How Worried Should Cubs Fans be About Slow Start to 2026 Season?
The Chicago Cubs entered the 2026 MLB season with some of the highest expectations among their fan base. But so far, after the first week and a half of games, pretty much anything that could’ve gone wrong, has gone wrong on the north side of Chicago.
Dropping Series After Series
As of Tuesday, April 7th, the Cubs have a subpar record of 4-6 through their first 10 games, putting them dead last in their division. But looking at what their schedule has been on paper, one would have thought it should have been a perfect way to ease into the year, but that has been far from the case, as they dropped two out of the first three series.
vs Nationals (H): Lost 2 of 3
vs Angles (H): Won 2 of 3
vs Guardians (A): Lost 2 of 3
Major Injury Concerns in SP Rotation
Current Cubs pitchers who are on the IL:
Cade Horton (UCL): Out for Season
Matthew Boyd (Bicep Strain): 15-day IL
Most likely SP rotation due to injuries:
Edward Cabrera
Shota Imanaga
Jameson Tallion
Javier Assad
TBD
Offensive Stars are Ice Cold
Here are some of the offensive numbers for the Cubs’ top hitters in their lineup that are struggling:
Michael Busch: .176 AVG/.310 OBP/.235 SLG
Pete Crow-Armstrong: .211 AVG/.250 OBP/.237 SLG
Alex Bregman: .150 AVG/.244 OBP/.300 SLG
While the plethora of pitcher injuries is the main reason Cubs fans should be concerned going forward, having three of your best hitters start the season as poorly as they have can’t go unnoticed. If the Cubs want to have any chance to climb out of this early season hole that they dug themselves into, it has to start with these three getting their act together at the plate.
Upcoming Stretch
Due to the fact that the NL Central has been arguably the best division in baseball to start this season, the Cubs have quickly fallen behind in the standings and can ill afford to continue struggling the way that they have been. So here are the upcoming teams that they have on their schedule during the month of April.
@ Rays(2 games left)
vs Pirates (3 games)
@ Phillies (3 games)
vs Mets(3 games)
vs Phillies(4 games)
@ Dodgers(3 games)
@ Padres(3 games)
It’s fair to say that this next month long stretch will be arguably the most critical for the Cubs all year in regards to their playoff aspirations for 2026. But as a fan, it’s very difficult to feel any sort of hope or confidence due to their laundry list of injuries right now.
