It’s the dawn of a new Chicago Cubs season, with a clean slate and many possibilities ahead. Expectations are high with the sole goal of a World Series championship. If that wasn’t made clear enough, listen to what newcomer Alex Bregman has said to the media multiple times. There is no lack of confidence in that Cubs clubhouse heading into 2026.
Ownership opened the wallet, and President Jed Hoyer was very active this Winter to address holes and bolster the pitching staff. It’s all on the players to perform now.
Familiar Cubs vibes heading into 2026.
Any fan who has been around a while to witness the start of a Cubs season has felt a range of emotions. While the classic “This is the year!” slogan fueled the Cubs faithful for a century, deep down, there was an understanding that the team would likely be at the bottom of the standings by year’s end. Then came seasons like 2004, 2008, and 2016, where the expectations were “World Series or bust”. It’s safe to say the 2026 Cubs have as close to that “World Series or bust” feeling as they’ve had since they won it all a decade ago.
Like the three seasons mentioned above, the Cubs are coming off a playoff berth and have added notable pieces in the offseason. The additions of Bregman, Edward Cabrera, and several bullpen arms bring the belief that the squad that won 92 games and the Wild Card round last year can take another step. In 2015-2016, they added Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, and John Lackey to a young core that won 97 games and made it to the NLCS. One could say Pete Crow-Armstrong’s extension was that extra preseason vibe boost that they got when Dexter Fowler unexpectedly returned in 2016.
Are the overall feelings quite as strong as in 2016? Probably not. That doesn’t mean the 2026 Cubs cannot win it all, but the 2016 Cubs had all the stars aligned with no real weaknesses. They had slain the rival dragon Cardinals in 2015, while the Brewers have reigned over the current Cubs for years now. There was also no super team like the Dodgers to get through; the 16′ Cubs were clearly the favorite to win the NL pennant.
Expectations compared to recent years.
Over the last two seasons, projections have been bullish on the Cubs. Even last year, they were picked to win the NL Central after acquiring Kyle Tucker. With that said, prior to last year, the Cubs came off multiple 83-win seasons in 2023 and 2024 and had losing records in 2021 and 2022. People had not seen this regime succeed, and plenty criticized the Ricketts for not spending like a big-market team. This bred skepticism.
Now this regime has tasted postseason success, and the Cubs spent big money. It adds to the bullishness people have towards the team, now that they have seen they can be good enough to make the big dance.
The time for talk is over, and it’s time to play ball. There is potential for 2026 to be a special year for the Cubs, and hopefully, they deliver. Anything less than another postseason run would be very disappointing. They are not perfect and are not without their concerns, but they’re a talented group of guys who seem to have built a great culture and have their eyes on the prize.
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