Chicago Cubs 2025 offseason preview: After NLDS Game 5 loss, what do the Cubs need to do to make a deeper run next year?

2025 season: 92-70, second in NL Central, eliminated in NLDS

With the Cubs eliminated by the Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS, let’s take a look at the season that was in Chicago, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

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Things that went right

The Cubs rode a strong first half of the season to their first postseason appearance in a 162-game campaign since 2018.

While the teamâ€s pitching staff was steady all season, it was the lineup that made a big splash over the first few months. Before his struggles in the second half (.634 OPS), Pete Crow-Armstrong was one of baseballâ€s breakout players, as he rode improved power skills to a 30-30 season. He also played center field as well as anyone in baseball. Offseason acquisition Kyle Tucker endured a summer slump and injury, but his strong start to the campaign seemed to give the rest of the team confidence that the Cubs had found their lineup centerpiece. Seiya Suzuki blew past his previous career highs in homers (32) and RBI (103), and Michael Busch took a step forward (34 HR, 90 RBI) in his second season with the organization.

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On the mound, Matthew Boyd proved to be one of baseballâ€s best signings, though he stumbled in the Cubs’ NLDS Game 1 defeat. Signed to a reasonable, two-year contract last winter, Boyd ranked among the ERA leaders throughout the season. He wonâ€t seriously challenge for the NL Cy Young Award, but he will be on the ballot for some writers. Behind Boyd, Cade Horton became one of the teamâ€s most reliable starters during his rookie year. Horton struggled initially but went 8-1 with a remarkable 1.03 ERA after the All-Star break. Heâ€ll finish high in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Unfortunately for Chicago, an untimely broken rib kept Horton off the Cubs†wild-card and NLDS rosters.

Chicago had a solid bullpen, albeit with surprising contributors. Danny Palencia opened the season in Triple-A, yet by the second half of May, he was the teamâ€s closer. Palencia performed so well that the front office declined to add a veteran closer at the trade deadline. Caleb Thielbar and Brad Keller went from low-budget offseason signings to an effective setup duo that no one saw coming. The teamâ€s key relievers — Palencia, Keller, Thielbar, Andrew Kittredge, Drew Pomeranz and Taylor Rogers — combined to allow two runs over 12 1/3 innings during their three-game wild-card win over the Padres.

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Things that went wrong

The Cubs were outplayed across five NLDS games against the Brewers. While they mounted an admirable comeback after being down 0-2 and forced a Game 5, ultimately, the Brewers’ pitching held stronger, and the Brewers’ bats provided more clutch hits. In the winner-take-all game, the Cubs had their chances to break through and advance to the next round, and now they have the whole winter to think about them.

In the regular season, it was essential that pitchers such as Boyd, Horton and Palencia contributed much more than expected, because some of the teamâ€s main arms were massive disappointments. Ryan Pressly arrived in an offseason trade and was expected to anchor the bullpen. Instead, he lost the closerâ€s role by the middle of April and was released on Aug. 1. Porter Hodge was supposed to be the primary setup man or challenge Pressly for ninth-inning opportunities. Instead, he dealt with multiple IL stints and had a 6.85 ERA when he was sent to the minors on July 30.

The Cubs’ rotation had letdowns as well. Justin Steele was a leading candidate to be the teamâ€s ace, but he lasted just four starts before requiring season-ending elbow surgery. Steele did not, however, need Tommy John surgery, so heâ€s a candidate to return early next season. Ben Brown struggled to turn a strong K:BB ratio into a respectable ERA and bounced among the rotation, bullpen and minors. In July, the team hoped to have addressed its lack of rotation depth when it acquired Michael Soroka at the deadline, but Soroka lasted two innings (yes, two) before landing on the IL due to a right shoulder strain.

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Lastly, the Cubs went with rookie Matt Shaw at third base to begin the season and lived with the consequences. The plan worked to some degree, as Shaw logged an .839 OPS in the second half. But he arrived at the All-Star break with a .556 OPS and had soaked up 232 plate appearances that couldâ€ve been distributed elsewhere. While Shaw started to find a groove in the second half, many of his teammates struggled to the point that the Cubs ranked 20th in runs scored after the All-Star break.

