The Chicago Cubs have been building some much-needed momentum of late in their last-ditch effort to clinch a playoff spot, hitting .500 for the first time since June 5 after riding a three-game winning streak heading into their Aug. 25 game.

They still have a long underdog chance of making the playoffs, with ESPN putting the odds at just 3.2 percent. With the favorable schedule ahead of them, anything is possible, as they sit 5.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League.

Of course, that could be too little, too late. They are two teams away from the final wild-card spot, and they are 10.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central, where everything should be wide open and competitive this season.

As a result, the Cubs landed on Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer’s list of the 10 biggest disappointments of the MLB season so far. The expected breakthrough has failed to materialize and time is running out.

“You can’t point the finger at the rotation, which got ERAs in the 3.00 range from four starters. But an offense that could have been good just wasn’t, and the problem has only gotten more frustrating as the bullpen has checked itself off the problem list,” Rymer wrote.

When a team shoots well, they can remain competitive regardless of the opponent. But the offense struggles at this level and has denied Chicago any chance of a prolonged run.

That run could very well happen now. After finishing a series against the Miami Marlins, the Cubs play three series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals, who are also below .500. But it’s hard not to feel like this was a lost season in Chicago.

“The optimistic view is that the Cubs can bounce back this season. Unless Cody Bellinger opts out, they won’t lose any key players to free agents. And even with the graduation of Pete Crow-Armstrong, the farm system is still very strong.

Still, the term ‘missed opportunity’ seems appropriate. And there are only so many of those in this game,” Rymer wrote.

After their win totals increased from 71 to 74 and 83 over the last three seasons, it was easy to see why the Cubs were so optimistic. They also spent heavily in the offseason, which led to rising expectations. Five months in, they have fallen far short of those raised expectations.