Cubs reliever Mike Montgomery exited Monday's game against the Astros before even throwing a single pitch after possibly popping a blood vessel in his finger, but he thinks he'll be OK.
Can the champs plug a gaping hole in their pen? Will a pair of NL upstarts upgrade? How about a new ace in the Bronx? We've got one week to find out.
If Jacob deGrom hits the trade market, Chicago would have to deal from its major league roster to get him. Would the big addition be worth the price?
"The majority of our answers lie within," Cubs general manager Theo Epstein said in talking about the needs of the team heading towards the trade deadline.
Reliever Pedro Strop called the Cubs' fourth straight loss to the last-place Reds "a tough one to swallow" after a move to the bullpen once again backfired. Cincinnati's four-game sweep was its first against the Cubs since 1983.
Injuries to Brandon Morrow and Carl Edwards Jr., plus a tough stretch of games, will put fill-in relievers such as Randy Rosario to the test.
