The Chicago Cubs came into 2026 with big expectations and even bigger goals, but the season still ended in disappointment. After the lack of postseason success, the attention now turns to what comes next, and the work of rebuilding a roster capable of a deep playoff run.
Plenty went sideways along the way. The Cubs dealt with multiple 10-game losing streaks, a wave of injuries, and too much inconsistency at the plate.
They did score the most runs in baseball, but that advantage meant little once October arrived. The real trouble showed up on the pitching side, where both the rotation and bullpen lacked stability.
Even so, the season wasn’t a total dead end. Pete Crow-Armstrong will be the 2026 N.L MVP, and that gives the Cubs a major piece to build around. Their offense was still the highest-scoring group in the league, but the strongest reason for optimism may be what they did without the ball.
The Cubs’ defense was elite, and that could end up being the clearest silver lining from the year. The old line about defense winning championships may get tossed around a lot, but it still fits. In an era that leans so heavily toward offense, Chicago has shown that keeping runs off the board matters just as much as piling them on.
That defensive backbone showed up in the awards race, too. Five Cubs players were named Golden Glove finalists, and three of those five are expected to remain with the club long term.
Nico Hoerner, a runner-up, is also staying put. With so much turnover on the horizon, having that kind of core already in place matters.
The numbers back it up. Chicago led the league in defensive runs saved with 101 and finished with a .990 fielding percentage.
Add in the Gold Glove recognition, and it’s clear the Cubs were operating at an elite level defensively. That gives them something dependable to carry into the future.
Even if Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki move on from the group of finalists, the Cubs would still have a strong infield foundation with Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner, and Dansby Swanson. That means the defensive profile should remain steady next season, and maybe beyond that. For a team trying to reset after a bitter finish, that’s the kind of stability worth holding onto.
In Other News...
Cubs May Have A New Outfield Factor In Future Trade Plans
The Cubs spent much of their 2026 draft chasing pitching, but they still came away with a position player who has already started to look like more than a side note. Caden Sorrell, their second-round pick, handled his first taste of Single-A well in 22 games, flashing the kind of speed-and-power blend that tends to get a front offices attention. MLB Pipeline already has him ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the system, which is a noteworthy place to be for a player just getting started.
Sorrells rise matters because Chicago already has several outfield prospects ahead of him, and that crowding could eventually shape how the club handles its roster. If he keeps moving forward, the Cubs may have to decide whether to keep stockpiling young outfield talent or use some of that depth to address other needs. That is where names like Kane Kepley and Ethan Conrad enter the conversation, with Sorrells development adding another layer to the teams longer-term trade planning. [Read more 🡒]
Craig Counsell Just Raised A Tough Nico Hoerner Question
Nico Hoerners 2026 season has put a familiar Cubs debate back in the spotlight, even if the organization does not sound alarmed by it. After a career-best 2025, Hoerners offense dipped noticeably this year, with his batting average and OPS+ both moving the wrong way, a reminder that his value has never been built on loud production alone. Craig Counsell recently pointed to the way Hoerner plays the game as part of the explanation, suggesting his results can swing heavily with fortune because of how much of his profile lives in contact and execution.
The Cubs, though, do not appear interested in tinkering with what makes Hoerner effective. They continue to trust the consistency of his approach and do not plan to change his mechanics or style, even with the numbers trending down from last season. For Chicago, the real question is whether this is just the kind of offensive variance that comes with Hoerners game, or the start of a longer stretch where the results keep lagging behind the process. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Tough Offseason Choice With Japanese Slugger Looming
Teruaki Sato is shaping up as one of the more intriguing names on the market this offseason, and the Cubs will at least have to do their homework. The Japanese slugger, who won the Triple Crown in NPB, is expected to be posted for MLB teams, which puts him on the radar for clubs looking for impact offense. For Chicago, the appeal is obvious: a player with that kind of pedigree would add a different kind of thump to a lineup that could use it.
The fit, though, is not as simple as the talent. Sato has played third base and right field, and those spots already come with roster complications for the Cubs, making the chase less straightforward than a typical splash move. Chicago also appears to be in a stronger position to bring back Seiya Suzuki, whose MLB track record and defensive value give the front office a more familiar path to upgrading the roster without having to solve as many moving parts. [Read more 🡒]