visits we've had all year." Baez finished with two RBIs to raise his National League-leading total to 74 and Tommy La Stella drove in two runs for the Cubs, who won for the 14th time in their last 18 games. Chicago out-hit St. Louis, 11-2, sticking to an approach hitting coach Chili Davis has been pushing since late June. "I think the concept Chili is trying to get across is 'pass it along, pass it along, pass it along,'" Maddon said. "When you understand that, you can have those swarming kind of games. The ball's not in the stands, but it's all over the map. You're putting pressure on the pitcher and the defense, and I'm really pleased with that." Carpenter, of course, hit a home run. The Cardinals infielder belted one on Thursday and three on Friday and now has homered in five consecutive games. A northerly wind helped keep another fly ball by Carpenter in the seventh in the ballpark, stranding two baserunners. "It was tough weather conditions to hit the ball out unless your last name is Carpenter," Maddon said. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Leadoff man: Leading off for the sixth straight game, Rizzo tripled to open the Cubs first. Ian Happ walked and Rizzo scored when Heyward hit into a double play. Rizzo now is 10-for-23 batting first with five doubles, one triple and one home run. Rizzo was intentionally walked in the second and drew a free pass in the fourth and the eighth innings. "Right now, he's having a lot of fun with it," Maddon said of Rizzo. "He's into it, and he's doing a great job. I thought about it, and I thought there was no reason to change right now." Dance partners: Baez tried to keep the Cubs' fifth inning going and score on Victor Caratini's fly ball, but left fielder Marcell Ozuna's throw easily beat him home. Yadier Molina and Baez then played a little game of tag before the Cardinals catcher got him. Baez did add an RBI double in the seventh. Was Maddon upset that Baez tried to run? "I told [Baez] when I went out to the mound for a pitching change, 'Man, I would've done the same thing if I was able to run like you,'" Maddon said. "It was the right thing to do." YOU GOTTA SEE THIS After Carpenter homered in the Cardinals' third, Molina smacked a hard-hit ball to left which Baez snared in shallow left and threw off balance to first in time to get the catcher. It was just another great Baez play. "Part of me just wants to get caught up in it because [Baez] is so much fun to watch, especially the one he bobbled in short left field and still threw Yadi out," said Zobrist, who was at second. "C'mon, that [play] just doesn't happen. You kind of sit back in those moments and try to take it in a little bit before you turn the page. I was talking to [umpire] Teddy Barrett at second base just about how sometimes it's just amazing to stand out there and get to watch that from a few feet away. It's pretty cool." HE SAID IT "I thought last year, we grinded to get to that place where we had a good second half. We were exhausted when it came playoff time. I think everybody kind of knew that. This year, it doesn't feel like

that. This year, it feels like we have more in the tank. We believe we're going to have a good strong second half, but I think a lot of that has to do with youth." -- Zobrist MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY The Cubs had a runner at first and one out in the third when Baez bunted to third baseman Greg Garcia, who threw to first. Baez was called safe, but the Cardinals challenged the ruling, and after a review, the call was overturned. -- Cubs.com Cubs add Chavez to roster, place Bass on DL By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Jesse Chavez has saved at least a jersey from each of the eight previous teams he's pitched for. "I try to keep a bag, but you kind of run out of space when you get so many bags," Chavez said. Chavez joined his ninth team on Saturday after being acquired by the Cubs in a trade with the Rangers. The right-hander, 34, has a 3.51 ERA in 30 relief appearances this season, striking out 50 over 56 1/3 innings while walking 12. He has pitched for the Pirates (2008-09), Braves (2010), Royals (2010-11), Blue Jays (2012, '16), Athletics (2012-15), Dodgers (2016), Angels (2017) and Rangers (2018). Chavez, who pitched a clean eighth and ninth inning in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader, said he never expected to pitch for that many teams. "I didn't think it'd be in nine years either," Chavez said. "I'm just thankful to have a job. I try to do my work, work hard and hope somebody will take notice." Manager Joe Maddon raved about Chavez's ability to start or relieve. "He's very versatile and ready to go," Maddon said. "I told him what I needed from him is honesty. 'When you need a break, tell me you need a break because,' I said, 'you're the kind of guy who is easy to take advantage of.' "Guys like that who withstand the test of time are always interesting to me," Maddon said. Chavez spends the offseason prepping as if he's going to start but is expected to be used primarily as a reliever with the Cubs. "I think it'll be the same [role] that I was doing in Texas -- long man, middle man, whatever the case may be," Chavez said. "If a guy needs a breather, give him a breather." The trade surprised him, even though he's been dealt before. "It didn't dawn on me at all," he said. • Adding Chavez on Saturday was part of a series of roster moves. The Cubs placed reliever Anthony Bass on the 10-day disabled list with a right mid-thoracic strain. Right-handed pitcher Dillon Maples was

