The Cubs Would Be Dead in the Water Right Now if They Didn't Trade for Nicholas Castellanos

The 2019 edition of Major League Baseball has been a weird one, to say the least. However, it's perhaps been the most competitive it's been in recent memory.

Case in point, the NL Central, which as of Wednesday night, is separated by a total of eight games between the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs.

If one thing can be said about the Cubbies, who have been up and down the standings prior to the trade deadline, it's that they wouldn't be in the position they are right now had they not acquired Nicholas Castellanos.

While the Cubs struggled for the majority of the season with bullpen issues, they also had consistency problems with their batting.

That's why general manager Theo Epstein pounced at the opportunity to acquire Castellanos from the Detroit Tigers. And ever since, the infielder has been on a ridiculous power surge in the Windy City.

Prior to Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants, Castellanos has logged 18 games with the Cubs. In those games, Castellanos is batting .365 with a .405 on-base percentage and a .743 slugging percentage.

During the aforementioned Giants game on Hump Day, Castellanos hit his eighth home run and logged his 11th RBI in 19 games.

Castellanos has been the spark that the Cubs offense has needed, and as a result of his presence, they are a half-game behind the Cardinals for the division lead. Without him, Chicago may have very well plummeted down the standings.