The Cubs head west to play the Giants and Diamondbacks still in first place by half-a-game. Willson Contreras is still on fire at the plate. It is difficult to ponder how bad the series with Arizona and Washington might have been without his bat, but the fact is they still lost both series. It is also the case they probably should have won them were it not for bullpen issues.
The Thursday loss to Arizona was a weird game in which the Cubs game back to tie the score only to lose it in the ninth when Wade Davis gave up two home runs. I suppose this is going to happen every once in a while. Davis is certainly among the best closers in the league and he is entitled to blow a game every once in a while.
Edwards is another story altogether. He has just been awful lately. Either he cannot throw strikes or he gets hammered. I know he has electric stuff and all that and I know that Maddon thinks he is great, but it is probably time to think about giving him a breather or changing his role. Sunday's game was a disaster.
It's likely that the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Nationals will be the playoff teams in the NL. What with the Dodger running away with the West, the Cubs are likely to face the Nationals in the first round of the playoffs. I think the teams are evenly matched right now. I also think the Cubs can survive that round, but the odds on getting to the Series based on current trends seem slim.
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