recalled from Triple-A Iowa, and right-handed pitcher James Norwood was optioned to the Minor League team. Right-hander Luke Farrell was added to the Cubs' active roster as the 26th man for Saturday's doubleheader. Bass pitched Friday and gave up three runs and walked two, failing to retire any of the batters he faced. "With everything going on, we know it will take several days, so it was better to back him off and give him the full 10 [days] and evaluate it at that point," Maddon said of Bass. Chavez, Maples and Farrell give the Cubs three new arms. On Friday, Maddon called on three position players to pitch rather than overwork the bullpen. "In spite of the horrible game yesterday, the bullpen is in pretty good order," Maddon said of the 18-5 loss to the Cardinals. The Cubs want to see who they need Saturday before announcing Monday's starter in the series opener against the D-backs. • Since June 20, Cubs starters only have four quality starts. That isn't a good formula for success. "It's almost impossible to hit your way to the last game of the year," Maddon said. "The tried and true method I've always been involved with is pitching and defense, and then you get your hitting there. We do need to get it straightened out. We can't keep putting that many innings on the bullpen. The health overall is there. "Six [innings], six-plus is what we need to start getting from these guys to make this work," he said. • Drew Smyly, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, will face hitters in a workout on Sunday and again next week before hopefully beginning a Minor League rehab assignment. "This is the hard part," Smyly said on Saturday. "You can feel yourself getting so close, and it's getting to the end of the season, and I want to be back and play so bad. At the same time, with an injury like this, you can't rush it. My arm will let me know. It's feeling strong and feeling really good. Hopefully, there won't be any issues moving forward." • Jon Lester's NVRQT Foundation fundraiser for pediatric cancer research raised $555,000 on Friday night. -- NBC Sports Chicago Cubs fight back after Javy Baez ejection: 'We're not animals' By Tony Andracki If baseball wants stars that transcend the game, they need guys like Javy Baez on the field MORE, not less.

That whole debate and baseball's marketing campaign isn't the issue the Cubs took exception with, but it's still a fair point on a nationally-televised Saturday night game between the Cubs and Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Baez was ejected from the game in the bottom of the fifth inning when he threw his bat and helmet in frustration at home plate umpire Will Little's call that the Cubs second baseman did NOT check his swing and, in fact, went around. Baez was initially upset that Little made the call himself instead of deferring to first base umpire Ted Barrett for a better view. But as things escalated, Baez threw his bat and helmet and was promptly thrown out of the game by Little. "I don't think I said anything to disrespect anything or anyone," Baez said after the Cubs' 6-3 loss. "It was a pretty close call. I only asked for him to check the umpire at first and he didn't say anything. "I threw my helmet and he just threw me out from there. I mean, no reason. I guess for my helmet, but that doesn't have anything to do with him." Baez and the Cubs would've rather Little check with the umpire who had a better view down the line, but that wasn't even the main point of contention. It was how quickly Little escalated to ejection. "We're all human," Baez said. "One way or the other, it was gonna be the wrong [call] for one of the teams. "My message? We're not animals. Sometimes we ask where was a pitch or if it was a strike and it's not always offending them. I think we can talk things out. But I don't think there was anything there to be ejected." Upon seeing his second baseman and cleanup hitter ejected in the middle of a 1-0 game against a division rival, Joe Maddon immediately got fired up and in Little's face in a hurry. Maddon was later ejected, as well, and admitted after the game he was never going to leave the field unless he was tossed for protecting his guy. "He had no reason to kick him out," Maddon said. "He didn't say anything to him. I mean, I watched the video. If you throw stuff, that's a fine. That's fineable. Fine him. That's what I said — fine him — but you cannot kick him out right there. "He did nothing to be kicked out of that game. He did throw his stuff, whatever, but he did not say anything derogatory towards the umpire. "...You don't kick Javy out. If he gets in your face and is obnoxious or belligerent or whatever, but he did not. He turned his back to him. That needs to be addressed, on both ends." Maddon and the Cubs really want Major League Baseball to get involved in this situation. There are many other layers to the issue, including veteran Ben Zobrist having to come into the game as Baez's replacement. Maddon was not keen on using the 37-year-old Zobrist for 1.5 games during Saturday's doubleheader and now feels like he has to rest the veteran Sunday to lessen the wear and tear of a difficult stretch for the team.

There's also the matter of the groundball basehit in the eighth inning that tied the game — a seeing-eye single that just got past Zobrist as he dove to his left. It tied the game at 3 and the Cardinals took the lead for good the following inning. Does Baez make that same play if he were out there instead of Zobrist? It's certainly possible. "The dynamic of our defense was lessened by [the ejection]," Maddon said. "Again, listen, if it's deserved, I'm good. It was not. They don't need me out there, we need Javy out there. "And it surprised me. I stand by what I'm saying. It was inappropriate. MLB needs to say something to us that it was inappropriate because it was and it could've led to the loss of that game." -- NBC Sports Chicago Cubs infielder Ryan Court had a special night in Iowa By Sean Sears The farm system doesn't have the big names it once did, as the majority of the top prospects have graduated to the Major League roster, but that doesn't mean the minor league clubs aren't having fun. Take 29-year-old Ryan Court, a minor league infielder who has bounced around from Arizona and Boston's systems and found a home this year with the Cubs triple-A affiliate in Des Moines, IA. Court has had a solid season in Iowa, slashing .272/.347/.410 in 74 games, but might have had his finest game as I-Cub Friday night against the New Orleans Baby Cakes. Court came up in the 8th inning last night needing just a triple to hit for the cycle, but his club was on the verge of taking the lead in the after scoring three runs prior to his at-bat. With Bote on 1st, the game tied at 8 runs apiece, Court placed a ball in front of the right fielder who overplayed the ball and allowed Bote to score from first and Court to scamper to third to complete the cycle. The I-Cubs would tack on another run to polish off a 5-run 8th inning and take home the win in a 10-8 victory over the Baby Cakes, and according to Des Moines Register's Tommy Birch, it was the first time in two decades an Iowa player has hit for the cycle. It's unlikely Ryan Court will make his way to the big leagues with the Cubs already carrying plenty of infielders, but for one night he played the hero and got his team the win, finishing the night 4-5 with 2 RBI, 4 runs scored and one massive smile on his face. -- NBC Sports Chicago Cubs are reported to be 'deeply involved' in trade talks for Zach Britton By Sean Sears The Cubs and Orioles reliever Zach Britton are once again being linked to each other, according to Patrick Mooney of the Athletic.

