Brett and Michael are back for the twenty-seventh episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! They discuss the rocky start to the Giants series, including Matthew Boyd’s rough outing despite San Francisco’s struggles against lefties leading into the matchup.

The guys also dive into the subtle shift in expectations as the Cubs pivot from chasing the NL Central crown to focusing on locking up the top Wild Card spot. Despite offensive regression and continued struggles at the plate—both for Michael Busch individually and the lineup as a whole—the Cubs still hold the fifth-best record in baseball and have avoided the kind of collapse that can sink a season. They wrap up with some positives too, including the sweep of the Angels.

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Brett and Michael are back for the twenty-sixth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! They recap a pivotal stretch against the Brewers, where the Cubs took three of five games and showed plenty of reasons to believe they’re the stronger club—even if the standings still lean Milwaukee’s way.

The guys dig into why the Brewers seem to consistently out-perform their roster on paper and compare what they’ve seen across the 13 head-to-head matchups so far. They also discuss Kyle Tucker getting a short mental break amidst his slump, the revelation that he’s been playing with a hand fracture, and his quick return to the lineup after two days off.

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Brett and Michael are back for the twenty-fifth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! The guys react to Miguel Amaya’s ankle injury—suffered in his first game back from months on the Injured List—which thankfully came back as a sprain with no fracture.

They also talk about Owen Caissie’s call-up in the wake of Amaya’s injury, how he fits into the Cubs’ lineup, and his arrival in the middle of a scorching hot stretch at the plate in Triple-A. The conversation also includes how Kyle Tucker’s high on-base percentage is still helping the Cubs despite his current slump, and why getting his bat going is key for the second half.

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Brett and Michael are back for the twenty-fourth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law), and they’re joined once again by Dave from Feldco!

The guys react to what felt like a disappointing trade deadline for the Cubs and evaluate the state of the team heading into August. Despite the lack of big moves, the Cubs remain one of just two teams in baseball who have yet to be swept this season.

They also highlight how key bats finally came alive in the final game of the Reds series after a frustrating stretch in clutch spots, take a look at Willi Castro’s defensive versatility since joining the team, and continue to track Cade Horton’s promising development—including his rising strikeout rate and improved command inside the zone.

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=============================

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Brett and Michael are back for the twenty-second episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! They break down the Cubs’ series loss to the Royals and reflect on the team’s recent .500-level play, which has allowed the Brewers to continue closing the gap in the NL Central.

With the trade deadline approaching, the guys also dig into some of the names being floated around and what kinds of moves might make sense for this roster. Finally, they preview the big upcoming three-game set against Milwaukee with the division lead potentially on the line.

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=============================

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Brett and Michael are back for the twenty-first episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! They kick things off with a quick recap of the All-Star Game—including the swing-off finale—and explain why that particular twist has no place in the regular season.

They also highlight Pete Crow-Armstrong embracing his status as a role model and how Kyle Tucker’s deadpan, low-energy All-Star presence was accidentally hilarious.

From there, they talk replay review process tweaks, take stock of the Cubs roster heading into the second half, and reflect on the team’s surprising first-half success—owning the third-best record in baseball despite major rotation injuries.

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Brett and Michael are back for the twentieth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! The Cubs wrapped up their week with a dominant 8-1 win over the Twins and an unforgettable Fourth of July performance, crushing eight home runs in an 11-3 win over the Cardinals—a new franchise record.

They spotlight Michael Busch’s red-hot stretch, including his three-homer game and co-NL Player of the Week honors, and discuss how he’s finally getting national attention alongside bigger Cubs names like PCA and Kyle Tucker.

Also on deck: the NL Central race is tightening up. The Brewers have surged with a sweep of the Dodgers and a month of winning baseball, but the Cubs still hold a schedule advantage in the second half.

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Brett and Michael are back for the nineteenth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! They check in on the ongoing Guardians series and recap a tough road stretch that included a series loss in Houston and a split in St. Louis.

The guys revisit the Kyle Tucker trade, particularly in light of Cam Smith’s breakout with the Astros, and what that deal looks like now. Plus, the Cubs are sending two starters—Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong—to the All-Star Game for the first time in six years, and the conversation shifts to which other Cubs could still join them as reserves.

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=============================

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