Offseason outlook

Most of the Cubs†key players are under contract for 2026. The infield is especially stable. Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly will continue to form a balanced tandem behind home plate, with Amaya hoping to move past an injury-impacted season. Busch and Shaw could fill the corner infield spots on the North Side for many years, while Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner will work together in the middle of the diamond. Hoerner especially deserves recognition for his strong defense at shortstop.

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The outfield has some excellent pieces but also some instability as we look to 2026. With Crow-Armstrong in center field, Cubs pitchers can expect to have outstanding defense on fly balls. And Ian Happ is a steady contributor in left field. Tucker is heading to free agency, which gives the teamâ€s top prospect, Owen Caissie, a chance to take over as an every-day player after excelling in the minors and getting a cup of coffee in Chicago in August and September.

Chicago has plenty of rotation options. Boyd will lead the staff for at least one more season, Horton will be a big part of the rotation, and Jameson Taillon will grab a spot for the final year of his deal. The status of Shota Imanaga is up in the air, as his complicated contract has player and team options for various seasons that need to be addressed before he can return. The Cubs have a club option on Colin Rea, which they might exercise after he was a reliable contributor this year. And while Steele is a wild card, he could be the best pitcher on the team if healthy. Finally, thereâ€s Brown, who will surely get another shot as a starter and still has plenty of long-term potential.

The bullpen has an excellent anchor in Palencia but needs help to rebuild the setup crew. All of the teamâ€s key relievers down the stretch are on the wrong side of 30, and many are over 35 years old. Whatâ€s more, Keller, Thielbar, Andrew Kittredge, Taylor Rogers and Drew Pomeranz are all heading to free agency and will need to be retained or replaced.

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Prospects on the horizon

As noted earlier, Caissie is the teamâ€s best prospect and the player who is the most ready to make major contributions in 2026. The 23-year-old logged an outstanding .937 OPS in Triple-A this year, which proved that he has nothing else to learn at that level. Caissie has a terrific blend of power and patience and deserves a chance to be the Opening Day right fielder.

Moisés Ballesteros is the clubâ€s other elite prospect who is knocking on the door, having bounced between Triple-A and the majors in 2025. A short, stocky catcher with strong contact skills, Ballesteros has drawn comparisons to Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk. He can also play first base, though his long-term role is likely behind the plate. Amaya and Kelly are both under contract for 2026, though itâ€s the final year of Kellyâ€s deal. The club could carry three catchers, or it could make a trade to clear space for Ballesteros.

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Kevin Alcántara joins Caissie among the outfield options. Alcántara enjoyed a solid 2025 season in Triple-A and got his first taste of the big leagues in September. That said, his production wasnâ€t enough to put him in serious consideration for a regular role at the outset of 2026. The best bet is for Alcántara to open next season in the minors before joining the outfield as soon as an injury occurs.

On the pitching side, Jaxon Wiggins had a terrific 2025 and elevated his prospect status. The 23-year-old has progressed only to Double-A, which almost guarantees that he will open 2026 in the minors. Still, he could help the rotation or relief corps next summer.

Goals for 2026

The Cubs will be competitive again next season, but after such a strong first half followed by a disappointing playoff exit, their fans want to know how far the front office will go to make this team true World Series contenders. Trading for Tucker last offseason was a win-now move, but it wasnâ€t followed up with a lucrative contract extension or the pitching acquisitions necessary to make the most of Tuckerâ€s one season in Chicago. With the four-time All-Star likely headed elsewhere this winter, Caissie looks ready to replace Tucker in the outfield, but there remains a massive need to improve Chicagoâ€s rotation and overhaul the bullpen if the Cubs want to get further than the division series in 2026.

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With the Brewers surging, the Reds ascending and the Cardinals almost always a threat, winning the NL Central will be more difficult next year than in many recent seasons. The pressure will be on Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts to give the front office the necessary resources and on president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to improve the roster to make a deeper run in 2026.

Fantasy focus

Crow-Armstrong and Tucker will be selected in the second round of 2026 drafts, with Suzuki following a few rounds later. This deep roster includes many players who will be drafted in the middle rounds, including Swanson, Hoerner, Busch, Happ, Palencia, Imanaga, Boyd and Horton.

Steele will join that group if he looks good in spring training. Shaw will be selected a few rounds later, as managers pin their hopes on his ability to build on his 2025 second-half performance.

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