CHICAGO -- Maybe it was just time for a bad series, or maybe injuries have caught up to the Chicago Cubs, and maybe they just gave some life to the St. Louis Cardinals. What the Cubs do next -- specifically over the next 11 days -- will give an indication of what being swept at home the past three days really means.

Was it a blip or a sign of some longer-lasting struggles to come?

“We’ve had to deal with some adversity,” Wednesday’s losing pitcher, Jake Arrieta, said after the 7-2 defeat. “Some guys going down, but it’s about how we pick each other up and bridge the gap until those guys get healthy. We’ll have to rely on some other guys.”

In the span of a few days, the Cubs added three relievers and a new catcher while subtracting Dexter Fowler. That’s in addition to Albert Almora Jr.’s promotion and injuries to Jorge Soler and Tommy La Stella. Even Anthony Rizzo is hurting, as he left Wednesday’s game with a sore back. Considering all that, plus the fact that Arrieta's looking human, and it can’t come as a shock that the Cubs came up short this week.

“They came in and just beat us,” Rizzo said. “To get back into a race, you have to beat the teams ahead of you, and that’s what they did. We’re in a good position leaving here, but getting swept at home from a division rival is not ideal.”

The Cardinals aren’t quite back in it, considering they’re still 9 1/2 games behind the Cubs, but at least they have some life after a tough stretch of their own. This isn’t about them, though; it’s about the Cubs. Adversity has struck. How will they respond?

“We did not hit the ball as well as we possibly can in this series,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Understatement. They pitched well. They played well and beat us, fair and square.”

At least there was some good news, as the team has found its catcher of the future, and that future might be now. Willson Contreras looks every bit as good as he did in the minors. He became the 19th player since 2000 to hit the first two home runs of his career off the bench when he hit his second on Wednesday, after Miguel Montero left the game with a knee injury.

“Great at-bat again,” Maddon said. “Works good at-bats. The kid wants to stay here.”

Stay he will, as not everything went badly for the Cubs. They got good news after the game about Montero, and even Rizzo said he would have stayed in the game if the Cubs hadn't been facing a 7-0 deficit. With La Stella nearing a return and Fowler declaring he’ll be 100 percent when he comes off the disabled list -- plus the experience Almora and Contreras are getting -- the Cubs could come out better on the other side of this. You know they’ll have a run in the future, but they have to get through this tough stretch first.

“We’re in a good spot,” Arrieta said. “We’re going to take our lumps. We lost several in a row [in May]. I don’t see the mindset being any different now.”

As the offense tries to find its level without Fowler while looking younger and younger, the bullpen still might be the most worrisome part of the Cubs. The best team in baseball is trying out new arms, and already there are mixed results. Spencer Patton looked good Wednesday, but Carl Edwards Jr. gave up a home run to the first batter he faced this season. Lefty Gerardo Concepcion had a nice debut Tuesday, but only time will tell if any of them stick.

Meanwhile, if Contreras was the best thing about the past few days, Justin Grimm might've been the most troublesome. After he gave up four runs Wednesday, his June ERA rose to 7.94. Maddon didn’t downplay his struggles.

“Especially against the left-handers,” the manager said. “He’s a big part of our bullpen. We need to get him right.”

The Cubs need to get a few things right. Fortunately, they have a cushion to work with while they figure it all out. Trade season is approaching, so maybe some help will come from outside the organization. Grinding out a few wins on this road trip might be in order, and winning some tight ones -- as the Cardinals just did against them -- might come down to the starting staff. That has been the Cubs' rock all season.

Right now, turning the page is about the only thing the Cubs can do. The Cardinals had their way, but three games won’t define either team.

“They played well and beat us,” Maddon said. “That’s all I got.”