DOWN SHIFT

Cubs joins three teams that face possible pivot with hopes fading

THERE is cake. And there is eating it too. Having both Aroldis Chapman and Gleyber Torres named to the past two AL All-Star teams is the Yankees not only being served dessert, but enjoying it.

The flip side is the Cubs, who in July 2016 dealt Torres to the Yankees for Chapman. In the world of regret, the Cubs should have none. Zero. They probably do not win their first World Series in 108 years without Chapman. Thus, like the Raptors winning their only championship with Kawhi Leonard, one and done is fine regardless of the cost.

But we are seeing that cost. Within the rebuild, build-up or title aftermath, the Cubs also traded DJ LeMahieu, Tommy La Stella and Dan Vogelbach, all of whom were named All-Stars too, plus Dylan Cease and Eloy Jimenez, who might be cornerstones for the White Sox, and the Royals’ Jorge Soler, whose 23 homers would lead the Cubs.

Chicago exacerbated its troubles by making free-agent gambles on Jason Heyward, Yu Darvish, Tyler Chatwood and Daniel Descalso that — as opposed to the Chapman trade — it wishes it had mulligans on, even with Heyward performing better this season.

Over the past seven weeks the Cubs went from the NL’s secondbest record at 29-18 on May 22 to a 17-25 run that was the second worst in that period (the Mets were 16-26). That motivated their president of baseball operations, Theo Epstein, to say in the last week, “If this stretch of bad play continues, then certainly ... a ton of change is in order.”

It is why the Cubs enter the AllStar break as the majors’ most fascinating team. Despite the bad play, the Cubs reached Sunday in first place in the tight NL Central. So Epstein’s preference is to see improvement that motivates further upgrades after buying Craig Kimbrel last month. But Epstein was the Red Sox GM in 2004 and despite being 10 games over .500 traded iconic star shortstop Nomar Garciaparra on July 31 because he did not like the feel of his team, especially in the field. That club responded by winning its first title since 1918.

Epstein is fearless and creative, and if the Cubs gravitate to reordering (not surrendering) at a time when they have little financial flexibility and a mortgaged farm system, what is possible? Would he redirect Kimbrel or Cole Hamels, both of whom are free agents after the season? Does Kyle Schwarber have value now that Vogelbach is a better version of him — a bulky, non-positional lefty bat who hits homers and draws walks? Or does Epstein go Nomar nuclear? That would mean Kris Bryant, who the Cubs at least considered moving last offseason. He will likely make $20 million

ish next year, is a free agent after 2021, has Scott Boras as an agent and if dealt would allow the Cubs to address multiple needs.

“I think Theo was trying to light a fire under his players and coaches by going public about change,” a rival NL executive said. “He thought Kimbrel would give them a jolt and it didn’t. There is only so much in the GM playbook to jolt your club. I just think the division is so winnable that he is more likely to subtly add than blow something up, but this is why July is interesting because, who knows?”

For now, most teams are still in the feeling-out process as many — particularly in the NL — are still determining their contention status. Action, though, will soon be upon us, and after the Cubs these are the three most fascinating clubs this month:

1. Red Sox — They share much with the Cubs — a team that won a championship, but maxed out its payroll and emptied its farm to do so. Which way do they go if they perceive the Yankees can’t be tracked down and that a wild card is their best avenue?

Don’t expect Nomar II. It is not in president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s DNA to sell with a chance to win, so Mookie Betts is almost certainly staying. They will try to find costefficient pitching. For what it is worth, Jason Vargas has performed well in two starts vs. the Yankees.

2. Phillies — This was an all-in season for the Phils after investing 13 years in Bryce Harper, trading for J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura and signing Andrew McCutchen and David Robertson. But when do you concede it may not be your year? Is it when Brett Gardner has more Wins Above Replacement than Harper? Or when McCutchen and Robertson break down after one of their big selling points was durability?

Manager Gabe Kapler’s ice is as thin as Mickey Callaway’s. And, like the Mets, the Phils don’t really want to give up after putting so much into this year. With all that has gone wrong they still were the NL’s second wild card at the break. 3. Braves — Atlanta and San Diego have the farm depth to get any available player. The Braves, though, are in first place while the Padres are peripheral contenders. With all the talk of pen problems, Atlanta is more focused on starters, since expected rotation contributors Mike Foltyniewicz, Kevin Gausman and Sean Newcombe have hurt more than helped.

The problem: Will there be more than a good-but-not-great starter available? The Nationals are in it, so no Max Scherzer. The Rangers are in it and have a new ballpark to open in 2020, so probably no Mike Minor. The Mets, if they sell, seem intent on shopping walk-year guys Vargas and Zack Wheeler rather than Noah Syndergaard, who they don’t want to sell at a down moment anyway.

Madison Bumgarner was hit on the pitching elbow Saturday, but the initial prognosis is not a concern. But the San Francisco ace is viewed in the game these days as more good-to-very good starter than game-changer. Toronto’s Marcus Stroman? Detroit’s Matt Boyd?

This is why we watch teams that could be volatile this month such as the Cubs to see if a surprise or two ends up in the market.