2026 Cubs Have Look, Feel of True Contender

The dust has settled from CubsCon 2026, leaving a deservedly light-hearted feeling in the air. Chicago Cubs new and old were all smiles this past weekend as the organization welcomed back several members of its legendary 2016 World Series-winning team for a commemorative celebration. Rather than just reveling in nostalgia, though, new additions like Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera have people excited for the future.

Featuring talent and depth at just about every position, with the possibility of more on the way, the Cubs are just about as complete a team as they have been since that fabled squad from 10 years ago. While we won’t be calling what the Cubs currently possess an embarrassment of riches, they certainly have a roster that appears capable of making a very deep run in the playoffs. Should you get excited? Yes.

By making an impressive return to the postseason in 2025, Craig Counsell‘s squad took the next step toward serious contention. The growth and development they showed on multiple fronts, especially on the mound, indicated to the front office and ownership that now is the time to invest. Cabrera and Bregman make the Cubs a more complete team statistically, but their energy and shared vision for success should have the rest of the league taking notice.

Jed Hoyer noted that the offseason still isn’t done, and rumors of a potential match with Zac Gallen back up those words. He would be yet another veteran presence on a roster built on players like Ian Happ, Justin Steele, and Dansby Swanson. Those individuals provide both the leadership and the baseball acumen to help set the tone for the club’s youthful x-factors. Cade Horton and Pete Crow-Armstrong have been so dynamic and impactful that it’s hard to believe they could still improve, but they absolutely can.

What’s more, both of them know they can be better. Crow-Armstrong shared that Bregman has already pulled him aside to go over areas for improvement, sharing a barely-contained enthusiasm for being pushed to bigger things by a teammate known for making those around him better. That attitude echoes what we saw and heard from Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and others when paired with leaders like David Ross, Jon Lester, and Dexter Fowler.

Those Cubs alums and many others reveled and reminisced this past weekend inside the walls of the 1914 Club at Wrigley Field. More than just a reunion, the gathering served as a reminder that this is a championship franchise. While stout challengers will crop up throughout the season, this team is positioned to control its own destiny and write a new narrative worth revisiting.

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