Brett and Michael are back for the thirty-first episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! With the postseason right around the corner, the guys cover a number of key injury and pitching storylines.

Kyle Tucker could return as soon as this weekend in a DH role after meeting with his personal PTs in Tampa, but questions remain about whether he’ll be at full strength. Cade Horton’s status for the Wild Card round is also up in the air, with the Cubs potentially considering resting him if they can get through the opening series in two games—giving him added rest ahead of the NLDS. Meanwhile, Michael Boyd delivered a “decent” outing the day after Horton’s back issue surfaced, adding some intrigue to the rotation plan.

In the bullpen, Daniel Palencia has returned quickly from a shoulder strain and looked sharp, but will Craig Counsell immediately give him the closer role back? Michael Soroka has also continued to impress out of the bullpen—his latest one-inning burst showed how dominant he can be when pounding the zone. The guys also talk through what the back end of the Cubs’ bullpen should look like as the team gears up for October.

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Brett and Michael are back for the thirtieth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! The Cubs have officially clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2020 after sweeping the Pirates, and the guys reflect on how far this roster has come. They debate whether this team has the pieces to make a deep October run and what a realistic championship path looks like.

They also break down the projected playoff rotation, how the Cubs will set it up, and the confidence level in the arms leading the way. Matthew Boyd’s recent struggles are also on the table—after making hitters look foolish earlier in the season, his command has been shaky, his wildness has crept up, and his whiff rate has fallen dramatically.

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Brett and Michael are back together for the twenty-ninth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! The Cubs dropped their series to the Nationals and opened the Braves set with another loss, pushing their skid to three games. Still, they remain the only team in baseball without a four-game losing streak this season and hold the fifth-best record overall.

The guys talk about the Cubs’ inability to capitalize while the Brewers have been scuffling, and how regression has hit the offense—especially with runners in scoring position and a lack of home run production. They also dig into Seiya Suzuki’s second-half power drought (just one homer in nearly two months) despite strong underlying hard-hit metrics.

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Brett is flying solo for the twenty-eighth episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law)! He recaps a strong stretch of baseball for the Cubs, including series wins over both the Rockies at Coors Field and the Braves at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs have widened their Wild Card lead thanks to some stumbles by the Padres, but the main spotlight goes to Cade Horton. His second half has been outstanding, with strikeouts climbing, walks falling, and a run that’s drawing comparisons to Jake Arrieta’s legendary 2015 second-half surge. Brett digs into Horton’s Rookie of the Year chances and what his emergence means for the rotation.

Also on the docket: Kyle Tucker leaving the second Braves game early with calf tightness. The hope is it’s nothing more than precautionary, with Tucker likely to return by Friday.

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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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