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“I always want a team who can play with a back four or back five, and that’s what we have right now,” Wicky said. “But at the end of the day, that’s a shape, that’s the system. You have to put in the discipline, the work rate, the hard work, and that really doesn’t depend on a back four or back three or back five, however you want to call it.

A big part of the team’s success must be credited to the sturdy rotation of Lance Lynn, Carlos Rodon, Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel and Dylan Cease, who’ve ensure the Sox are in almost every game, taking some of the pressure off the offense. But La Russa deserves credit for getting the most out of his mismatched lineups, where anyone seemingly can play anywhere at any given moment.

At some point, Hoyer and the Cubs front office must commit to being buyers or sellers before the trade deadline. The upcoming schedule is favorable for them to get going. Over the next 3½ weeks, the Cubs play series against the Philadelphia Phillies (38-41 entering Saturday), Arizona Diamondbacks (23-61) twice, St. Louis Cardinals (41-42) twice and Reds (41-40). There’s an opportunity to make a move back up the standings. If not, Rizzo, Bryant, Javier Báez and Craig Kimbrel all are candidates to fetch assets that could help the Cubs beyond this season.