Without a division title since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Cubs will look to win the NL Central in a full season for the first time since 2017.
With Super Bowl LX in the rearview mirror and spring training right around the corner, sports fans across North America are tuning back into baseball ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic and MLB season.
To no one’s surprise, plenty of offseason headlines revolved around the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the two-time defending World Series champions further strengthening with the addition of outfielder Kyle Tucker, also the most significant subtraction for the Cubs heading into this season.
As for the Cubs, the 2025 season represented a breakthrough of sorts after two straight seasons of playoff hopes falling apart late in the year that led to consecutive 83-79 finishes in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
While a historic Brewers winning streak protected the division lead throughout the second half for Milwaukee, the Cubs amassed their finest regular season since 2018, posting a 92-70 record. The team went on to take down the San Diego Padres 2-1 in the NL Wild Card Round before falling to the Brewers in five games in the NLDS.
As a Cubs fan myself, I know better to not count out the Brewers despite their apparent weaknesses heading into this season. After all, this is a team that traded away Corbin Burnes and won the division the year after – then traded away Devin Williams, and still won the division the year after.
Of course, the Brewers have seen a few more subtractions heading into this year, with star pitcher Freddy Peralta shipped off to the New York Mets while contact stalwart Caleb Durbin was dealt to the Boston Red Sox.
The subtractions didn’t stop there, as trade deadline acquisition Danny Jansen signed with the Texas Rangers while reliable veteran starter and former Cub Jose Quintana caught on with the Colorado Rockies.
When it comes to the 2020’s however, it simply feels like the voodoo magic of the 2000’s and 2010’s for the St. Louis Cardinals was transferred to Milwaukee.
While that magic has yet to transfer to a NL pennant or World Series title, it would be wise to not count out the Brewers in 2026, who remain the most formidable contender to battle the Cubs for the division crown.
Though the Cubs did lose Kyle Tucker, the team made a handful of notable additions this offseason, being capped off with one of their biggest signings of the decade in the form of a five-year deal signed by Alex Bregman.
The Cubs also opted to bring back lefty reliever Caleb Thielbar while poaching heavily from Rangers bullpens of the past few years, adding Phil Maton, Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb. The moves were apparently quite necessary, with many of the reclamation projects the Cubs filled their bullpen with last year finding new homes this offseason.
Deadline acquisition Andrew Kittredge was dealt back to the Baltimore Orioles, while Brad Keller, Taylor Rogers, Drew Pomeranz and Ryan Brasier all signing with new teams.
The Cubs could also anticipate some level of improvement in their starting rotation – in addition to having lefty Justin Steele back in the fold, the North Siders struck a big deal with the Miami Marlins this offseason, dealing top prospect Owen Caissie to the Fish in exchange for righty starter Edward Cabrera, who posted a 2.8 WAR and 3.53 ERA across 26 starts in 2025.
As for the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, it’s fair to not pin any of them as contenders, although the former two teams made some modest additions to their clubs this offseason. On the heels of a playoff appearance, the Reds brought back Eugenio Suárez, who was a key part of the team from 2015-21, while also adding JJ Bleday along with relievers Pierce Johnson and Caleb Ferguson.
The Pirates will look to improve and make more out of what will likely be another incredible season from starter Paul Skenes barring injury, with the acquistions of Brandon Lowe, Marcell Ozuna, Ryan O’Hearn and Jake Mangum taking the headlines this offseason. After sporting the league’s most anemic offense last season, Pittsburgh is the best bet of the aforementioned three NL Central teams to make a surprise push for a playoff spot – aiming for their first appearance since 2015.
After what was essentially two uninterrupted decades of dominance in the NL Central for the Cardinals, the Redbirds finally appear to be heading towards a dedicated rebuild. St. Louis shed a few of their biggest contributors from last year during this offseason, trading away Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan, with the latter two players representing the team’s two most valuable players from their 78-84 campaign.
St. Louis’ modest additions also suggest they are committing to a rebuild, picking up several after-market pitchers including Dustin May, Richard Fitts, Brandon Clarke and reliever Ryne Stanek. With a rebuild likely beginning, a long, impressive streak could be ending for the Cardinals. St. Louis has not finished a full regular season with fewer than 70 wins since a 69-93 campaign in 1978, with 70 wins in 2026 being far from a guarantee for St. Louis.
While the Cubs should look to be a favorite of over five games to win the division based on how the teams look on paper, one would be foolish to believe that the Pat Murphy-led Brewers aren’t capable of finding enough steam to make a run for a playoff spot and/or division title.
Beyond this year serving as an ideal opportunity for the Cubs thanks to weak division competition, it takes an even more significant importance when examining two other factors – the likelihood of an extended lockout in 2027 and the expiring contracts of Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki and Jameson Taillon.
Though the Cubs certainly look fit to contend in the NL Central, they will still have their hands full when it comes to making a run at a pennant and World Series championship. The Cubs enter the season with the ninth-best odds to win the World Series, with the Dodgers being an emphatic favorite ahead of spring training beginning.
Although the Cubs are given the best odds to win it all of any NL Central club, the North Siders are still behind the Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves when it comes to World Series odds this season.
Of course, MLB seasons essentially never play out the way analysts and experts draw it up in March, but it’s easy to see how the playoff dynamic in the National League can be quite different this season. After sending three teams to the playoffs in 2025, the NL Central is noticeably weaker while the West and especially East have notably improved.
This simply spells out the importance of winning the division for the Cubs, who may not have another option when it comes to ways to make the postseason – with the San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants all looking to compete for at least a Wild Card spot in the NL West.
While there remains a level of stability to the Cubs future as both Bregman and Dansby Swanson remain under contract for multiple seasons after 2026, the possibility of a significant exodus of the team’s contributors could mark the end of this era for the Cubs after this season.
Of course, there’s plenty of time for the Cubs to negotiate extensions with any one of the four players who are slated to become free agents in the 2026-27 offseason, but fans shouldn’t expect much on that front once players make their way to the Friendly Confines to get the regular season underway – as negotiations typically slow or halt entirely once the season begins.
The result is the Cubs’ finest opportunity to win the division in a decisive fashion in nearly a decade, going back to the teams’ brief dominance within the division in the mid-to-late 2010’s. With weakened division rivals and multiple star contributors on expiring deals, this is the year to go all out and pursue a World Series title for the Cubs.
With a lengthy work stoppage seen as all but a certainty heading into 2027, there’s no telling when the next great opportunity will be.
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