Despite the front office denying any big moves coming before the July 31st deadline, but the Cubs' interest in Britton from last year makes this one with the Orioles stick a bit more. And when taking a look at Britton's fit on the club, a deal involving the lefty-reliever makes too much sense not to be true. And according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, the Orioles are trying to wrap up the trade in the next few days. The Cubs did add reliever Jesse Chavez earlier this week, but Chavez profiles more as a swingman and less of the late-inning arm Britton has been over his eight-year career. Due to injuries, Zach Britton isn't the guy who teams saw dominant in '15 &'16 when he saved a combined 134 games for the Orioles. However, his 2018 numbers are encouraging for a guy coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon with a 3.68 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 14.2 IP. And when you factor in the pedigree the Cubs would be adding to the back end of the bullpen on top of his expiring deal at the end of 2018, it would make the Cubs bullpen lethal in the postseason. There will be other suitors for Britton who could likely offer more in terms of prospects in return, but if the Cubs are serious about adding someone like Britton, they could always dip into their MLB roster and part with a Victor Caratini-type player. Infielder David Bote has also impressed with his surprise season, showing he can contribute in multiple roles. But the Cubs would be solving essentially two issues with one guy in Britton, with his ability to close and experience in late-inning situations while also replacing Mike Montgomery in the bullpen, who may be staying in the rotation longer than expected. He's also an upgrade over Brian Duensing, who has been ineffective this season, and Randy Rosario who seems more like smoke and mirrors and has never pitched in the postseason. Jed Hoyer did say earlier this week the Cubs will be adding depth before the trade deadline, but the asking price for arguably the best available reliever remaining on the market could end up being too rich for the Cubs to stomach. But it clearly won't stop them from at least weighing all options. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs relying on offense as starting pitchers come up short By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon has wondered aloud how long the Cubs offense can continue to carry an endurance-starved rotation. And despite another comeback Saturday night, the Cubs discovered how difficult that task can become without slugger Javier Baez and after a rare bullpen meltdown. The Cubs fell short of completing a doubleheader sweep of the Cardinals as Baez was ejected after striking out to end the fifth inning before the Cardinals rallied for five runs to pull away to a 6-3 victory and gain a split of their split doubleheader at Wrigley Field. In the first game, Tyler Chatwood again fell short of Maddon’s desire for six innings, as Chatwood walked six in 51/3 innings. But Chatwood allowed only one hit — the first of Matt Carpenter’s two home runs on the day — as the Cubs pulled away to a 7-2 victory over the Cardinals.

In the second game, Mike Montgomery posted only the fifth quality start from a Cubs pitcher since June 20. But the bullpen couldn’t hold a 3-1 lead, as Carpenter continued his power surge with a record-setting home run in the seventh off Randy Rosario. Pedro Strop allowed a game-tying single to Yairo Munoz in the eighth to make it 3-3. Paul DeJong’s tiebreaking double and Tommy Pham’s two-run double in the ninth gave the Cardinals the victory. Carpenter set a Cardinals record by hitting a home run in six consecutive games. But Maddon and Baez were baffled over the ejection by home plate umpire Will Little, who ruled that Baez swung at a third strike to end the fifth. Baez’s ejection loomed large when Munoz’s grounder eluded Ben Zobrist at second in the eighth, turning what could have been an inning-ending out into a key single. “I don’t think I said anything to disrespect anyone,” Baez said in a calm tone. “It was a pretty close call. I asked for (Little) to check with the umpire (crew chief Ted Barrett) at first. And (Little) didn’t say anything. I threw my helmet, and he threw me out from there.” Throwing equipment is accompanied by a fine that Maddon said was proper, but Baez and Maddon insisted no gestures were made to show up Little and necessitate the ejection. “I told him it was too close for him to call that,” Baez said. “And he said he had a good view on it. But that’s almost impossible to see it well right behind the catcher when you’re bending down behind him. We’re all human. One way or the other, it was going to be wrong for one of the teams.” A request for a statement from the umpires was not fulfilled. The need for a left-handed reliever, however, becomes greater as Carpenter hit his homer off Rosario and drew a leadoff walk in the ninth off Justin Wilson — both left-handers. For the second consecutive July, the Cubs have pursued left-hander Zach Britton of the Orioles, but one evaluator familiar with the Cubs’ farm system wondered if they had enough marquee talent to satisfy the Orioles. The Cubs traded nine prospects and reliever Adam Warren to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman, left-hander Jose Quintana, reliever Wilson and catcher Alex Avila over the two previous summers. Zobrist went 4-for-4 with a walk and collected singles in the Cubs’ two-run fifth and four-run seventh in the first game. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs squander lead, fall to Cardinals 6-3 in Game 2 of doubleheader By Mark Gonzales Mike Montgomery found his groove after shaking off rust following a nine-day layoff, but the Cubs blew a two-run lead and fell to the Cardinals 6-3 in the second game of Saturday’s split doubleheader at Wrigley Field.

