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Cubs Take a Step Forward in 2025-But Will They Take the Leap in 2026?<\/strong><\/p>\n As the dust settles on the 2025 season, the Chicago Cubs find themselves in a familiar spot-competitive, promising, but not quite over the hump. Their year ended with a thud in the NLDS, bowing out in Game 5, but let\u2019s not overlook the progress.<\/p>\n For the first time since 2018, the Cubs cracked the 90-win mark, and they returned to the postseason for the first time since 2020. That\u2019s not nothing.<\/p>\n They even gave fans a taste of October drama, knocking off the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series. Sure, the bats went cold against a relentless Padres bullpen, but the series win was a milestone for a club that\u2019s been grinding through a rebuild and trying to find its footing in a competitive National League.<\/p>\n Now, with the offseason in full swing, the Cubs are in roster-building mode. So far, the moves have been more about depth than sizzle.<\/p>\n They’ve brought back left-hander Shota Imanaga on the qualifying offer and re-signed veteran reliever Caleb Thielbar to a one-year deal. In free agency, they\u2019ve added Tyler Austin, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Jacob Webb, and Hoby Milner.<\/p>\n Solid pieces? Absolutely.<\/p>\n Game-changers? Not quite.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the tension hanging over this offseason. The Cubs are clearly in the mix and have the bones of a team that can contend, but they haven\u2019t made the kind of splash that signals they\u2019re going all-in. That\u2019s why, in a year-end grading of NL Central teams, Chicago landed a \u201cB\u201d for 2025-a respectable mark, but one that reflects both progress and missed opportunity.<\/p>\n Among their division rivals, that grade put the Cubs in the middle of the pack. The Cardinals and Pirates struggled through tough seasons and earned grades to match (D+ and C-, respectively). The Brewers, meanwhile, came away with the top mark-an A–after winning the division and making a run to the NLCS.<\/p>\n The one ranking that might raise some eyebrows? The Cincinnati Reds getting a B+.<\/p>\n They finished behind the Cubs in the standings and got swept out of the Wild Card Series. And like the Cubs, they\u2019ve been quiet this winter.<\/p>\n So why the edge? That\u2019s up for debate.<\/p>\n But when your most notable offseason move is signing Phil Maton to a multi-year deal-the only one the Cubs have handed out so far-it\u2019s hard to argue too loudly about report card semantics.<\/p>\n The good news? There\u2019s still plenty of offseason left, and the Cubs aren\u2019t done.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve been linked to several top-tier free agents, including Alex Bregman. They missed out on Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, which only adds pressure to land a big fish.<\/p>\n With Kyle Tucker\u2019s likely departure looming, the front office has both the need and the opportunity to make a major move.<\/p>\n What\u2019s clear is this: 2025 marked a real step forward. After years of retooling, the Cubs look like a team ready to contend again.<\/p>\n But turning that step into a leap-into a team that doesn\u2019t just make the playoffs, but makes noise when they get there-will require more than incremental upgrades. The foundation is there.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s about building the rest of the house.<\/p>\n The North Side is hungry for October baseball that lasts. The Cubs have the chance to deliver it in 2026. The question is: will they go out and seize it?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cubs Take a Step Forward in 2025-But Will They Take the Leap in 2026? As the dust settles on the 2025 season, the Chicago Cubs find themselves… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Trade](\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2025\/07\/09234015\/GettyImages-2175950835-scaled-e1752118832545.jpg\")
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