"Though I wouldn't go so far as to say it is the predominant "identity" of the Chicago Cubs of recent vintage, I do think it's important to note that the Cubs have typically sported one of the better defenses in baseball going back at least a decade. Defense was critical to the 2026 championship run, as a lot of the excellent pitching was really an excellent combination of pitching and defense."
"The Cubs had one of the best defenses in baseball last year, rating highly across the board in any metric you life, passing the eye test routinely, winning three individual Gold Gloves, and winning the overall team Gold Glove (yes, that's a thing if you didn't remember). And if you look over the positional group heading into 2026, there's little reason to believe they won't once again make a strong showing on defense."
Chicago Cubs defense has been a long-term strength, consistently ranking among baseball's best and anchoring team performance for at least a decade. Defense combined with pitching proved crucial to the 2026 championship, turning strong pitching into run prevention. The 2025 roster earned multiple individual Gold Gloves and the overall team Gold Glove, and projections into 2026 show sustained defensive quality. Key defensive pieces include Pete Crow-Armstrong in center, Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson as a dynamic middle-infield duo, Ian Happ as a steady left fielder, and Seiya Suzuki contributing in right field. Positional moves such as adding Alex Bregman shift corner responsibilities but do not substantially diminish team defense.
Read at Bleacher Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]