Chicago Cubs Receive Fair Prediction for When They Will Make Playoffs Again

When will the Chicago Cubs make the playoffs again?

Sep 25, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Cody Bellinger (24) throws to first against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

It was a disappointing 2024 campaign for the Chicago Cubs, as despite finishing over .500, they were never really a playoff contender this season. 

The Cubs are heading into the offseason with some question marks regarding their lineup and bullpen mostly. Luckily, Chicago has a solid rotation, but even that rotation wasn’t enough to propel them to a playoff spot. 

For the Cubs, this offseason will now be about trying to improve, to compete with the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, and also taking the leap to competing in the National League as a whole. 

As shown in 2024, there are a lot of good teams in the NL, as even the Arizona Diamondbacks missed the playoffs this season. Making the postseason is no easy task as of now, and the Cubs will have their work cut out for themselves to reach the postseason in 2025. 

Recently, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report spoke about when Chicago might return to the postseason and his prediction was in 2026. 

“The Cubs struggled to find anything resembling consistency in 2024, looking like clear contenders for stretches and obvious also-rans in between, and the end result was an 83-79 record and a seat on the couch for the postseason. The offense is lacking in star power, especially after Cody Bellinger took a step backward from his resurgent 2023 campaign, while the starting rotation needs at least one more quality arm and the bullpen might be a complete teardown and rebuild. They have plenty of talent, but it doesn't add up to a playoff contender at the moment.”

For the Cubs this offseason, there are a few priorities that they should be addressing. While their offense has some talented names, a lot of them underachieved in 2024. While the lineup could improve on its own in 2025, adding some star power would be ideal. 

There are a few free agents who suit the bill for that, but it would cost Chicago a lot of money. Where that money would likely be better spent this winter would be in the bullpen. Besides Porter Hodge, the Cubs’ bullpen was inconsistent and bad for most of the season. 

Improving the bullpen could help get some more wins for the team and if the lineup improves on their own, Chicago could see a slight bump in the win column next season. However, the 2026 prediction of making the playoffs seems fair and likely correct.