Early MLB Power Rankings should have Cubs front office feeling the heat

One question that Chicago Cubs fans faced after the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series was wondering how close the Cubs are to being one of the two best teams in baseball. The easy answer is pointing to how the Cubs were one win away from advancing to the NLCS, and by that definition, are knocking on the door of being a World Series contender. Reality is not as simple.

During the first half of the 2025 season, the Cubs were rolling. The Cubs had a record of 57-39, not only coasting to first place in the National League Central, but flirting with being the best team in baseball. It was backed by the fact that Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong were producing at an MVP pace, and Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd were clear answers at the top of the rotation.

The second half of the season told a far different story for the Cubs, posting a record of 35-31 with the Milwaukee Brewers not only pacing them in the division, but running circles around them as the best team in the National League.

While Jed Hoyer wants to overlook the struggles of the Cubs' offense in the playoffs, the fact remains that the overwhelming likelihood is that they will be without Kyle Tucker. Meaning, the Cubs, as it stands, are probably closer to being the team that was barely over .500 during the closing months of the season.

Cubs can't stay quiet after where The Athletic ranked them for 2026

The Athletic's early 2026 MLB Power Rankings is even more confirmation of that. The Cubs fall in at No. 8 but have the Philadelphia Phillies, Brewers, and Dodgers ahead of them.

In other words, the Cubs can roll into the 2026 season with no changes and have a realistic expectation of contending for a Wild Card spot. However, a gap remains between where the Cubs are and the top teams in the National League.

Being just good enough to be a Wild Card team shouldn't be the goal for the Cubs. And, if it is, there will need to be more questions asked of the strategy under Jed Hoyer.

These power rankings are another reminder that the Cubs can't be complacent this offseason. For as brutal as Tucker's ending looked with the North Siders, the fact remains they aren't in the playoffs without the production he had to open the season. The Cubs need to find a way to replace that impact, or risk being one of the disappointments of 2026.