CHGO Digest: Bears practicing, Cubs swirling, Sox manifesting destiny

Good morning, friends!

10 days, Bears fans. 10 days.

It doesn’t even matter if the Bears trot out Caleb Williams to play in the Hall of Fame Game on August 1, it’ll just be nice to have the team back on our screens.

In 10 days, we’ll be beyond the stress of baseball’s trade deadline, and instead be able to watch the Chicago Bears play a football game.

Even if playing in Canton, Ohio is like Whose Line Is It Anyway? where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter, we’ll take it.

— Patrick Norton

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Bears begin training camp

Training camp is officially underway at Halas Hall.

The Caleb Williams era is upon us, and for Bears fans, waiting for August 1 feels like waking up too early to open the presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

Williams might not see the field during the Hall of Fame Game as the Bears ease their No. 1 overall pick into the fast-moving flow of the NFL, but when he debuts, it’ll be with a hoard of talent to build up QB1.

• Ryan Poles said on Friday when players officially reported for camp, “It’s about leaning on the talent around him. You don’t have to do everything on your own which is a good situation for a rookie QB. There will be adversity; I want to see him lean on us during those times.”
  
• Williams has more weapons than just the usual suspects. In addition to DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet, Tyler Scott is doing his best to secure the No. 4 receiver slot in training camp. Scott, who reeled in 17 passes last year, beat Kyler Gordon on a big strike from Caleb on Sunday.

🔎 GO DEEPER | Check out CHGO Bears’ Nicholas Moreano’s Day 3 notebook from training camp, including the battle between Caleb Williams and Tyrique Stevenson.

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Stock up for the fall!

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Cubs avoid sweep, but clock ticks

The Cubs’ win on Sunday felt equal parts necessary and meaningless.

Losing 2/3 at home to the Diamondbacks was just a slight step above the worst thing the Cubs could’ve done after the break, but Sunday’s walk-off walk left as sour of a taste as possible in a win. An impossible-to-solve offensive drought has that effect.

Shota Imanaga shined once again for the Cubs, tossing 7 strong innings of 2-hit, 1-run baseball. The lefty didn’t allow a hit to a surging Diamondbacks lineup until the 6th inning. Imanaga tacked on a career-high in strikeouts with 10 on Sunday.

• Offense has seemingly escaped the Cubs all season long, but it’s an especially tougher pill to swallow when Imanaga’s on the bump. In 18 starts, he sports an 8-2 record. His two losses have been his worst starts, allowing 7 and 10 earned runs, but in his 6 no-decisions of 5+ IP, the Cubs have scored just 14 runs.
  
• Sweeping the Brewers is just about the only route imaginable to keep general manager Jed Hoyer from selling expiring contracts at the deadline. Jameson Taillon’s name has been mentioned as a target of teams looking for pitching help, but does moving a quality starter with 2-years/$20 million remaining after this season make sense for a Cubs team that should strive to compete next year?
  

🎧 LISTEN | CHGO Cubs’ Brendan Miller and Corey Freedman discuss what’s next after the Cubs’ disappointing start to the second half.

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Roundup: White Sox back on track for baseball’s worst season ever

• 43 wins by the 2003 Detroit Tigers is still the mark to beat in a 162-game season. Seven losses in a row including a 3-game sweep following MLB’s All-Star break has the White Sox matching the Tigers’ pace. 2003 Tigers through 101 games? 27-74. 2024 White Sox through 101 games? You guessed it — 27-74.
  
• Angel Reese impressed off the bench in Team WNBA’s victory over Team USA on Saturday. Reese, who lost her WNBA-record double-double streak at 15 last week, scored 12 and pulled in 11 rebounds.
  

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Super Bowl, Super Bears.

The 2024 season is under way at Halas Hall! pic.twitter.com/e4F6Lybwoc

— CHGO Sports (@CHGO_Sports) July 19, 2024

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Join us for an upcoming CHGO event!

⚾ 7/26: CHGO Cubs Watch Party at Miller’s Ale House!
⚾ 8/9: Crosstown Classic Takeover at Guaranteed Rate Field
⛳ 8/23: Kickoff Classic Golf Tournament at Cog Hill!
⚾ 9/6: CHGO Cubs Takeover for Anthony Rizzo’s return to Wrigley!
🏈 9/8: CHGO Bears Tailgate in Chicago! – Week 1 vs. Titans

Check out our full calendar here!