CHICAGO -- The Cubs have come out in their first three games of the second half like a team that knows what’s at stake.\n\nNot only were the Cubs able to create some space between them and the Brewers in the National League Central, but they also put teams on notice that they can still be one of Majors’ best teams by securing a series sweep over the Pirates with an 8-3 victory on Sunday afternoon.\n\n“We had wonderful focus today,” manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys had a good look from the beginning.”\n\n• [Box score](https://www.mlb.com/gameday/565171/final/box \"undefined\")
It seems the All-Star break came at the perfect time for the Cubs as they not only came away from the weekend series with three wins, but they played a much cleaner brand of baseball than they had before the Midsummer Classic.\n\n“I think \\[the improvement is\\] more mental than anything else,”
After being chased down by the Brewers last September for the division crown and being forced out by the Rockies in a one-game playoff, the team’s goal of not having history repeat itself is evident.\n\nThe Cubs’ start to the second half is not only important to this team in the scope of this season, but it looms pretty large in terms of the next step of the franchise.\n\nWith Maddon managing in the last year of his contract and the franchise’s core players at the big league level, the team could look drastically different depending on this year’s outcome. Especially if the team bows out early again.
“For me, that’s not a good way to look at it. If you’re sitting in my seat or the player’s seat on a daily basis, that’d be very unhealthy,” Maddon said. “I think you really need to work on a day-by-day basis, you need to focus on the job at hand for today.\n\n“I would prefer that we continue with the same attitude we’ve had over the last several years. It’s been pretty successful. For me or for the guys to change right now, I don’t want that. I don’t seek that, whatsoever. If you want to create internal ultimatums, that’s never going to work.”
**Almora and Schwarber come up big with Trade Deadline looming** \nMaddon was asked prior to Sunday afternoon’s victory if he had a wishlist for things the team could potentially acquire at the July 31 Deadline, now the [sole deadline](http://m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/trade-waivers-aug-31-deadline \"undefined\") for teams looking to acquire players. He said a guy that provided a professional at-bat.\n\n“We have to become a little bit more offensive in the right moments. I would believe we’re looking in that particular area,” Maddon before the game. “Overall, if you could add that element, one more consistent bat. A real pro at-bat.”\n\nThe void left by
“I love Schwarber’s walk. I love Almora’s walk. Yeah, they hit the home runs, but I loved the walks, ” Maddon said. “There’s always another level of everything. If we want to be elite, we have to force other teams to get us out in the strike zone.”\n\nThe Cubs have also gotten a big contribution from backup