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After clinching a postseason berth against the Pittsburgh Pirates last Wednesday, reality hit the Chicago Cubs in the face over the weekend as the team was swept by the Cincinnati Reds. Entering the final week of the regular season, the Cubs are still angling for the top National League Wild Card spot, but their series against the Reds was a reminder of something they aren't quite facing this week: playing playoff-style games.
The Reds are fighting for their postseason lives, and as Jameson Taillon reminded everyone, games like the ones the Cubs had over the weekend are the norm this time of year.
“Playing teams now that are fighting for their lives,” Taillon said, “that’s what every game in the playoffs looks like. It’s just understanding that’s the level we have to be at, intensity-wise. I think it’s probably good to see right now.”
Cubs fans can’t ignore Jameson Taillon’s brutal playoff truth
The Cubs looked lifeless over the weekend, and even though they have a spot in the postseason locked up, the team is missing urgency as they head into the final week of the regular season. Considering the postseason implications at stake, now is not the time for the Cubs to take their foot off the gas pedal.
As of this writing, the Cubs have a three-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the top Wild Card spot. It remains likely that the Cubs will be playing the Padres at Wrigley Field in the National League Wild Card round. The Reds and New York Mets are tied for the final spot. As the Cubs found out over the weekend, the Reds can be a dangerous team in a short series.
Taillon's words of wisdom certainly may come into play for the Cubs once again this week. Before ending the season with a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cubs host the Mets for a three-game set this week. Like the Reds, the Mets are fighting for their lives, and if the Cubs fall asleep at the wheel like they did this weekend, they suddenly could be facing a reality where they are on the road to open the season.