Chicago Cubs Central Podcast

The Cubs' 2026 season is over — and Jed Hoyer is NOT hiding from what went wrong.

In his end-of-season press conference, Hoyer made some stunning admissions about the Cubs' collapse, the bullpen, Edward Cabrera, the organization's pitching development and what could be a very different Chicago Cubs team in 2027.

Mike Jones breaks down Hoyer's biggest comments and asks the question every Cubs fan should be asking:

DO YOU STILL TRUST JED HOYER TO FIX THIS TEAM?

Hoyer admitted, “I did a poor job on the bullpen this year — full stop,” while also saying the Cubs need to examine every part of their pitching operation — from scouting and player development to major-league acquisitions.

Then there's Edward Cabrera. Hoyer said, “We struggled with Edward,” raising an even bigger question: Did the Cubs fail to get the most out of a talented pitcher?

And Hoyer's warning for 2027 may be the biggest story of all:

“The team's going to look and feel different next year.”

Mike also dives into:

🔥 Why Hoyer believes the Cubs' pitching problems are ORGANIZATIONAL
🔥 The bullpen disaster and Hoyer taking responsibility
🔥 Edward Cabrera and whether the Cubs failed to maximize his talent
🔥 The uncertainty surrounding Cade Horton, Justin Steele and Ben Brown
🔥 What happens with Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, David Peterson, Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki
🔥 Why Pete Crow-Armstrong remains a massive part of the Cubs' future
🔥 Matt Shaw potentially getting a bigger role in 2027
🔥 Alex Bregman's disappointing finish
🔥 Why the Cubs' offense disappeared against San Diego
🔥 What the Cubs need to do this offseason
🔥 And the biggest question of them all: Can Jed Hoyer fix the problems he admits he helped create?

The Cubs believed this team could win. They pushed their chips in. Now, after falling short, Hoyer says the failure will “gnaw at us for a long time.”

The offseason has officially begun.

What do YOU think? Do you still trust Jed Hoyer to build a championship-caliber Cubs team?

👇 DROP YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS!

Subscribe to Chicago Cubs Central for Cubs news, analysis, reactions, trade rumors and honest conversation all offseason long.

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The Chicago Cubs’ 2026 season is OVER — and it ended with a brutal sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres.

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike breaks down the crushing Wild Card sweep and looks at the bigger picture: Was the 2026 Cubs season a failure?

Mike explains why he believes the season ultimately fell short, what went wrong, the biggest disappointments, and what the Cubs need to do moving forward.

 In this episode:
• Cubs swept by the Padres
• Breaking down the Wild Card loss
• Was the 2026 season a failure?
• What went wrong for Chicago
• Biggest disappointments of the season
• Where the Cubs go from here
• What needs to change heading into 2027

Was the 2026 Cubs season a failure? Let us know in the comments!

 Subscribe to Chicago Cubs Central for Cubs news, reactions, analysis, live streams, and everything surrounding the Chicago Cubs.

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THE CUBS' DESTINY IS SET… AND IT'S A REMATCH! ⚾🔥

Mike breaks down the Cubs' postseason matchup with the San Diego Padres, bringing back memories of last year's Wild Card showdown. Now, Chicago gets another shot—but this time, everything is on the line.

The biggest question facing the Cubs right now:

WHO SHOULD START GAME 1?

With the rotation, bullpen, injuries, and overall uncertainty surrounding the team, Mike asks whether the Cubs have enough to survive another October battle with San Diego.

🔥 CUBS vs PADRES — WILD CARD REMATCH!
🔥 Who should get the Game 1 start?
🔥 Can the Cubs' pitching hold up?
🔥 Are the Cubs healthy enough for October?
🔥 Can Chicago finally get past San Diego?
🔥 Or are there simply TOO MANY UNCERTAINTIES?

This is the moment Cubs fans have been waiting for—but is this team truly ready for postseason baseball?

Mike gives his thoughts and breaks down exactly what the Cubs need to do to advance.

👇 CUBS FANS — WHO ARE YOU STARTING IN GAME 1?

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Mike Jones is FRUSTRATED—and it’s hard to blame him.

