Yahoo Sports senior MLB analyst Jake Mintz is joined by Dani Wexelman to discuss Chicago’s return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and why there’s still reason to be optimistic despite struggles in the second half of the season.
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Video Transcript
This has been quite a season for the Chicago Cubs, reaching the playoffs where they belong.
It is their first playoff appearance since the short 2020 season, the first playoff appearance under Jed Hoyer.
They are going to win 90 games, they’re going to host in the playoffs.
Congratulations to the Cubs.
First of all, October and Chicago and Wrigley go hand in hand.
So, the postseason is already good.
It’s even better now.
That’s number one.
Congratulations, like that you make the postseason great by hosting baseball.
So, so that’s my first point.
My second point is this is a team.
It’s so fun to watch, but somehow has become forgotten because technically in the second half, they have stunk it up.
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It is true, they have.
Somehow though, they haven’t relinquished their wild card spot.
So even if they’ve struggled in the second half, even if Pedro Alvarado hasn’t been himself and say Suzuki and the Kyle Tucker drama that’s been going on, those guys haven’t been themselves, they still haven’t wavered in their wild card spot.
So that tells me.
The bones are strong.
The starting pitching has gotten better.
Keston Hiura, hello!
Unbelievable what he’s done, right?
Matthew Boyd, who I know has struggled a little more in the second half, still been really good this season.
Jameil and Tony, who’s coming along right now.
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There’s a lot to love about this team.
So to see Chicago back in the postseason, I think is a huge deal.
And also, do you think Craig Counsell probably had a little sigh of relief after last year, right?
He comes over from Milwaukee.
He’s supposed to save the Cubs, and it doesn’t work.
In fact, it was a crash and burn last year.
And so this year I saw him talking, I think they were in Cincinnati.
He said that, you know, the old guys went home early, the young guys stayed out to party, and I bet he’s never been happier to say a sentence like that.