Cubs On Tap - Full Steam Ahead

Joey Ricotta, Tyler Edmonds, and Nick Hudson (audio only — Big Nick Energy) recap a series win over Atlanta with nine games left and playoff baseball right around the corner.

The Cubs took two of three from the Braves at Wrigley. Starters were fine. The bullpen made all three games feel like a seatbelt. David Peterson threw six shutout innings in Game 1 and carved up Olson and Acuña before the eighth got loud. Shota Imanaga bounced back with six innings, one run, eight punchouts, no walks in an 8–4 Game 3. In between: Kevin Gausman exits, Danny Palumbo gets the out, Jacob Webb comes in, and the group is done pretending Webb is the closer. Zeferjahn’s stuff is still there when it isn’t flat. Edward Cabrera’s 99 gets smoked up in the zone. Shelby Miller getting shut down with this bullpen is the move they can’t explain.

Then the good stuff. Pete Crow-Armstrong went yard twice, passed Billy Williams’ 42 homers, then passed himself. The guys put it against Sosa ’98 and call this the best Cubs season they’ve watched — defense, speed, and he’s dragging a thin pitching staff. Alex Bregman almost hit for the cycle and has been a different player since July. Pedro Ramírez’s work at second doesn’t get buried just because Dansby Swanson is due back Friday against Cincinnati.

With nine games left, they argue who’s actually the most important Cub the rest of the way (Rolison, Palumbo, not PCA), whether 40/40 matters more than 50 bombs, first wild card vs. ducking Milwaukee, and how you handle a Reds series at Great American: Holmes–Burns, Boyd–Lodolo, Peterson–Lowder. Fly the W: Happ, Suzuki, Carson Kelly. Soak it in. FTR. Go Cubs.

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