The Latest Breaking News from Christopher Morel

The Sun-Times gives out end-of-season awards to the 74-88 Cubs.

CINCINNATI — Of all the possible routes the Chicago Cubs could take in the offseason to upgrade the roster, the outfield features some of the least positional flexibility.

PITTSBURGH — Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski supplied the homers. Ji Hwan Bae picked up his first MLB hit and stole two bases, and the Pirates showed plenty of fight during Friday's game against the Cubs. Shoot, Oneil Cruz even drove one to the warning track in the ninth, giving…

An upswing in the last month has positioned him among the better Cubs rookies of the expansion era, which started in 1961.

For many of the young players, the final 3½ weeks of the season represent their final chance to improve their stock in front of their evaluators for 2023.

After sending the ball over the bullpen in left — a 429-foot blast — Pujols couldn’t wipe the ear-to-ear smile from his face as he circled the bases.

ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals had been held to one run or none 12 times this season while ace right-hander Miles Mikolas had been on the mound.

“You can see a lot of players have success out there, but nobody respects them how they respect ‘the Machine,’ ” said the Cubs’ Franmil Reyes, Pujols’ fellow Dominican. “That means a lot to all of us.”

ST. LOUIS — Willson Contreras dominated the headlines during the first four months of the Chicago Cubs season.