Cubs Week in Review: North Siders' Playoff Run Ends with a Trip at the Starting Line

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The quest for the Chicago Cubs' fourth World Series championship must now wait until their 151st season. Countless moments this season took our breath away, but right now, it feels like 2026 was a missed opportunity—one that, with a prolonged work stoppage looming as at least a cloud over the offseason, might take a while to get back. Thanks a lot, San Diego.

Jed Hoyer addressed directly in his end-of-season press conference what we all knew: blowing the chance to host the Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field put the Cubs at a tremendous disadvantage. In a "two-and-done" situation, taking the field in Southern California opposite a piping-hot team and their rabid fanbase put the North Siders into an environment they seemed ill-prepared to manage. Game 1 was ugly. The postseason experience of veteran starter Matthew Boyd was ineffectual against the explosive talent of Fernando Tatis Jr., who sent the very first pitch of the bottom of the first inning over the wall in left-center, just out of reach of Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Three pitches later, Manny Machado went yard, sending an already raucous sell-out crowd into a state of delirium. Meanwhile, the Cubs' vaunted offense was shut down by the Pads' razor-sharp starter Michael King, who held Craig Counsell's crew hitless through 6 1/3 innings. The offense, so mighty throughout the regular season, was limited to just three hits. The 8-0 loss set up what could be the squad's last game of the year.

And it was. Though the Cubs and Game 2 starter Kevin Gausman attempted to wipe the slate clean and keep their season alive, nothing quite "clicked". The untimely slump Chicago's offense settled into over the last two weeks of the regular season manifested in this contest, too. The North Siders left seven baserunners stranded, producing a nauseating 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. After a quick first inning, Gausman was uneven at best, lasting just 3 1/3 innings and surrendering three earned runs. From the jump, the Cubs didn't look like a squad ready for the postseason spotlight. The 4-1 loss stopped their playoff run before it could begin. They never held a lead. Indeed, the Padres led for all but the first inning and a half of the second game.

So, here we are. While eight teams remain in the MLB playoffs vying for the Commissioner's Trophy, The Chicago Cubs stand outside of it all, facing the doubt and scrutiny of a mission unfulfilled. When this team returns to action, whether that's in 172 days or longer, it could look different in some major ways. For starters, the squad's corner outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are free agents. Happ's emotions when reflecting on his decade-long tenure with the team were emblematic of what the vibes are like right now within this organization. The bar is irreversibly raised for this franchise. Getting to play just two additional games, when much more was anticipated, is not enough. Here's hoping that when this club comes back, they more closely resemble a championship contender.