The Cubs just dropped TWO games at home to the Miami Marlins, and now the Wild Card race is getting tighter as Chicago finds itself behind the San Diego Padres in the standings.

After all the expectations surrounding this team, is the Cubs’ season beginning to slip away?

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike breaks down:

⚾ The brutal losses to the Marlins
⚾ Chicago falling behind San Diego in the Wild Card race
⚾ The Cubs’ frustrating inconsistency
⚾ Why this team continues to struggle to put together sustained stretches of good baseball
⚾ Whether the Cubs have enough time to turn things around
⚾ And the BIG question: Are the Cubs running out of time?

The postseason is getting closer—and every game matters.

Is this just another rough stretch… or is the Cubs’ season actually slipping away?

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🔥 DROP YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS

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The Cubs are getting closer to the postseason, and that means tough decisions are coming! 👀⚾

In this episode of Cubs Central, we take a hard look at the Cubs’ potential postseason roster and ask the question nobody wants to answer:

🔥 WHO SHOULD NOT BE ON THE POSTSEASON ROSTER?!

With limited spots available, every player has to prove they can contribute when the games matter most. We break down the pitching staff, recent performances, roster battles, and which players could potentially be left off the playoff roster.

We’ll discuss:

⚾ Which Cubs pitchers have earned a postseason spot
🔥 Who has struggled at the worst possible time
📊 Who brings the most value in October
🤔 Which players could be the toughest cuts
🏟️ How the roster could look for the Wild Card Series
💥 And the BIG question — who simply shouldn't make the postseason roster?

The Cubs have their eyes on October, but putting together the right roster could make all the difference.

What do YOU think? Who should NOT make the Cubs postseason roster? Let us know in the comments! 👇

🔔 Subscribe to Cubs Central for Cubs news, analysis, roster debates, and postseason coverage!

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Pete Crow-Armstrong isn't just having a breakout season — PCA is putting together one of the most incredible individual seasons in Chicago Cubs history.With 40+ home runs, 35+ stolen bases, over 100 RBI, a near-1.000 OPS and elite defense in center field, Crow-Armstrong has put himself directly into the National League MVP conversation.But here's the bigger question:Where does PCA's 2026 season rank among the greatest seasons we've ever seen from a Cub?In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, we're putting Pete Crow-Armstrong head-to-head with some of the biggest legends in franchise history:🔵 Rogers Hornsby🔴 Sammy Sosa🔵 Ernie Banks🔴 Ryne Sandberg🔵 Ron Santo🔴 Billy Williams🔵 And more Cubs legendsWe'll break down PCA's numbers, WAR, power, speed, defense and overall production and compare them with the greatest individual seasons in Cubs history.And if PCA wins the National League MVP, what does that mean for his place in Cubs folklore?Does one MVP season put PCA in the same historical conversation as Ryne Sandberg and Sammy Sosa?Could 2026 ultimately become the greatest individual season in Cubs history?We're breaking it all down.Subscribe to Chicago Cubs Central for Cubs analysis, news, reactions and debates all season long!#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #PeteCrowArmstrong #PCA #CubsCentral #MLB #NL​​MVP #GoCubs

Jacob Webb has gone from one of the Cubs' most reliable bullpen arms to one of their biggest question marks. 🚨

After another brutal outing against the Atlanta Braves, it's time to ask the question Cubs fans are thinking:

Webb had a 24-game scoreless streak and posted a 2.84 ERA over 38 innings from May 20 through August 21.

Since August 22?

11 earned runs in roughly 5⅓ innings.
18.56 ERA.
And multiple devastating home runs in high-leverage situations.

Tonight against Atlanta, Webb surrendered Ozzie Albies' go-ahead two-run homer, turning a Cubs lead into another bullpen nightmare.

In this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, we break down:

🔥 Jacob Webb's incredible run earlier this season
📉 The dramatic statistical collapse since August 22
💣 His recent home-run problem
🎯 Whether his pitch location and pitch mix have changed
🩹 Whether his forearm injury could be a factor
🧠 What Webb and Craig Counsell have said about the struggles
⚾ Whether the Cubs should continue trusting him in high-leverage situations
🔧 And most importantly… CAN JACOB WEBB BE FIXED BEFORE OCTOBER?!

