The 2026 Chicago Cubs have been one of the wildest rides fans have ever seen. From a mediocre start to an unbelievable stretch that was immediately buried by a cruel month, it ultimately ended with another excellent stretch heading into the All-Star break. Pitching injuries seemingly popped up multiple times per week, while the offense was erratic almost every other month. And yet, the Cubs remain one of the top teams in the league, well-positioned to make moves at the trade deadline because, despite the severe adversity, this team has persevered through what’s been a rollercoaster of a first half.
Let’s first look back at the team’s wild swings in the standings.
March 26 – April 11: Cubs went 7-9, last in the NL Central
April 12 – May 8: Cubs went 20-3, improved to 27-12 overall, 1st place in NL Central, best record in MLB
May 9 – June 10: Cubs went 7-22, fell to 34-34 overall, 4th place in NL Central
June 11 – July 12: Cubs went 20-8, improved to 54-42, 2nd in NL Central, fifth-best record in MLB
The 20-3 run included two 10-game winning streaks that were sandwiched between a three-game losing streak. Then they went 2-4 in their next six games before losing 10 straight. The Cubs swept a four-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds on May 7 and did not win another series until June 13, winning the first two games against the San Francisco Giants on the road.
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And after all that, they went on to go 20-8, the best record in MLB during that stretch, entering the All-Star break. The Cubs only lost one series in the past month, as the St. Louis Cardinals won two of three at Wrigley Field on 4th of July weekend.
The highs have been exhilarating, while the lows have been excruciating so far in 2026. The Cubs literally had the No. 1 offense in baseball as of May 8, scoring 215 runs in 39 games, an average of 5.5 runs per game. Then, in their next 29 games, the Cubs only averaged 3.2 runs per game. Of those 29 games, the Cubs scored two or fewer runs in 15. However, things swung back the other direction, because in their last 28 games, the Cubs are once again at the top of the league in offense, scoring 176 runs, an average of 6.3 runs per game.
It wouldn’t be a chaotic season without the walk-off wins, and not only have the Cubs been involved in them, but they also lead MLB with 10 walk-off victories. The latest came on June 29 against the San Diego Padres.
Moving on to the pitchers.
This shouldn’t be a surprise simply because of all the injuries, but the Cubs have used 33 different pitchers so far this season, which is the most among all 30 MLB teams. That’s three more pitchers than the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays, who are tied for the second most.
Because of all the missed time due to injury, guys moving around between the bullpen and rotation, minor trades and waiver pickups throughout the season with a mix of more arms from Triple-A, the Cubs only have one qualified starting pitcher in Shōta Imanaga and four qualified relievers: Jacob Webb, Ryan Rolison, Trent Thornton, and Hoby Milner.
And we can’t end discussing the first half without Pete Crow-Armstrong. You want to talk about a guy who put the team on his back during a brutal part of the season, and he did it as the youngest starting player on the roster. Oh, and not only did PCA regain his swagger, but he’s also become one of the best players in the entire sport.
It’s been a wild ride, Cubs fans, and it’s probably going to get crazier, but hopefully in a good way that doesn’t raise our blood pressure.