Montgomery, who said he was fatigued at the end of the first half, recovered from a shaky first two innings and retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced. The Cubs took advantage of two walks by Greg Holland and an error by shortstop Paul DeJong to score twice and snap a 1-1 tie in the sixth. But the Cardinals chipped away as Matt Carpenter tied a franchise record by hitting a home run in his sixth consecutive game off Randy Rosario in the seventh, and Yairo Munoz hit a two-out single to score the tying run in the eighth. Justin Wilson opened the ninth by walking two batters, and DeJong came through with a tie-breaking double off Steve Cishek. Tommy Pham poked a two-run double for insurance. The Cubs played the final four innings without slugger Javier Baez, who was ejected by home plate umpire Will Little after spiking his bat and helmet in disgust after Little called him out on a checked swing that Baez believed Little should have asked for an appeal. Cubs manager Joe Maddon also was ejected. Anthony Rizzo went 4-for-5 from the leadoff spot. -- Chicago Tribune Four-run 7th vaults Cubs to 7-2 win over Cardinals By Mark Gonzales Cubs manager Joe Maddon spread the work as Kris Bryant and Addison Russell were out of the starting lineup for the first game of Saturday’s split doubleheader against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. “I didn’t want to wear (Bryant) out,” Maddon said of his third baseman, who returned July 11 after missing 16 games because of left shoulder inflammation. Without Bryant and Russell, the Cubs found a way to generate offense as they scored twice in the fifth inning and four times in the seventh to pull away to a 7-2 victory. Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Javier Baez hit consecutive singles off Luke Weaver to snap a 1-1 tie in the fifth. Mike Mayers replaced Weaver, and Kyle Schwarber followed with a sacrifice fly. In the seventh, Baez hit a 200-foot double down the left-field line to score Heyward. Victor Caratini hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly, and Tommy La Stella hit a two-run single with two out to cap the rally off left-hander Tyler Lyons. Tyler Chatwood walked six in 5 1/3 innings but limited the Cardinals to one hit — a home run by Matt Carpenter in the third — to earn his first win since May 11. Chatwood worked out of a bases-loaded jam by inducing Paul DeJong to ground back to the mound for a double play to end the fifth. The Cubs scored in the first on a triple by Anthony Rizzo and a double-play grounder by Heyward. La Stella, who pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief in the Cardinals’ 18-5 humbling of the Cubs on Friday, started at third base in place of Bryant. Baez shifted from second base to shortstop in place of Russell, and in the third he ranged far on the left-field grass, bobbled the ball but made a strong sidearm throw to retire Yadier Molina.

Newly acquired reliever Jesse Chavez pitched two scoreless innings to seal the win. Pitcher Luke Farrell was added to the roster as the 26th player for the doubleheader. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' top pick Nico Hoerner could return for Instructional League By Mark Gonzales All is not lost for Nico Hoerner, the Cubs’ first pick in the June amateur draft who will be sidelined for the rest of the summer because of a left elbow injury. Hoerner, who batted .327 (16-for-49) this summer at three minor-league affiliates, will be invited to participate in the team’s Instructional League in Arizona during the latter part of September, Jaron Madison, Cubs’ director of player development, confirmed Saturday. Hoerner, a shortstop, continued his ascent with Class A South Bend, where he batted .400 (6-for-15) with one home run in four games. Hoerner, 21, hurt his elbow while diving for a ball. Hoerner will start his rehabilitation on Monday in Arizona, Madison said. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Anthony Rizzo lights out from leadoff spot in doubleheader By Mark Gonzales Moving to the leadoff spot has helped slugger Anthony Rizzo snap out of an 0-for-19 slump as well as earn a new position in the Cubs’ lineup. Manager Joe Maddon changed his initial plans at the end of the first half and intends to keep Rizzo at the top “I just thought about it, and there was no reason to change right now,” Maddon said. Especially after Saturday’s split doubleheader at Wrigley Field. Rizzo led off Game 1 with a triple and drew three walks in the 7-2 victory over the Cardinals. In nightcap, he went 4-for-5 to lift his season average to .258 in the 6-3 loss. Rizzo is 13-for-24 with five doubles, one triple, seven walks and one hit by pitch in seven games since moving to the leadoff spot for a .636 on-base percentage. Rizzo has reached base safely to start the first in six consecutive games. Rizzo is the first Cubs player to reach base safely eight times in a doubleheader since Ivan DeJesus on July 7, 1979 against the Astros. “He’s having a lot of fun with it,” Maddon said. “He’s doing very well. And we’re doing well with it also.” --

Chicago Tribune Cubs decide extra rest is best for 'fatiguing' Jose Quintana By Mark Gonzales Jose Quintana will get extra rest, giving him an 11-day break before Sunday’s start against the Cardinals. “Normal fatigue,” Maddon said. “He just seemed to be fatiguing a bit – nothing awful.” Concern over Quintana’s arm was enough to push him back despite the fact that Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester made their first starts of the second half on normal four days’ rest. Maddon also said that the extended break allowed Quintana to work with pitching coach Jim Hickey on a couple of issues, specifically polishing a new grip on a changeup. Quintana returns after one of his most impressive starts, pitching six innings of three-hit ball in a 2-0 win over the Giants on July 10. The Cubs are in the midst of playing 12 games in 11 days, and they embark on a 23-game journey without a scheduled day off until Aug. 21. -- Chicago Tribune Jesse Chavez leads Cubs' cast of relief reinforcements By Mark Gonzales New Cubs pitcher Jesse Chavez made his long-awaited arrival Saturday morning and brought some perspective on his nine-team odyssey. A reporter asked if Chavez, 34, had expected to play for nine major league teams. “No,” Chavez replied. “I didn’t think it would be in nine years, either. “I’m just thankful to have a job. I just try to do my work, work hard and hopefully someone will take notice.” The Cubs did notice Chavez’s ability to start and relieve. However, manager Joe Maddon said Chavez won’t be an option to start Monday night’s game against the Diamondbacks. That decision will be influenced by how much of the bullpen is used during Saturday’s split doubleheader against the Cardinals. The Cubs added fresh reinforcements in addition to adding pitcher Luke Farrell as the 26th player for the doubleheader. Reliever Dillon Maples was promoted from Triple-A Iowa. Chavez and Maples take the roster spots of reliever Anthony Bass, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a mid-thoracic strain on the right side, and James Norwood, who was optioned to Iowa.

