The Cubs are officially out of the playoffs
The Cubs are officially out of the playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
This is the conclusion of the Cubs’ 2023 MLB season.
On Saturday, they were officially eliminated from the MLB playoffs as the Miami Marlins defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates for their 84th win of the season. The Cubs defeated the Milwaukee Brewers, but the maximum number of games they can play this season is 84 and the Marlins have the tiebreaker over the Cubs.
This is what the MLB playoff picture looks like in the National League. The Philadelphia Phillies secured the first wild card spot. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Marlins each secured the final two spots on Saturday against the close-seeded Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.
The Cubs have been aiming to get into the playoffs since the start of this season.
They have strengthened their squad in impressive fashion in the offseason. They notably brought along Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, Miles Mastrobuoni and Jameson Taillon. They also added good soldiers Ian Happ and Nico Hoener to solidify part of their core.
As the trade deadline approached, the Cubs were poised to become sellers. The playoffs didn’t seem to be in their future and the benefits of winning the lowly NL Central didn’t seem worth the effort. They also owned two of the most valuable players of that era – Bellinger and Marcus Stroman – who would certainly benefit the Cubs greatly in a trade package.
However, calls from the clubhouse – particularly the aforementioned Swanson – called on the front office not to sell. A late double-digit winning streak before the deadline helped the Cubs reverse course and push for the playoffs.
They added Jeimer Candelario and Jose Cuas to bolster their infield and bullpen, respectively.
Unfortunately, the Cubs lost four straight games to the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers before their final series. That losing streak, coupled with a five-game losing streak to the Rockies and Diamondbacks, dampened the Cubs’ chances of postseason contention.
The Cubs will go back to the drawing board and all eyes will be on Stroman and Bellinger as their future with the Cubs hangs in the balance.
