Sports Friday, July 18, 2025 | | |
| | | | | Good morning, Chicago. Baseball, it's back. And the Cubs couldn't have put together a much better performance than what they delivered in the first 3½ months of the season. They reached the All-Star break at 57-39, trailing only
the Tigers (59-38) and Dodgers (58-39) for the top record in Major League Baseball. As the Cubs come out of the break with 66 games to go, they're in great position to make the playoffs in a full season for the first time since 2018. FanGraphs gives them a 93.9% chance of reaching the postseason, the second-best odds in the National League behind the Dodgers (99.4%), while Baseball Reference puts the Cubs at 98.1%, tops in the NL. As for the White Sox, from the field to the dugout, there were several fresh faces throughout their first half. Even away from the field, the biggest story surrounding the organization came in the form of the long-term investment agreement announced in June that establishes a framework for Justin Ishbia to obtain a future controlling interest in the club. On the field, the Sox look to be in position to avoid repeating history following last year's record-setting 121-loss season. The Rockies (22-74) are on pace to shatter that mark. But the Sox still sit last in the American League Central with a 32-65 record. There have been a lot of close losses along the way. The Sox are 8-22 in one-run games and 4-14 in contests decided by two runs. Stay connected with us all day: Sign up for our newsletters to get the latest news in your inbox. And you can follow us on social media: X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Not a Tribune subscriber? Here's our latest offer. | | | | The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox begin the second half with high hopes and a shared history of curse-breaking executives, including Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. | | | | | Shemar Turner and Ozzy Trapilo are now poised to begin Chicago Bears training camp on time, and that could be a sign that Luther Burden III soon might follow. | | | | | Bears rookie Ozzy Trapilo is expected to battle for the left tackle job when training camp begins. Here’s what Bears fans need to know about the rookie from Boston College. | | | | | The Chicago Cubs couldn’t have performed much better than they did in the first half. But they still face questions coming out of the All-Star break. | | | | | The Chicago White Sox begin a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. Here are three questions facing the team as they return from the All-Star break. | | | | | Angel Reese has embraced the point-forward label she gained entering her second season with the Chicago Sky, living up to coach Tyler Marsh’s vision. | | | | | The British Open had a little bit of everything Thursday, from sunshine to rain, a breeze to strong gusts. And no surprise, it had Scottie Scheffler never far from the lead. | | | | | Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark injured her right groin Tuesday and said Thursday she was “sad and disappointed” to pull out of the All-Star Game and 3-point contest. | | | |
