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.

Chris Flexen gave up a home run to Mike Tauchman as the Northsiders dropped a Friday contest to their Chicago counterparts.

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,

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.

If the Chicago Cubs make the postseason, adding another quality starter who can slot into a playoff series would make them a serious World Series threat.