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Since sweeping the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 22-24, the Cubs have gone 4-5. Among their issues is the second half offensive fade suffered by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Remember when PCA was one of the NL’s breakout stars? Those were good times.

Armstrong his .312 with a .952 OPS back in April and he followed that by batting .269 with an .888 OPS in May. Combined with his spectacular defense in center field and ability to wreak havoc on the bases, that strong offensive start made him one of the most compelling performers in the sport.

Ah, but 162 games is a grind -- as many Cardinals can attest – and Armstrong has been feeling it.

Armstrong is hitting .212 with a .624 OPS since the All-Star break. Since Aug, 1he has hit just .163 with only five extra-base hits and five walks to 29 strikeouts.

Armstong went 6-for-35 on the Cubs’ recent road swing before manager Craig Counsell put him on the bench for two straight games.

“We're giving him a real break,� Counsell explained before his team took a 5-1 powder against the Atlanta Braves. “Just to give him a physical and mental break and then going into the last 3½ weeks of the season, hopefully a little bit refreshed.�

Light-hitting Willi Castro drew the getaway day start in center field for the Cubs against the Braves. With Kyle Tucker shelved by calf tightness, Seiya Suzuki played right field.

The Cubs had Thursday off ahead of their three-game opportunity against the lowly Washington Nationals, so Counsell is hoping for a reset for Armstrong and his teammates.

Writing for , Bradford Doolittle reiterated that the Small Bears could have done more ahead of the trade deadline:

Chicago's quiet deadline rankled pundits, and the reaction hasn't softened given the struggles of the few additions the Cubs did make, and the ongoing distance between them and the Brewers in the National League Central. The Cubs might want to stop trading for infielders at the deadline. Last year, they picked up Isaac Paredes, who flailed as a Cub, then moved on and went back to his typical self this year with the Astros. This time, Willie Castro has gone from an above-average hitter with Minnesota to borderline unplayable with the Cubs, at least at the dish, as part of Chicago's overall offensive slide.

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while Nolan Gorman finally settles in at third base for the Cardinals:

• Will the Cardinals be able to locate a Nick Kurtz of their very own some day?
• Will enduring ex-Cardinal Shelby Miller return to Our National Pastime in 2027 after still another Tommy John surgery?
• Do the Yankees pay Aaron Boone by the ejection?

TALKIN’ BASEBALL

Here is what folks are writing about Our National Pastime:

Gabe Lacques, USA Today: “With just 23 to 25 games left, it's past time for teams to make a move, and with the calendar flipping and two extra roster spots available, a contender gasping for air isn't above calling on a rookie for help. So welcome to Cincinnati, Sal Stewart, and say hello to Seattle, Harry Ford. The top prospects arrived with the 28-man roster and in Stewart's case, there was no time to wait around. He keyed a two-run rally with his first major league hit Sept. 1 and, even though the diamond is crowded in Cincy, he told reporters he'll play ‘the batter's box.’ Hey, the Reds will take any help they can get. A modest two-game winning streak -- capped by a walk-off win over Toronto -- ended a funk of eight losses in 10 games and kept them within four games of the Mets for the National League's final wild-card berth.�

Adam McCalvy, : “Ever since [Jacob] Misiorowski took MLB by storm in June and early July, including a history-making appearance in the All-Star Game, nothing has come easy for the 23-year-old. There was a planned break in July, then an unscheduled break in early August when a comebacker off the right shin sent Misiorowski to the injured list. In six starts since the break, he has a 6.45 ERA and has not pitched beyond the fifth inning. Still, the Brewers plan to use Misiorowski as a starter -- “We need him as a starter right now,” manager Pat Murphy said -- and hope to get him on track in time to be a weapon in a postseason rotation with Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priester. If that doesn’t happen, the Brewers may have to think about whether he’s more valuable this fall in relief.”

Bradford Doolittle, : “Dave Dombrowski went with quality over quantity at the deadline and it has paid off. Harrison Bader has mashed while playing mostly every day in center field. Jhaona Duran hasn't been perfect, but he has been everything the Phillies could have hoped for, while changing the dynamic of the bullpen, now and looking ahead to October. It took Duran a month to move into a tie for the Phillies' saves lead, a period during which he didn't allow a walk or a homer. The additions continue even after the stinging loss of Zack Wheeler. Conceding nothing, Dombrowski also signed Walker Buehler on Sunday after Buehler was released by the Red Sox.”

Jay Jaffe, FanGraphs: “Aside from a brief run last October — one that culminated with a surprise cameo to close out last year’s World Series — Walker Buehler has scarcely resembled the pitcher who from 2019–21 made two All-Star teams and helped the Dodgers win a championship. The Red Sox took a shot at fixing him, and now the Phillies will try as well, hoping at the very least that he can provide some useful innings down the stretch and land a spot on their playoff roster. The 31-year-old Buehler, who signed a one-year, $21.05 million deal with Boston in January, was roughed up for a 5.45 ERA and 5.89 FIP in 112.1 innings with the Red Sox, slightly higher than his marks with the Dodgers last year (5.38 ERA, 5.54 FIP in 75.1 innings) after returning from his second Tommy John surgery. He made 22 starts for the Red Sox, but his continued struggles led the team to pull him from the rotation after his August 19 start, a four-inning, four-walk, two-run outing against the Orioles. After just one relief appearance, in which he allowed two runs in 2.1 innings against the Yankees on August 24, the Red Sox released him last Friday while still owing him roughly $3.4 million.�

MEGAPHONE

“We’re here for something big, It’s ot going to be easy. At some point, we’re going to feel fatigue. At some point, we need to support each other. I think tonight, that’s what we did out there. It’s hard when you hear [Christian] Yelich is scratched from the lineup, that something has happened . . . So now is the perfect time to be together and keep fighting. I think we’re staying in a really good position and we’ll just keep it rolling. We’re close.�

Brewers pitcher Jose Quintana, a former Cardinal, on the Brewers’ ability to power through adversity.