The Chicago Cubs have officially been eliminated from the 2024 MLB postseason contention following their 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Saturday, coupled with the New York Mets’ victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Although this outcome had been anticipated for some time, it marks a disappointing end to the season.
Heading into this year, there was a sense of optimism around the Cubs, particularly after a September collapse the previous season led to their playoff absence. Chairman Tom Ricketts had even expressed confidence during spring training, stating, “I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be favored for our division this year.” Unfortunately, the Cubs found themselves out of the National League Central race early on, as the Milwaukee Brewers pulled ahead in mid-May. The Cubs struggled significantly during May and June, finishing that stretch with a dismal 21-34 record, leaving them 11.5 games behind first place by the end of June and never recovering.
As the season progressed, discussions about the Cubs’ postseason chances shifted to the wild card, indicating how far they had fallen behind. Although they were only three games behind the Atlanta Braves for the third NL wild card spot on August 11, a sweep in Cleveland quickly put them six games back. Despite a brief resurgence with a 12-3 run, their subsequent performance has been lackluster, resulting in an 8-10 record down the stretch, ultimately sealing their fate with seven games left to play.
Patrick Wisdom, who contributed a solo home run in Saturday’s game, reflected on the disappointment, stating, “I feel like it kind of slipped through our hands. Those games early on really matter, especially when you come down to the end of September.” Manager Craig Counsell has been open about the team’s struggles and acknowledged the significant gap between the Cubs and the Brewers, emphasizing the need for a more competitive roster.
Counsell noted, “The thing we want to do is hard, and that’s going to require hard decisions. But the things worth doing are hard, so that’s where we gotta get to.” This season has made it clear that the current roster, largely unchanged from 2023 with some additions, has not met expectations.
Despite the Cubs sitting at 79-76, which puts them in a position to finish with a winning record for the second consecutive year, it feels more like a consolation prize given their playoff absence. Kyle Hendricks, who pitched in the loss, summed up the season’s ups and downs: “Just seemed like we’d catch steam and then couldn’t maintain it.”
Looking forward to 2025, the Cubs’ front office, led by Jed Hoyer, will need to make strategic moves during the offseason to bolster the team. The Cubs have not reached the playoffs since 2020 and have not won a playoff game since 2017, highlighting a significant drought for a team that once dominated the NL.
As Jameson Taillon expressed, the Cubs should aim to become a team that instills fear in opponents, making Wrigley Field a challenging venue for visiting teams. He said, “We should strive to be a 90-win, at least, organization.” With the focus now shifting to next season, the Cubs have a lot of work to do to restore their competitive edge and reclaim their status in the league.
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