Off The Ivy: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

The Chicago Cubs’ 2026 season is over — and now the focus shifts to one of the most important offseasons of the Jed Hoyer era.TIMESTAMPS0:00 Cubs free agents & pitching staff headed into 202717:20 Cubs need a lighter clubhouse personality wise24:53 Breaking down Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki situations41:35 Offseason plans for Off The IvyHow will the Cubs attack the offseason after getting swept by the Padres? The biggest question may be what they do to rebuild a pitching staff that struggled throughout the season. The Cubs have several pitchers who will hit free agency, including Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Matthew Boyd and Clay Holmes, creating major questions for both the starting rotation and bullpen.Then there are two massive decisions on the position-player side: Should the Cubs bring back Seiya Suzuki? Should they re-sign Ian Happ? Both are coming off the books, and the organization has to decide how much of its future payroll should be committed to its veteran outfielders.We'll break down the Cubs' biggest offseason needs, the free agents who pitched for Chicago in 2026, the state of the rotation and bullpen, and whether Suzuki and Happ should remain part of the next version of this team.After an 89-win season and a disappointing Wild Card exit, what should be the Cubs' biggest priority this winter?312 SPORTS PRO SHOP: https://bit.ly/4e7bqyvThe Best Replacement Windows And Doors At The Best Price. Chicagowindowguys.comGive Larine a try. Right now, Larineco is offering our listeners up to 50% off at buylarine.com/ivyMake sure to subscribe to...✅ Dan Bernstein Unfiltered✅ Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast 🏈✅ Organization Win Championships: A Chicago Bulls Podcast 🏀✅ Jason Goff UnscriptedAll links to YouTube, Apple, Spotify and more available on 312Sports.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Chicago Cubs’ season is over after getting swept by the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card Series — and the biggest problem was an offense that completely disappeared when it mattered most.After leading MLB in runs during the regular season, the Cubs scored just one run across two playoff games and hit only .129 as a team (8-for-62). Pete Crow Armstrong and Alex Bregman went a combined 0-for-15, while the Cubs struggled to come through in key situations throughout the series.So what happened? Why couldn’t this lineup translate its regular-season success into October? And more importantly, why couldn’t the Cubs execute better situationally at the plate when they needed a big hit, productive out, or simply a quality at-bat?We’ll also break down the pitching decisions, including the biggest question surrounding Clay Holmes: Why didn’t the Cubs use him in the Wild Card Series? With the season on the line, was there ever a situation where Holmes should have been deployed?Cody, Matt and Dan react to the Cubs’ disappointing two-game exit, what went wrong against San Diego, and what this loss means for the Cubs moving forward.312 SPORTS PRO SHOP: https://bit.ly/4e7bqyvThe Best Replacement Windows And Doors At The Best Price. Chicagowindowguys.comGive Larine a try. Right now, Larineco is offering our listeners up to 50% off at buylarine.com/ivyMake sure to subscribe to...✅ Dan Bernstein Unfiltered✅ Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast 🏈✅ Organization Win Championships: A Chicago Bulls Podcast 🏀✅ Jason Goff UnscriptedAll links to YouTube, Apple, Spotify and more available on 312Sports.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Chicago Cubs got embarrassed by the San Diego Padres to open their postseason run, and now their season is on the brink.Matthew Boyd was tagged for THREE home runs as the Padres jumped all over the Cubs, while Chicago’s offense went completely silent for half the game — getting NO-HIT for six innings and struggling to generate any kind of momentum.After limping into October, the Cubs now find themselves facing a must-win situation tonight. Can the offense finally wake up? Can the pitching keep the Padres in check? And can Chicago bounce back to force a decisive Game 3?We break down the Game 1 disaster, Matthew Boyd’s outing, the Cubs’ offensive struggles and what has to change tonight to keep their season alive.312 SPORTS PRO SHOP: https://bit.ly/4e7bqyvThe Best Replacement Windows And Doors At The Best Price. Chicagowindowguys.comGive Larine a try. Right now, Larineco is offering our listeners up to 50% off at buylarine.com/ivyMake sure to subscribe to...✅ Dan Bernstein Unfiltered✅ Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast 🏈✅ Organization Win Championships: A Chicago Bulls Podcast 🏀✅ Jason Goff UnscriptedAll links to YouTube, Apple, Spotify and more available on 312Sports.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Chicago Cubs are back in the postseason — and it’s a rematch with the San Diego Padres, this time at Petco Park. After an 89-win regular season, the Cubs open the NL Wild Card Series tonight looking to advance and get another shot at Milwaukee.Matthew Boyd gets the ball for Chicago in Game 1 against Padres right-hander Michael King. Boyd returns to the postseason mound against San Diego after starting Game 1 of last year’s Wild Card Series and holding the Padres to one run over 4⅓ innings. King brings a 3.21 ERA into the opener after a strong 2026 season.But one of the biggest questions surrounding the Cubs lineup is Alex Bregman. After returning from multiple facial fractures and finishing the regular season with a huge game as the DH, will Bregman be ready to take the field at third base tonight — or will the Cubs keep him at DH? Bregman has been taking ground balls, but Craig Counsell had not made a final decision on his defensive availability.We break down Boyd vs. King, what the Cubs need to do to win Game 1 on the road, the challenge of playing a talented Padres team in a hostile Petco Park, and how Bregman’s role could impact the lineup.Can the Cubs steal Game 1 in San Diego and take control of the Wild Card Series?312 SPORTS PRO SHOP: https://bit.ly/4e7bqyvThe Best Replacement Windows And Doors At The Best Price. Chicagowindowguys.comGive Larine a try. Right now, Larineco is offering our listeners up to 50% off at buylarine.com/ivyMake sure to subscribe to...✅ Dan Bernstein Unfiltered✅ Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast 🏈✅ Organization Win Championships: A Chicago Bulls Podcast 🏀✅ Jason Goff UnscriptedAll links to YouTube, Apple, Spotify and more available on 312Sports.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Chicago Cubs are headed back to the postseason after an 89-win regular season — but they certainly aren't entering October at full strength.Pete Crow Armstrong and Alex Bregman have been two of the biggest reasons the Cubs got here, with PCA putting together a historic season that included becoming just the seventh player in MLB history to record a 40/40 season and setting multiple Cubs offensive records along the way.Bregman was just as important, especially in the second half. His production alongside PCA helped carry the Cubs through the final months of the season and gave Chicago a dangerous one-two punch heading into October.But now comes the biggest question: Are the Cubs limping into the postseason? Pitching uncertainty has Chicago heading into October with plenty of questions — even after winning 89 games and clinching a playoff spot.We'll break down PCA's incredible season, Bregman's second-half surge, what the Cubs need to clean up before the Wild Card Series and whether this team has enough left in the tank for another deep postseason run.And we'll also take a moment to reflect on an emotional weekend around Major League Baseball, as Justin Verlander made the final start of his legendary 21-year career and Max Scherzer took the mound in what could potentially be the final start of his career. 312 SPORTS PRO SHOP: https://bit.ly/4e7bqyvThe Best Replacement Windows And Doors At The Best Price. Chicagowindowguys.comGive Larine a try. Right now, Larineco is offering our listeners up to 50% off at buylarine.com/ivyMake sure to subscribe to...✅ Dan Bernstein Unfiltered✅ Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast 🏈✅ Organization Win Championships: A Chicago Bulls Podcast 🏀✅ Jason Goff UnscriptedAll links to YouTube, Apple, Spotify and more available on 312Sports.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.