Aug. 18--A run of 15 victories in 16 games -- finally slowed by Chris Sale on Sunday -- pushed the Cubs' pace to 94 victories. But with a brutal stretch in September, the next 3 weeks in the time to go higher.
THE NEXT THREE WEEKS: 13 Games (out of 19) against teams under .500 -- seven over the next seven days and six the week of Aug. 31. In between, the Cubs play a three-game series against the Giants in San Francisco and the West-leading Dodgers in Los Angeles.
THE FOLLOWING THREE WEEKS: 13 Games (out of 20) against the Cardinals, Pirates and Royals, who own the three best records in baseball (the Cubs are fourth).
WHERE THE WINNERS OF THE SECOND WILD-CARD SPOT HAVE FINISHED: The Cubs are ahead of the pace of all six teams that claimed the final playoff spots since the postseason expanded in 2012.
2012 Orioles: 93-69
2013 Rays: 92-71
2013 Reds: 90-72
Note: If the Cubs go .500 the rest of the way, they would finish with 90 wins.
2012 Cardinals, 2014 Giants, 2014 A's: 88-74
