With a postseason berth in sight, Chicago needs high-priced stars and slumping staples to find their rhythm before October's high-stakes pressure defines their 2026 campaign.
The Chicago Cubs are in a good spot to make the postseason for the second consecutive year.
They currently own the top Wild Card spot in the National League and are 4 ½ games up on the third-place St. Louis Cardinals. Although their deficit in the NL Central standings has risen to seven games, the North Siders still have a 79.2% chance to make the playoffs.
But if the Cubs want to make the playoffs and eventually make a deep postseason run, there are three veterans in particular who must step up. These veterans must really turn around their season in the final two months and carry that momentum into the postseason.
Alex Bregman
The Cubs signed Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million deal this past offseason to be a consistent bat at the top of the lineup. Unfortunately, Bregman has been the opposite of that. His .241/.336/.363 slash line with 10 home runs and 43 RBI is not good enough.
Although Bregman has been more productive at the plate lately, it’s moments like Monday night when the Cubs need the veteran to step up. He came to the plate in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. The third baseman then proceeded to strike out.
Chicago simply needs more from Bregman in these key spots, especially when it comes time for the playoffs. He’s batting only .209 with runners in scoring position and has a .149 batting average with runners in scoring position and two outs.
Matthew Boyd
There’s no doubt that Matthew Boyd emerged as an ace in the Cubs' rotation last year. He had a 3.21 ERA across 179 ⅔ innings pitched and was easily the team’s best pitcher throughout the 2025 season.
If the Cubs can get that version of Boyd again, that would instantly boost their chances. He would be that premier starting pitcher that the team can rely on in big-time games.
The good news for Chicago is that the southpaw is slowly returning to that form. He has a 2.65 ERA over his last six starts and just recently threw six innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts against the Twins his last time out.
Ian Happ
Ian Happ is currently slumping at the plate right now. He is slashing .185/.287/.323 with four home runs, four doubles, 10 RBI, and two stolen bases over his last 37 games since June 5. Those numbers simply have to improve down the stretch.
While he does rank second on the team with 18 home runs, he’s really struggling in other areas. He leads the team in strikeouts (128) and is batting just .163 with 46 strikeouts across 104 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Happ is such a big part of this Cubs’ offense, but he needs to start hitting with runners in scoring position. Right now, the team can’t rely on him to come through in big spots. That needs to change in the final 62 games and into the playoffs.
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