At the moment, the Chicago Cubs are 70-62 in the midst of a steady regular season. Club management may be looking to shift the team ahead. Those watching closely see a need to bolster the team’s firepower on the mound. As of yesterday, the Angels put five staple players on waivers. This includes Lucas Giolitto, several relief pitchers, along with outfielders Renfroe and Grichuk.

As of late, Giolitto season has been hit or miss. Will the veteran find chemistry in Chicago? These players have yet to be spoken for, and the official trade deadline was August 1. However, clubs have until the postseason roster deadline, the end of August, to exchange players.

The Angels may use this in order to consolidate finances by unloading players’ salaries. While the Cubs will use this as an opportunity to augment the roster as the postseason looms. Other pitchers on waivers include Detroit Tigers’s Jose Cisnero and Mets’ Carlos Carrasco. Speculation will continue until next month.

The Cubs have gone 7-3 in their past 10 games and beaten their division rivals Milwaukee Brewers in their past two games. The Brewers lead the NL Central Division with a 74-59 record, with the Cubs now only three games back at 71-62. The Cincinnati Reds are three games behind the Cubs and six back of the Brewers, having a 69-66 record. The Pirates are in fourth with a 60-73 record, and the Cardinals are in fifth with a 58-76 record.

In the rest of the National League, the NL East leading Braves have the best overall record at 86-45, which gives them a 13-game division lead over the second place Philadelphia Phillies. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the NL West with an 82-49 record, which gives them a current 14-game division lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Phillies, Cubs, and Diamondbacks have the three NL Wild Card spots right now, with the Giants tied with the Diamondbacks for the last spot, the Reds only a game back, and the Marlins 2.5 games back. While the Cubs are currently in playoff position, they are only two games ahead of the Diamondbacks and Giants. The Cubs will be looking to make some moves to ensure that they make the playoffs and to potentially try to catch up to the Brewers to win the NL Central.

There are still 29 games left in the MLB regular season and a lot can happen in this number of games. It will be a very exciting rest of the season and 2023 Playoffs, with the final standings still to be determined.

The Cubs will be hoping to either get a Wild Card spot or win their division in order to give themselves the best chance to win the 2023 World Series. They last won the World Series in 2016, when they beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games.