The Cubs don't have much time to figure this out.

Is Webb just going through a terrible stretch, or is something fundamentally wrong with his pitching right now?

👇 LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS:
Do you still trust Jacob Webb in a big game?

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WHAT HAPPENED TO JACOB WEBB?!

Edward Cabrera is BACK with the Chicago Cubs — but there's a twist! 🐻🔥

Instead of returning to the starting rotation, Cabrera is being moved to the bullpen, and this could be a HUGE development for the Cubs as they push toward October!

On this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, we break down Cabrera's 2026 season, his dominant potential, and why the Cubs believe his power arsenal could play even better in relief.

⚾ Can Cabrera become the bullpen weapon the Cubs desperately need?
🔥 How will his return impact the Cubs' bullpen?
📊 Cabrera's 2026 numbers and what they tell us
💨 Can his elite velocity play up in short appearances?
💪 Who benefits most from Cabrera joining the bullpen?
🏆 Could this move become HUGE for the Cubs in October?

Plus, we take a closer look at the current state of the Cubs bullpen and what Craig Counsell needs to do to get this pitching staff ready for the postseason.

Is Edward Cabrera the missing piece? Let us know in the comments! 👇

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The Chicago Cubs may be paying the price for overlooking the Milwaukee Brewers at the beginning of the season. Now, with the season winding down, the Cubs are still fighting to reach the 90-win mark — and questions are mounting about whether this team has what it takes to finish strong.

On this episode of Chicago Cubs Central, Mike breaks down the Cubs' early-season approach to Milwaukee, how that decision may have impacted the division race, and why the Brewers continue to be a major thorn in the Cubs' side.

Mike also goes after Tommy Hottovy and explains why he believes the Cubs need to move on from him at the end of the season. Is it time for a major change on the coaching staff?

Plus, we look at the Cubs' current situation, the push toward 90 wins, the biggest concerns heading into the final stretch, and what needs to change if this team wants to make a serious postseason run.

🔥 Are the Cubs running out of time?
🔥 Did they make a huge mistake overlooking Milwaukee?
🔥 Should Tommy Hottovy be fired?
🔥 Can the Cubs still reach 90 wins?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

#ChicagoCubs #Cubs #ChicagoCubsCentral #CubsCentral #MLB #CubsNation #MilwaukeeBrewers #TommyHottovy #GoCubsGo #90Wins #CubsBaseball #ChicagoSports

Did the Chicago Cubs get the wrong manager? 👀

Craig Counsell left Milwaukee and took over the Chicago Cubs. Pat Murphy stepped into the Brewers' dugout — and now we're asking the question Cubs fans may not want to hear:

On this episode of Chi-Town Sports Plug, we break down the numbers behind the Cubs-Brewers rivalry since Counsell became Chicago's manager and Murphy took over in Milwaukee.

We'll look at:

🔥 Cubs vs. Brewers head-to-head record
🔥 Counsell vs. Murphy
🔥 2024, 2025 & 2026 results
🔥 2025 NLDS — Cubs vs. Brewers
🔥 NL Central division results
🔥 Who has the better winning percentage?
🔥 Head-to-head run differential
🔥 Has Pat Murphy actually outmanaged Craig Counsell?
🔥 Why Milwaukee continues to have the Cubs' number
🔥 Does Counsell deserve the blame?
🔥 Are the Cubs being outplayed — or simply out-built?

The Brewers just defeated the Cubs 4-3 on September 7, 2026, pushing Milwaukee to 89-56 and Chicago to 81-64, with the Brewers holding an eight-game NL Central lead.

And that's what makes this debate so interesting.

Counsell was supposed to be the guy who could take the Cubs to the next level. Murphy was supposed to be the replacement in Milwaukee. So why does Milwaukee continue to sit on top of the division?

We're breaking down the numbers and letting YOU decide.

Who has actually won the Craig Counsell vs. Pat Murphy battle?