Winning trumps all. Always. And every team just realized it's going to have a harder time winning against the Cubs. Maddon can use Chapman in a variety of ways: for multiple innings, as a lefty specialist, as a closer. Chapman's power combined with his career strikeout rate of 42.4 percent can thrive in any role. Against the Cardinals especially.

The cheers that echoed from St. Louis when Chapman's six-season run with the Reds ended with a ticket to the American League have returned as curses. The Cardinals haven't scored a run off him since a Rafael Furcal single on September 2, 2011. That's 25 consecutive scoreless appearances. He's saved 15 of 16 opportunities against the Cardinals. He's held them to a 0.099 batting average, and that drops to 0.86 at Busch Stadium. His lifetime ERA against the Cardinals is 2.01. But since 2012, when the former starter transitioned to the Reds' full-time closer, that ERA sinks to zero. The Cardinals have totaled six hits, six walks and 46 strikeouts during the drought.

Current Cardinals are two for 38 against Chapman. Matt Carpenter (one for eight) and Matt Holliday (one for eight) have both knocked singles. Twenty-two of the other at-bats ended in a strikeout.

The third-place Pirates feel the Cardinals' pain. Chapman has a lifetime ERA of 0.90 against them. The Pirates have hit .145 when he's on the mound.