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The Chicago Cubs reached the .500 mark on the season for the first time since June when they defeated the Miami Marlins.
As the adage goes for a struggling Major League Baseball team, "Talk to me once you get back to .500". The Cubs have flailed at that opportunity time after time in recent weeks, and on Sunday, with the Atlanta Braves continuing to show signs of freefalling, the Cubs had the opportunity to not only sweep the Marlins, moving one game above .500 on the season but also make up serious ground in the National League Wild Card race.
Instead, the Cubs' 7-2 loss to the Marlins on Sunday moved them back below the .500 mark on the season. Entering play on Monday, with a record of 65-66, the Cubs are 5.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot in the National League with four teams ahead of them.
Sunday's efforts by the Cubs is the latest deflating moment in a season that has been nothing but irritation after an 18-12 start. It's also the reason why Bleacher Report has the Cubs as one of the biggest disappointments of the 2024 MLB season.
Maybe they were never technically favored to win the NL Central, but their trend in that direction was clear enough. Not just in context of their improvement from 71 wins to 74 wins to 83 wins across the three prior years, but also that of their aggressive offseason spending.
We would counter the idea that the Cubs were aggressive in their offseason spending. Waiting for Cody Bellinger's market to fall to them and an advantageous deal with Shota Imanaga does not translate to aggressive, but the point remains: the Cubs have to be one of the most disappointing teams in all of Major League Baseball this season.
Can the Cubs shed their disappointing label during the final month of the season?
Too much damage has been done for the Cubs to avoid being viewed as a disappointment this season. The National League Central isn't within the Cubs' reach and even if they sneak into the postseason, it speaks more about the parity in the National League than it does the Cubs being competent.