The Chicago Cubs came up just short of a potential World Series appearance in 2025. This group had what it took to go all the way, but Chicago couldn’t take down the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS on Saturday night.
While losing to your division rival in the postseason is never a great feeling, there’s a lot that Cubs fans should be encouraged by after a roller coaster of a season. There are plenty of positives that we can take away from this 2025 season that should help carry this franchise in 2026 and beyond.
So, let’s look at four of the biggest bright spots from this Cubs team this year.
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 30-30 season
If you had asked any Cubs fan before the season what Pete Crow-Armstrong’s 2025 stat line would look like, very few people would have predicted a 30-30 season. Well, that’s exactly what Crow-Armstrong accomplished in his first full season in the Majors.
Although the 23-year-old really struggled in the second half by slashing .216/.262/.372 with six home runs, 24 RBI, and eight stolen bases in his final 62 regular season games, it’s hard to ignore what he did in the first half. Crow-Armstrong had 25 home runs and 27 stolen bases heading into the All-Star break and was firmly in the MVP conversation with Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Schwarber.
Yes, his inconsistencies at the plate were present, especially toward the end of the season. But for a 23-year-old in his first full season, he exceeded all expectations. He also became just the seventh player in MLB history to have a 30-30 season at age 23 or younger, joining the likes of Bobby Bonds (1969), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Jose Canseco (1998), Ronald Acuna Jr. (2019), Julio Rodriguez (2023), and Bobby Witt Jr. (2023)
The sky is the limit for Crow-Armstrong after a 6.0 WAR season in 2025.
Cade Horton’s Dominant Rookie Season
When the Cubs called up Cade Horton in early May, no one knew what to expect from him. He dominated at Triple-A Iowa to start the season, but his lack of Triple-A starts (11) questioned whether he was actually ready for the big leagues.
It’s safe to say Horton was ready.
The 24-year-old showed some nice things in his first few starts, like when he tossed 5 ⅔ shutout innings against the Pirates on June 13 and seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts against the Guardians on July 3. It wasn’t until after the All-Star break, though, that we saw Horton’s full potential on the mound.
From July 20 to the end of the season, Horton was THE best pitcher in baseball. He had a 1.03 ERA and 54 strikeouts across 61 ⅓ innings pitched and allowed one run or fewer in 11 of his 12 starts during this stretch.
It’s really unfortunate that Horton couldn’t help the Cubs in the playoffs after he injured his ribs in the final week of the season. While he would have definitely given Chicago a better chance to win in the NLDS, the right-hander is looking like a future ace.
Michael Busch’s Breakout Campaign
Back in 2024, the Cubs made a bold move to acquire infielder Michael Busch for two up-and-coming prospects in Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope. At the time, Busch struggled in his limited at-bats in the big leagues, and both Hope and Ferris were trending up in Single-A. After two seasons, it’s safe to say Jed Hoyer made the right decision.
Busch was easily Chicago’s best power-hitter this season, totaling a career-high 34 home runs and driving in 90 runs across 155 games. Even in the postseason, the slugging first baseman showed up by jacking four home runs -- two of which were lead-off homers.
Cubs fans can’t possibly say enough good things about Busch this season, and he really emerged as one of the best-hitting first basemen in all of baseball. He ranked third in homers (34), fifth in RBI (90), second in SLG (.523), and third in OPS (.866) among all first basemen.
Busch is certainly a star in the making.
Daniel Palencia’s Emergence in the Bullpen
At the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, the Cubs were major sellers. They were looking to move most of their pieces to build for the future. Chicago eventually traded Andrew Chafin to the Athletics for outfielder Greg Deichmann and pitcher Daniel Palencia. Four years later, it’s clear that Palencia was the best player in the deal.
After struggling for most of the 2024 season, it wasn’t a surprise to see Palencia start the 2025 campaign down in Triple-A. However, he soon got his opportunity back in the big leagues toward the middle of April. From then on, the flame-throwing right-hander emerged as one of the best arms in Chicago’s bullpen.
He finished the year with a 2.91 ERA, 22 saves, and 61 strikeouts across 52 ⅔ innings pitched. Even though Palencia hit a rough patch toward the end of the year, he stepped up in a major way in the postseason by getting big outs when called upon.
Palencia should continue to operate at the back end of the Cubs’ bullpen next year and could be in contention to be the team’s closer again if they don’t add any closer in free agency.