This round of the City Series arrives as the July 31 trade deadline nears. The Cubs are in a position to buy while the White Sox will be looking to sell.

When the Chicago Cubs are good, you can feel it, and this season, the energy is palpable because the Cubs have been one of baseball’s best teams. The atmosphere around Wrigley Field has reached playoff levels as the calendar gets close to August — a sign that good baseball is being played at the Friendly Confines.

The Chicago Cubs haven't been to the playoffs in a full season since 2018 and that was just one game, as they lost the Wild Card back when it was a one-and-done. They're coming off back-to-back 83-win seasons.

Here’s a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 26, according to the Tribune’s archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service,

Shota Imanaga against the White Sox tonight: 3.0 IP | 12 H | 7 ER | 2 K pic.twitter.com/ew6ewAJssm

The Chicago Cubs need a third reliable starting pitcher, and the Kansas City Royals have the man for the job in last season's Cy Young runner-up, Seth Lugo.

Amaya is a gem, but the Cubs are loaded at catcher, with the reliable Carson Kelly locked in as the go-to starter and Reese McGuire as a solid backup. And lest we forget, 21-year-old phenom Moises Ballesteros is waiting in the wings.

The Chicago Cubs trade deadline blueprint to boost their rotation includes Cleveland Guardians' former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber.