July 29, 2017 Chicago Sun-Times, Brewers beat Cubs as division race tightens, trade intrigue heightens http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/brewers-beats-cubs-as-division-race-tightens-trade-intrigue-heightens/ Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs trade talk: Marlins C A.J. Ellis in sights, but can they add arm? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-trade-talk-marlins-c-a-j-ellis-in-sights-but-can-they-add-arm/ Daily Herald, Maddon says Jay invaluable to Cubs so far http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170728/maddon-says-jay-invaluable-to-cubs-so-far Daily Herald, Cubs open key Brewers series with 2-1 loss http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170728/cubs-open-key-brewers-series-with-2-1-loss Cubs.com, Baez backs Quintana with HR, but Cubs lose http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/245008606/brewers-brent-suter-paces-win-over-cubs/ Cubs.com, Heyward robs Braun of HR with leaping grab http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/245023482/cubs-jason-heyward-robs-ryan-braun-of-homer/ Cubs.com, Quintana revels in first hit, quality start vs. Crew http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/245106796/cubs-jose-quintana-pitches-well-vs-brewers/ Cubs.com, Maddon expects pre-Deadline deal for Cubs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/245002934/cubs-joe-maddon-on-non-waiver-trade-deadline/ Cubs.com, Hendricks faces Crew in 2nd start back from DL http://atmlb.com/2w8ShEo ESPNChicago.com, Leadoff hitter by committee: Variety is working for Cubs http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45164/leadoff-hitter-by-committee-variety-is-working- for-the-cubs ESPNChicago.com, Rare second-half loss nothing for Cubs to panic about http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45173/a-rare-second-half-loss-shouldnt-have-cubs- feeling-down CSNChicago.com, Cubs are about to find out how Brewers will counter Jose Quintana move http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-are-about-find-out-how-brewers-will-counter-jose-quintana- move CSNChicago.com, Don’t stop now: Joe Maddon expects Cubs will keep dealing before trade deadline http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/dont-stop-now-joe-maddon-expects-cubs-will-keep-dealing-trade- deadline Chicago Tribune, Jason Heyward catch, Javier Baez homer aren't enough for Cubs in 2-1 loss to Brewers http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-brewers-spt-0729-20170728- story.html#nt=oft03a-1la1 Chicago Tribune, Brewers merely a pesky pest to be swept aside during Cubs' return to playoffs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-cubs-brewers-spt-0729-20170728-column.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs could make move for bullpen help before Monday's trade deadline http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-relief-help-notes-spt-0729-20170728- story.html Chicago Tribune, 'I could talk all day about my job': Meet Cubs and White Sox ushers on the front line http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-ushers-cubs-white-sox-spt-0728-20170727- story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3 -- Chicago Sun-Times Brewers beat Cubs as division race tightens, trade intrigue heightens By Gordon Wittenmyer MILWAUKEE — Whether it involves themselves, the Brewers or somebody else in the division, the Cubs are waiting for the other shoe to drop in the National League Central before the non-waiver trade deadline at 3 p.m. Monday. What’s the next acquisition that will have an effect on the clustered division race? Will the Brewers land their version of Jose Quintana and acquire Athletics ace Sonny Gray? Will the Cardinals add a bat — or decide to add anything at all? And what about the Pirates? The Brewers’ 2-1 victory against the Cubs in the opener of a three-game series Friday at Miller Park tightened the race and heightened the drama in the division. Quintana did his job again in his third start since joining the Cubs in a trade July 13 from the White Sox. Despite what he called a slow start, Quintana retired the final seven batters he faced to hold the Brewers to two runs in six innings. He got a sizable assist from Jason Heyward, who reached over the right-field wall to rob Ryan Braun of a would-be two-run home run in the third. ‘‘That play was amazing,’’ said Quintana, who’s 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts with the Cubs. ‘‘I tried to keep the game close and tried to wait for the comeback. It was a tough night, and we’ll come back tomorrow.’’ Javy Baez hit a long homer against former White Sox reliever Anthony Swarzak with one out in the eighth of a game Quintana said had a playoff atmosphere to it. In fact, sold-out Miller Park got especially loud in the ninth, when the Cubs had the tying run on third base before pinch hitter Kyle Schwarber struck out against Brewers closer Corey Knebel to end the game. It was only the Cubs’ third loss in 14 games since the All-Star break. ‘‘It was a cool moment,’’ Schwarber said. ‘‘Everyone’s into it. It was a fun little battle right there. He got me, and I’ll be ready for tomorrow.’’ With barely two months left in the regular season and the Cubs holding a half-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central, the division race might look a lot like this for a while. That makes what happens before the trade deadline especially intriguing. ‘‘You’re looking what everybody else is doing in that regard, I agree with that,’’ Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘But right now, being so proactive as we were to get Quintana . we’ve already had him for [three] starts. So we’ve already been proactively in front of some other groups by getting that done. Now anything you could do on top of that in a positive vein, absolutely it’s going to benefit us.’’ The emotional boost and energy the Quintana trade brought to the clubhouse was almost as significant as his pitching, and it seemed to come at an ideal time for the Cubs after they struggled into the break. Quintana’s hard-luck loss to the Brewers was the first for the Cubs’ rotation since the break. The rested, stabilized rotation is 10-1 with a 2.54 ERA in those 14 games. And if the Brewers, who had struggled out of the break until beating the Cubs, were to land the starting pitcher they seek? ‘‘Same thing,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘I don’t doubt that they’re going to probably do something. I don’t know what the Cardinals and the Pirates are thinking right now. But at the end of the day, we’ve just got to worry about what we’re doing. ‘‘And I think it’s going to be hard to duplicate what we’ve already done in regards to getting Quintana.’’ -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs trade talk: Marlins C A.J. Ellis in sights, but can they add arm? By Gordon Wittenmyer MILWAUKEE — Marlins catcher A.J. Ellis remains a focus for the Cubs as the non-waiver trade deadline (3 p.m. Monday) nears, a major-league source said Friday, confirming what two other sources said earlier in the week. But while landing a veteran backup catcher for the stretch run is certainly one of the Cubs’ priorities, a reliable reliever might be just as important for a team with designs on making a third consecutive run deep into the postseason. Left-handed or right-handed doesn’t seem to matter to manager Joe Maddon, who would welcome late-inning help as the front office works multiple fronts to try to add a second pitcher (after Jose Quintana) this month. Cubs setup men C.J. Edwards and Pedro Strop rank among the top 20 in the National League in appearances (45 each), and the Cubs have two more relievers with at least 40. ‘‘The spread’s pretty good,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘But later on, [if] you want to win a lot, you’re going to wear bullpen guys out because that’s what happens when you’re winning games. ‘‘That’s what you would be looking for — that high-leverage, later-inning guy that you’re really comfortable with — so you can spread the work out a little bit more evenly.’’ The Cubs used their top two prospects (outfielder Eloy Jimenez and pitcher Dylan Cease) to acquire Quintana from the White Sox on July 13, emptying their system of the marquee prospects not already in the majors. President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer repeatedly have said they don’t want to trade from the big-league roster to add pitching at the deadline. That shouldn’t prevent a deal for a player such as Ellis, but it might make a deal for a pitcher go down to the final hours. The Cubs have been linked to almost every attractive pitcher on a fast-moving reliever market, but a source with knowledge of the Cubs’ talks with the Marlins said the teams aren’t discussing a package deal to include a pitcher with Ellis. ‘‘If I had to bet, I would bet we’d do something,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘I don’t even know if it’s going to be an arm or not.’’ Back doesn’t slow Schwarber Kyle Schwarber wore a large ice pack around the clubhouse before the Cubs’ loss Friday to the Brewers because of ‘‘a little bit of a stiff back the last couple of days,’’ Maddon said.