The Cubs left no doubt by coming out of the All-Star break and losing two must-have series against real playoff contenders.

Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic break down Jed Hoyer’s confirmation that the front office won’t be adding rental players for a postseason push, and question Craig Counsell’s take on the trade deadline now that he’s working for a big-market team.

With relief pitchers already expected to be on the move, what the Cubs do with Jameson Taillon might be the most revealing part of this entire deadline.

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After 100-plus games, the Cubs do not envision a scenario in which they become buyers at the trade deadline. But does that actually mean selling? Which players and teams could be in play at the end of July? And where do Jed Hoyer and Craig Counsell stand amid this disappointing season?

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers always has interesting answers, national perspective and a local spin on topics. He joins Patrick Mooney for a look behind the scenes at Wrigley Field, where they still draw crowds of 40,000, win or lose. That might be part of the problem.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory. And submit any questions you’d like answered for potential use in an upcoming mailbag episode!

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Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

With the All-Star break about to end, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic sit down to preview the second half of this up-and-down season and offer a few predictions on what’s ahead. The storylines inevitably revolve around Craig Counsell, a manager who is definitely not on the hot seat but also hasn’t made a huge mark on the team yet.

Shota Imanaga and Christopher Morel are among the players to watch in crunch time. There are legitimate reasons for optimism, as well as real concerns about whether the bullpen and the offense will show up for the stretch run. Expected stats and well-thought-out plans don’t matter anymore. The Cubs need wins fast.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory. And submit any questions you’d like answered in a future mailbag episode.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

With the draft over and the trade deadline approaching, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney zoom out to discuss how the Cubs landed on first-round pick Cam Smith out of Florida State, and what the front office is thinking at this moment.

The Chicago-based beat writers for The Athletic also get into whether Moises Ballesteros could make his major-league debut this year. Other names on their radar include top prospects Matt Shaw, James Triantos and Cade Horton.

Who could help this year? And who might be mentioned in trade talks?

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory. And submit any questions you’d like answered in a future mailbag episode.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

A 5-2 road trip through Baltimore and St. Louis at least temporarily delayed any serious talks about a sell-off at the trade deadline.

Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic are having the same kinds of conversations that are happening around the team and in the front office, wondering whether this is real or a mirage.

No one truly knows what direction the Cubs will take, but at least they’ve given themselves a chance.

And any team that’s this close to a playoff spot has to be thinking about adding.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory.

Submit any questions you’d like answered in a future mailbag episode.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

The Cubs still have to go through four games against the Cardinals – including a doubleheader at Busch Stadium – before the All-Star break.

How the Cubs perform could have a major impact on how the front office proceeds at the trade deadline. Katie Woo of The Athletic is so good at explaining The Cardinal Way, the pressure in St. Louis and the potential cracks in the franchise’s foundation.

She joins Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney for a checkup on the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory. And submit any questions you’d like answered in an upcoming mailbag episode.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

Shota Imanaga is a joy to watch, as Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

The rest of the team? Not so much. In fact, Colten Brewer broke his hand while punching a Wrigley Field dugout wall in frustration. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney try to make sense of it all before a tough road trip ahead of the All-Star break.

The Cubs need to rack up wins before the trade-deadline plans are finalized.

Please leave this podcast page a rating and review so that more people discover North Side Territory. And submit any questions you’d like answered for potential use in a future mailbag episode.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.

Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/foul. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1.