“With everything going on, we knew it was going to take several days,” Maddon said of the time needed for Bass to heal from an ailment near his shoulder. “We’ll back him off, give him the full 10 (days) and evaluate him at that point.” Maddon received many favorable reports on Chavez, who posted a 3.51 ERA in 30 appearances with the Rangers, striking out 50 and walking 12 in 56 1/3 innings before he was dealt for Class-A pitcher Rickey Thomas. “I don’t think he’s uncomfortable going somewhere else,” Maddon quipped. This marks Chavez’s first trip to Wrigley Field since 2010 with the Braves. He’s spent most of his career in the American League, but playing for the Cubs will give him another memento. “I try to keep a jersey and try and keep a (travel) bag every now and then,” Chavez said. “But you run out of space when you get so many bags.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Anthony Rizzo stays hot at top of order as Cubs split with Cardinals By David Just Anthony Rizzo isn’t the prototype for leadoff hitters, but you can’t argue with the results. Rizzo continued his white-hot run in the leadoff spot Saturday during the Cubs’ doubleheader, which they split with the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Rizzo reached base safely in eight of his 10 plate appearances. He went 1-for-2 with three walks, a triple and a run in the Cubs’ 7-2 victory in Game 1, then went 4-for-5 with an RBI in the 6-3 loss in Game 2. “He’s having a lot of fun with it and doing well, and we’re doing well, also,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Rizzo right now is into it, and he’s doing a good job.” Good is an understatement. Rizzo has been unstoppable since taking over the leadoff role July 13, starting seven consecutive games there. He’s 13-for-24 in those games with five doubles, a triple, an RBI, four runs and seven walks. His on-base percentage during that span is .636. During his eight-year career, Rizzo has at least 10 plate appearances in every spot of the batting order. And nowhere is he better than at leadoff in 97 plate appearances. He’s batting .367 lifetime with six home runs, two triples and 17 RBI. Maddon experimented with Rizzo in the leadoff spot last year, too, saying at the time: “We’ve actually had a better flow to the offense with him hitting there.” There was a great deal of drama in the nightcap, which got rowdy after plate umpire Will Little ejected Javy Baez following a called third strike on a check swing in the fifth inning. Baez tossed his bat and slammed his helmet, prompting his first career ejection. Maddon came out to argue and was ejected, as well. Most of the 41,244 fans booed Little throughout the next inning. Replays were inconclusive.

Maddon said the ejection was inappropriate and believed Little should have at least appealed to first-base umpire Ted Barrett. Baez agreed. “I told him it was too close for him to call that,” Baez said. “He said he had a good view on it. But it’s almost impossible to see it right behind the catcher when you’re bearing down behind him. We’re all human. Either way, it was going to be rough for one of the teams.” The Cubs had a break go their way an inning later. Shortstop Paul DeJong misplayed a routine double-play ball off the bat of Addison Russell, which opened the door to a three-run inning, including Rizzo’s RBI single. The 3-1 lead that the Cubs fought so hard to claim melted away, though. The Cardinals added a run in the seventh, another in the eighth and three in the ninth. The Cubs had at least one runner on base in every inning but only scored in the sixth. “We had great at-bats,” Maddon said. “It was just unfortunate that there was a lot of bad luck.” Rizzo and the offense smothered St. Louis in Game 1. The Cubs didn’t have any home runs, but they applied constant pressure to Cardinals pitchers and kept the defense off-balance. Rizzo set the table with a triple and scored in the first inning. Starter Tyler Chatwood walked six batters in 5„ innings but allowed only one run and came away with his first win since May 11. The Cubs have split all three of their doubleheaders this season. -- Chicago Sun-Times Jesse Chavez has perfect debut for Cubs, his ninth major-league team By David Just Jesse Chavez didn’t have any trouble adapting to his new Wrigley Field surroundings Saturday after being traded by the Rangers on Thursday. And why should he? In his 11-year career, he has been part of a midseason trade four times. The Cubs are the ninth major-league team he’ll pitch for after previous stints with Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Kansas City, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and both Los Angeles teams. He has been collecting souvenirs along the way. “I keep a jersey, try to keep a bag every now and then,” he said. “But you kind of run out of space when you get so many bags.” Chavez came on in the eighth inning of Game 1 for his Cubs debut, retiring all six batters he faced in two innings to polish off the 7-2 win. He needed only 21 pitches. The right-hander, who wears No. 43, has spent the bulk of his career as a middle and long reliever but served as a starter for two seasons with the Athletics and last season with the Angels. Chavez will stick to a relief role for the time being, said Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who sounded slightly awed by Chavez’s staying power in the majors.

