Brewers' Aramis Ramirez: Cubs not far away from contending

Milwaukee Brewers Aramis Ramirez said Tuesday that the Cubs aren't "that far away" from contending due to the young talent the team has. The Cubs beat the Brewers 3-0 on Tuesday night.

The National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers are 14 games ahead of the last-place Chicago Cubs, but Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez has been impressed by what he's seen from the Cubs' young players. 

"We've seen [Javier] Baez and, obviously, [Anthony] Rizzo, [Starlin] Castro, some young power arms out of the bullpen," the former Cub told MLB.com on Tuesday. "They've got some players there. They're not that far away."

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The Cubs beat the Brewers 3-0 on Tuesday night, aided by 7.1 shutout innings from rookie right-hander Kyle Hendricks, a pair of hits and an RBI from rookie center fielder Arismendy Alcantara and a home run from Rizzo.

More from Cubs manager Rick Renteria:

"You get to see the young men everybody has been talking about for the last couple years, and you're seeing them contribute in some way, shape or form in a positive way. Maybe it starts to validate the direction the organization is going in, which is good. We all understand it's been a long time, and it's going to take a while to chip away and have everybody feel positive about the organization, but it's going that way."

The Cubs have finished last in the NL Central each of the last four seasons.

Ramirez played for the Cubs from 2003-11 before leaving to sign with the Brewers.

- Sarah Barshop