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Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits from Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, and cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

In a five-game series, three out of five is meatloaf. Miles Mikolas didn’t have his usual great game against the Cubs, with the Cubs putting up crooked numbers in the second and the seventh to put him away and then tacking on in the eighth. Rafael Ortega and Nelson Velázquez fought long slumps and Zach McKinstry had a game as all three try to secure spots on the 2023 squad. Luke Farrell did a creditable job in his 4⅓ innings and the bullpen ably preserved the lead.

Nico Hoerner had a multihit game.

Photo credit should read MIKE CLARKE/AFP via Getty Images

All this and actual news for Jose Cardenal and Pat Hughes.

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Aug. 23: C Willson Contreras out of lineup with left ankle stiffness

Contreras woke up on Tuesday with a stiff left ankle and was out of the starting lineup for both games of the Cubs’ doubleheader against the Cardinals. The All-Star catcher initially rolled his ankle during the Field of Dreams game on Aug. 11 but has continued to play and had been improving in recent days. Including the Field of Dreams tilt against the Reds, Contreras has posted an .851 OPS with four homers and eight RBIs in his last eight games, entering Tuesday. Yan Gomes caught Game 1 and P.J. Higgins caught Game 2 for Contreras, who was still available off the bench. — MLB.com.

• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Broadcaster Hughes ‘speechless’ over Cubs HOF nod. “I’m amazed. I really am,” said Hughes. Maddie Lee has more.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ Ross praises revamped MLB schedule format. “I think it’s exciting,” Ross said.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Balanced schedule brings Red Sox, Rangers, Mariners and more to Wrigley Field in 2023. “The new balanced schedule is bringing some rarely-seen faces to Wrigley Field next season.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): As Cubs’ strong second half continues, aggressive offseason action is a must. “... it’s hard not to notice the positivity within the group and the lack of pointing fingers despite numerous rough patches over the summer.”
• Cary Heinz (Cubbies Crib*): It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups. “... this may be an area where the two sides may want to reconsider the overreach from 40 to 28, and maybe sign a letter of agreement to adjust it to 30 to 32.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Did Adrian Sampson get haircut or were long bangs merely aberration? “... his margin for error is thin enough that we’ll probably see water continuing to find its level for him over time.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs’ Javier Assad was stellar in MLB debut — thanks to an assist from Christopher Morel. “He was yelling at me, keeping me going, giving me motivation,” the 25-year-old Mexican rookie said through team translator Will Nadal.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Matt Mervis has mashed his way through the Chicago Cubs farm system. Now he’s on the cusp of the majors. “I couldn’t imagine this all happening in one year, but honestly this is what I expected over my minor-league career,” Mervis recently told the Tribune.
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Is Nick Madrigal actually hitting better, or is he just getting better results? “... there’s some very important context to consider here.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs top prospect Brennen Davis details recovery from strange injury: ‘I was in so much pain’. “I got really lucky with the Cubs and my agency — they put me in the right hands to have a very successful surgery.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Check out potential first glimpse of Cubs’ future outfield. “... Brennen Davis, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Owen Caissie.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody Bellinger. “... you have to think that somewhere in there, he’s still capable of producing at a high level.”

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