“Guys like that who withstand the test of time are always interesting to me,” Maddon said. “The staying power is probably durability, not getting injured. And obviously having talent, and I think you wear well. He goes to different clubhouses, and he fits in so easily.” Chavez was 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 56„ innings with Texas this season. He has walked only 12 batters and struck out 51. He has come full circle since being drafted by the Cubs in the 39th round of the 2001 draft. He opted for college instead. The Rangers drafted him in 2002, signed him in 2003 and traded him to the Pirates in 2006. And despite all his travels, Chavez’s arrival at Wrigley on Saturday was the first time he’d been to the Friendly Confines since 2010. “It’ll be fun to get out there on the good side,” Chavez said. “We haven’t been here. I’ve been in the American League, and we’ve either had them come out or we’ve missed it. Or I got traded.” Bullpen moves Chavez wasn’t the only change on the Cubs’ roster. Right-hander Anthony Bass went on the 10-day disabled list with a right mid-thoracic strain, a back injury that was going to keep him sidelined at least a few games, Maddon said. Bass, who has made 16 appearances, is on the DL for the second time. The Cubs also recalled right-hander Dillon Maples from Class AAA Iowa and optioned righty James Norwood. Maples, 27, was 2-2 with seven saves and a 2.79 ERA in 30 relief appearances for Iowa. Another right-handed reliever, Luke Farrell, was added to the active roster as the 26th man for the doubleheader. -- Chicago Sun-Times How bad is Cubs’ Tyler Chatwood? So bad, they can’t stop winning when he pitches By Steve Greenberg The count was 2-0 to Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong. The bases were loaded with only one out. The score was 1-1. Not five innings into his 18th start of the season, Cubs pitcher Tyler Chatwood already had walked five — the 10th time he’d reached that dubious mark. Judging by the tension in the Wrigley Field stands, it sure felt like Chatwood was about to implode. First baseman Anthony Rizzo must’ve sensed this, too. He walked to the mound and told Chatwood an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play was but a pitch away. “And then we’re going to score some runs in the next inning,” Rizzo added. “So here you go.” DeJong swung at the next pitch and bounced back to Chatwood, who threw home to start what instead was a 1-2-3 double play.

“That’s the game,” manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s the game changer. That’s the seminal moment.” Then the Cubs scored twice in the bottom of the fifth for a 3-1 lead in a game — the first of a Saturday doubleheader — they went on to win 7-2. “I told [Rizzo] when we went back to the dugout, I said, ‘That’s the kind of captain meeting we needed,’ ” second baseman Ben Zobrist said. “He recognized something needed to be said, and he said it. Maybe it helped Chatty turn his attention a little bit in that moment, I don’t know.” Who could possibly know? Who could explain how it is that Chatwood leads all of baseball in walks — and actually has more of them (79) than strikeouts (78) — yet his team has won four straight games, and seven of the last nine, started by him? “You can’t change what happened in the past,” Chatwood said. “Obviously, I know I’ve walked a lot of people. But [if] you walk them and they don’t score, I guess it’s not really relevant.” That’s easy for him to say. Chatwood is displaying the worst command by a Cubs starter since Sam Jones, who was the last Cubs pitcher to have more walks before the All-Star break than Chatwood’s 73. When did Jones do that? Way back in 1955, when he was a 20-game loser (but you knew that already). Chatwood has basically been terrible since signing a three-year, $38 million deal with the Cubs in the offseason, and he was pretty poor again in start No. 18. Well, if you can call 5 1/3 innings of one-hit ball poor. Can you, when it also involves a half-dozen free passes and more balls (45) than strikes (40)? That’s a stat line one might expect a highly talented, yet still rough around the edges, high school pitcher to produce. “If he had given up six hits and walked one or two, then everybody’s more amenable to it,” Maddon said. “But he gave up one hit and walked [six]. So if you’re going to walk guys, you just can’t give up knocks. And that’s what he did today, and that’s why he was effective.” I’d argue with the man, but I don’t know if I could pull it off. This is as good a time as any to mention that the Cubs are at “war” with themselves. But let me explain, or try to. I rooted through a Fangraphs story like a raccoon in the night and planned to reference it heavily if Chatwood collapsed like a house of Cards against the Cardinals. Here’s a bit of what it said: “Only six clubs (the Orioles, Padres, Rangers, Reds, Royals and White Sox) have received less production from their rotation, and none of them are threatening to win a championship this year.” “The 3.0 WAR the Cubs’ rotation currently possesses is the team’s lowest first-half total going back to at least 1974.” “Tyler Chatwood has been a disaster.” The headline itself was a real grabber: “The Cubs Are on Pace for Their Worst Rotation Ever.”

