Cubs close out the first half by getting slaughtered vs. Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates took a 10-0 lead in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs, and they haven’t looked back since.

While the 2016 Chicago Cubs were one of the greatest stories in all of sports, this year has been a nightmare. They’ve been the definition of a championship hangover, as they haven’t looked right all season long. And they’re about to head into the All-Star break two games below .500.

This game, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, may be a microcosm of their disappointment this season. For years, Jon Lester has been one of the most dependable pitchers in the game, but he surrendered 10 earned runs and six hits through 0.2 innings alone. His seasonal total isn’t great, either, as he has a 3.94 ERA and a 5-5 record.

The Pirates aren’t exactly a juggernaut of a team, either. They’ve had a difficult season too, with Starling Marte getting hit with an 80-game suspension and Andrew McCutchen being subject to endless trade rumors. But the way they’re playing looks like the 2013 team.

The Cubs can’t exactly count on the All-Star break as an escape from their misery. After their fans stuffed the ballot boxes and got their entire infield into the game last year, they are now the first defending World Series champions to not have a player represented in the All-Star Game — Wade Davis is there, but he wasn’t on the Cubs last year.

How the Cubs respond to this game, and this first half, is all dependent on Theo Epstein. What they do at the trade deadline will be a clear indication as to where this team is headed the rest of the way; surely they won’t concede a playoff spot this early in the season. At the same time, it doesn’t make much sense to sell some of their players while their value is so low.

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While they aren’t as bad as your daddy’s Cubs, they do have a lot of soul searching to do heading into the All-Star break. Perhaps they needed a game like this to serve as a wake-up call.