(670 The Score) The Cubs hoped for a second-half surge after the All-Star break, the chance to charge back into contention in the division race. Instead, they dropped two out of three to the Red Sox over the weekend at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs stand at 43-49 and eight games back of first place in the National League Central as they open a three-game series with the Nationals on Monday night at Wrigley Field. Jon Heyman, MLB insider for Audacy Sports and the New York Post, told the Mully & Haugh Show that the Cubs are still uncertain of whether they will buy or sell prior to MLB's Aug. 1 trade deadline.
"They're right on the bubble," Heyman said. "I mean, they could go either way. They're a little below .500 but in that division, they're still in the race. I don't see them grabbing a wild card, but if they get hot they could steal that division. I do think they are better than their record. I think they've played better than their record. They're a little bit unlucky.
"Wait for 12, 13 days, and they'll figure it out from there. I would say they would probably lean sell, but at this point it could go either way."
The Cubs are playing a stretch prior to the trade deadline that could ultimately shape their direction. They play these next 13 games against teams with losing records, starting with this three-game series with the Nationals and a four-game home series with the last-place Cardinals.
The Cubs feature enticing trade chips such as right-hander Marcus Stroman and center fielder Cody Bellinger.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said on Friday afternoon that his front office is still evaluating which direction to go at the trade deadline.
"We have had a lot of internal talk during the break,'' Hoyer said. "I will not give you our exact criteria but we are trying to make decisions in the best educated way possible. We don't want to use emotion or one day's loss or one day's win to dictate the direction. That is the most important thing. We do need to make up ground first and make up ground on .500.
"You do try and study trends from past seasons during this time. You look and see how much this decision and that decision really affect a teams play and results. We are making decisions based on this year, but obviously you want to learn from the past. We try to keep learning what other teams have done in similar positions. How much those decisions swung their odds in different ways. There is not just one way for a club to run a deadline. The important thing is to be clear headed and decisive when you make the decisions."
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