I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to baseball analytics, but I know this: Cubs starting pitchers have the highest walk total in the National League and are second only to the White Sox in all of baseball. And only the Reds’ and Marlins’ rotations have thrown fewer innings. That’s bad, right? Maddon muses often lately about Kyle Hendricks getting his groove back, Jose Quintana kicking it into a higher gear, Yu Darvish being healthy and Chatwood pitching as though he has at least a vague notion of where the ball is going. Maybe all of it will happen. Maybe some of it won’t. “Selfishly, you want to pitch good and help the boys out,” Chatwood said. “But at the end of the day, all that matters is winning.” It must be true. -- Daily Herald Cubs split doubleheader with Cardinals By Bruce Miles There's nothing like two games -- for the price of two -- in one day to bring a couple of Cubs issues to light. The Cubs have been cruising along quite nicely of late, and they split a day-night doubleheader with the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, winning the early game 7-2 before losing 6-3 in the night game. Paul DeJong, a graduate of Antioch High School, doubled home the go-ahead run for St. Louis in the ninth inning of the second game, and Matt Carpenter hit his sixth home run of the series. The second game featured the Cubs' Javier Baez and manager Joe Maddon being ejected by home-plate umpire Will Little after Baez protested a checked-swing call to end the fifth. Baez threw his bat and helmet down after Little ruled he had swung and struck out. Maddon was tossed for coming out to argue for Baez. The offense has been transforming itself before our very eyes over the last month or so as the teachings of new hitting coach Chili Davis apparently are taking hold. At the behest of Maddon, the Cubs are leading the anti-launch-angle revolution, turning their backs on the home-run-or-strikeout approach for one that favors "moving the baseball," as the intrepid skipper likes to put it. That was evident in the first game, as Cubs batters rapped out 11 hits, none of them home runs. "Our guys are really starting to understand: It's not always about getting a hit. It's about not making an out, too," Maddon said. "I think that's what gets in the way of certain hitters who are unable to organize their strike zone or take a walk. You're so focused on getting a hit, and I know that's the objective. But sometimes the objective is to not make an out.

"Part of that concept, which Chili's trying to get across, is pass it along, pass it along, pass along. When you understand that, then you could have those swarming kind of games. The ball's not in the stands, but it's all over the map. You're putting pressure on the pitcher and on the defense, which we did. I'm really pleased with that." First baseman Anthony Rizzo, who has been jump-started once again in the leadoff spot, took that to heart as he opened the first inning with a triple and later scored. (Rizzo had 4 singles in the second game.) The Cubs put 4 across in the seventh inning, getting an RBI double from Javier Baez, a sacrifice fly from Victor Caratini and a 2-run single by Tommy La Stella. Also having a big day was veteran Ben Zobrist, who singled four times, walked once and scored 2 runs to up his batting average to .296. "That's what my game's about, whether I'm in the middle of the lineup, top, bottom, it doesn't matter," Zobrist said. "Get on base and let the other guys hit me in. Occasionally I'm going to hit guys in here or there. Really just find a way to help us score runs." The other faced of the Cubs' game worth watching is the starting pitching. Entering Saturday, the Cubs had gotten just 4 quality starts from June 20 compared with 21 non-quality starts. Tyler Chatwood came close in Game 1, as he worked 5⅓ innings, giving up just 1 hit. However, his command problems continued as he walked six (one intentionally), giving him 79 walks in 89⅓ innings while giving up 77 hits. Mike Montgomery gave the Cubs a quality start in the night game, working 6 innings and giving up 5 hits and a first-inning run. Maddon knows the Cubs are not always going to be able to hit their way past short starts, to say nothing of the strain it puts on the bullpen. "I've been thinking about that," Maddon said. "It's hard. It's almost impossible to hit your way to the last game of the year. The tried and true method I've always been involved with has been the pitching and the defense. And then you get your hitting in there. We do need to get it straightened out. We can't keep putting that much emphasis on the bullpen, that many innings on the bullpen. Six-plus is what we need to start getting out of these guys to make this work." On the ejections, Maddon was upset because he felt Baez should have been fined, but not tossed. "He had no reason to kick him out," he said. "He didn't say anything to him. I watched the video. If you throw stuff, that's a fine. Fine him. That's what I said. Fine him. You cannot kick him out right there. He did nothing to be kicked out of that game. He did throw his stuff, but he didn't say anything derogatory toward the umpire." -- Daily Herald Reliever Chavez does well in Chicago Cubs debut By Bruce Miles Relief pitcher Jesse Chavez arrived at Wrigley Field Saturday, joining his ninth major-league team after the Cubs obtained him late Thursday in a trade with the Texas Rangers.

He was asked about being on nine teams. "I didn't think it would be nine years, either," he replied. Actually, the 34-year-old right-hander has been in the big leagues for parts of 11 seasons. He originally was a 39th-round pick of the Cubs in 2001 (when they chose Mark Prior in the first round), but he did not sign. He signed with the Rangers the next year after being taken in the 42nd round. This year with the Rangers, he was 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA and a WHIP of 1.24 with 50 strikeouts 12 walks in 56⅓ innings. Chavez made his Cubs debut in Game 1 of Saturday's day-night doubleheader, a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. He worked the final two innings, pitching perfect ball, striking out one and getting four groundball outs. The Cubs will use Chavez out of the bullpen, but he has made 70 starts in his career. Manager Joe Maddon has cited Chavez's versatility as a strong point. "I guess versatility is just being able to bounce back and being able to go multiple innings without being built up like a starter is," Chavez said. "Normally you would be at this point of the year. "I like starting just because you get the repetition and stuff like that. Relieving, the adrenaline, the situation is what gets you going a little bit. It's kind of different." The Cubs will need a starter for Monday night's series opener against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. But Chavez won't be that guy, according to Maddon. "He comes with great recommendations regarding (being a) teammate, personality, that kind of stuff," the manager said. "So I had an easy conversation with him, very easily engaged, engaging young man." More roster moves: The Cubs made a flurry of roster moves Saturday. In addition to adding Jesse Chavez to the roster, they placed reliever Anthony Bass on the 10-day disabled list with a right mid-thoracic strain. Reliever Dillon Maples was recalled from Class AAA Iowa, and reliever James Norwood was optioned to Iowa. Right-handed pitcher Luke Farrell was added to the roster as the 26th man for the day-night doubleheader. Applause, applause: After one flashy play by shortstop Javier Baez in Game 1 of the doubleheader, second baseman Ben Zobrist applauded from his spot on the infield. "I think part of you just wants to get caught up just because he's so much fun to watch, especially that one where he bobbled it in short left field and still threw Yadi (Molina) out," Zobrist said. "It was like, 'Come on, that just doesn't happen.' You kind of sit back in those moments and try to really take it in a little bit before you turn the page. I was talking to (umpire) Teddy Barrett out there at second base, just about sometimes it's just amazing to stand out there and get to watch that from a few feet away. It's pretty cool." --

