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Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts took a strong stance regarding the team’s outlook for 2026.

The Chicago Cubs haven’t won the NL Central since the shortened 2020 season, finishing in second place behind the Milwaukee Brewers for three consecutive years, but the team’s top leader predicts better results this year.

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts addressed the media at MLB Spring Training on Monday, February 16, outlining his expectations for the 2026 season. “We should win the division,” Ricketts told reports, including Jesse Rogers of ESPN. “We should be right there. You want to win the division for a lot of reasons not just because its aggravating not to – but you want to put yourself in the best position for the playoffs as well.”

The Cubs know all too well the dangers of failing to win the division and ceding home-field advantage. Chicago faced Milwaukee in the National League Divisional Series, falling 3-2 in a closely-contested battle. The Brewers won the decisive Game 5 in front of their home crowd. All five games in the series were taken by the home team.

Chicago Cubs Owner Predicts NL Central Title

The Cubs are looking to make it past the Divisional round of the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Ricketts’ declaration that Chicago should win the division is in line with NL Central betting odds. Sportsbooks view Chicago as the favorite to take the crown, followed by Milwaukee. The Cincinnati Reds aren’t too far behind. The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are long shots, according to oddsmakers.

Win projections around the industry also portend positive results for the Cubs. The PECOTA standings over at Baseball Prospectus have the club winning the division by nine games over the Brewers. Chicago’s 90.8-win projection is the second-highest in the National League, behind only the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

FanGraphs has the NL Central as a much closer race, though their projections still give the division title to the Cubs. The projected standings on the site have Chicago at 85 wins and Milwaukee at 81 wins.

Cubs Make Big Move to Replace Kyle Tucker

With Kyle Tucker signing a mega deal with the Dodgers, Ricketts and company took a big swing of their own in free agency. The Cubs handed third baseman Alex Bregman a five-year, $175 million contract to fill the gap in the middle of the order. Chicago also traded top prospect Owen Caissie to the Miami Marlins for frontline starter Edward Cabrera.

The 31-year-old Bregman joins the Cubs after one season with the Boston Red Sox. He slugged 18 home runs across 114 games in his lone season with the club, earning his third All-Star selection. A quad strain held Bregman under 600 plate appearances for the first time since 2021. When healthy, he was among the most productive hitters in Boston’s lineup.

Bregman will likely fill Tucker’s hole in the lineup, slotting in at No. 2 behind leadoff hitter Michael Busch. The outfield trio of Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, and Pete Crow-Armstrong will provide ample protection for Bregman. Chicago is also looking for a couple of youngsters to step forward, as Moises Ballesteros and Matt Shaw will both get opportunities to contribute around the diamond.

Charlie Wright is a longtime sports journalist with more than a decade of experience covering college and professional sports. He covers MLB and NBA for Heavy.com. More about Charlie Wright