The Athletic Sources: Cubs targeting Zach Britton as trade deadline approaches By Patrick Mooney The Cubs have been tracking Zach Britton and remain deeply involved in the discussions as the Baltimore Orioles market their high-profile reliever before the July 31 trade deadline, multiple sources told The Athletic. As a big-market team with resources and an aggressive front office, the Cubs are sometimes linked to seemingly every free agent and every available player mentioned on MLB Trade Rumors. Team officials say the Cubs aren’t planning to “go nuts” and point out that they already have almost an entire pitching staff in place for next season. Acquiring super-utility pitcher Jesse Chavez from the Texas Rangers will help the Cubs get through Saturday’s Wrigley Field doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals and a challenging second-half schedule. But the Cubs also showed real interest in Britton last summer and still need reinforcements with closer Brandon Morrow on the disabled list. While the Cubs are operating under the belief that Morrow’s right biceps inflammation is an issue that can be managed with rest — and won’t morph into a long-term injury concern — Britton would give Joe Maddon’s bullpen a different left-handed look plus more ninth-inning experience (139 career saves). The Cubs might need that kind of insurance while carefully monitoring Morrow, who already spent time on the disabled list in June with back spasms and pitched in 14 out of 15 playoff games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. There are questions about how far the Cubs are willing to extend themselves for a rental pitcher after a series of win-now deals thinned their farm system. It’s not clear if the Cubs could win an all-out bidding war for Britton while competing against contending teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. The Orioles also have an unusual power structure that just executed the 5-for-1 Manny Machado trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the All-Star break. Sensing Baltimore’s internal tension, the Cubs didn’t want to drag out the Britton negotiations too long last year and ultimately pivoted to the Detroit Tigers to obtain lefty reliever Justin Wilson and rental catcher Alex Avila, finalizing that deal on the night of July 30/the morning of July 31. In theory, both sides should have a general understanding of expectations. The Cubs have an extensive scouting report on Britton, a two-time All-Star who ruptured his right Achilles tendon last December. The Orioles should already know what the Cubs can offer for the next phases of their Camden Yards rebuild. Seven months removed from surgery, Britton may not be the same pitcher who finished fourth in the 2016 American League Cy Young Award voting after posting 47 saves and a 0.54 ERA. But since rejoining the Baltimore bullpen in the middle of June, Britton has allowed zero runs in 13 out of 15 appearances while putting up 13 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. Britton, a Scott Boras client, is positioned to become a free agent after this season, though the Cubs aren’t necessarily looking to get a jump on their winter shopping, the way they acquired José Quintana from the White Sox last summer.

The 2019 Cubs appear to be largely set with reasonable club options on Quintana and Pedro Strop, arbitration years coming for Kyle Hendricks, Mike Montgomery and Carl Edwards Jr., long-term deals for Jon Lester and Yu Darvish, plus Morrow, Tyler Chatwood, Steve Cishek, Brian Duensing and Drew Smyly already under contract for next season. Remember: The Cubs don’t have room for all the pitchers they’ll get linked to in the next 10 days and it will have to be an upgrade. Something else to monitor: Pitching coach Jim Hickey recently told WSCR-AM 670, the team’s flagship radio station, that Quintana has been dealing with “shoulder fatigue” and the Cubs purposely rearranged their rotation so the lefty would have an extended All-Star break. When Quintana faces the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon, it will have been almost two full weeks since his last start. While assessing their needs, the Cubs are banking on Quintana to deliver another strong second-half performance. “Just tired stuff,” Maddon said. “He just seemed to be fatigued a bit. Nothing awful. Just give him a couple extra days and the other part was to really work on the method of the changeup.” The Cubs have the National League’s best record, a large group of players with extensive postseason experience and a good clubhouse vibe. If not Britton, the Cubs could make a smaller bet on their pro scouting expertise/pitching infrastructure, the way Montgomery wound up getting the final out in the 2016 World Series. The Cubs did their due diligence but never made the New York Mets an offer for rental closer Jeurys Familia, according to a source familiar with the team’s deliberations. Familia — who finished all four games as the Mets swept the Cubs out of the 2015 NLCS — is now heading to the Oakland A’s for two minor-league players and $1 million in international slot money. The Cubs looked into the circumstances surrounding Familia’s 15-game suspension last season under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. After notching 51 saves during the 2016 season, Familia got arrested that fall after an incident at his New Jersey home, though his wife ultimately helped convince the prosecution to drop the charge. The Cubs review these situations on a case-by-case basis. In the summer of 2016, Aroldis Chapman was an exceptional talent at an extraordinary time in franchise history. The Cubs did the risk/reward analysis and made that blockbuster deal with the Yankees after Chapman served a 30-game suspension under the same domestic violence policy. After going 108 years between World Series titles, the Cubs think they can win another one in 2018. Britton might be the missing piece to their next championship team. --