2014 Chicago Cubs season

The 2014 Chicago Cubs season was the 143rd season of the franchise, the 139th in the National League and the 99th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs were managed by Rick Renteria in his only year as Cubs manager and played their home games at Wrigley Field as members of the National League Central.

The Cubs began the season on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 31, 2014 and finished the regular season on September 28, 2014, on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Cubs finished the season with a 73–89 record to finish in last place in the Central Division.

This season marked the 100th season of play at Wrigley Field, though the Cubs did not start playing there until 1916. To mark the occasion, the Cubs wore different uniforms to represent each decade during ten homestands throughout the season.

Previous season The Cubs finished the 2013 season 66–96 to finish in last place in the Central Division. Following the season, Dale Sveum was fired as manager on September 30, 2013. His total record with the Cubs in two years was 127–197. Rick Renteria was hired as the manager of the Chicago Cubs on November 7, 2013 and signed a three-year contract.

Offseason

Spring training facilities The Cubs opened a new spring training facility in Mesa, Arizona called Sloan Park. The park replaces HoHoKam Stadium which had been their spring training home since 1979. With a capacity of 15,000, Cubs Park becomes the largest spring training stadium by capacity in Major League Baseball, surpassing Camelback Ranch in Glendale.

Regular season

Opening day starters Monday, March 31, 2014 at Pittsburgh Pirates Name Pos.Emilio Bonifacio CFStarlin Castro SSDarwin Barney 2BAnthony Rizzo 1BNate Schierholtz RFWelington Castillo CMike Olt 3BJunior Lake LFJeff Samardzija SP

Season standings

National League Central

National League Wild Card

Record vs. opponents

Detailed record vs. opponents

National League Opponent NL East Atlanta Braves 1 5 22 35 Miami Marlins 4 2 29 20 New York Mets 5 2 25 21 Philadelphia Phillies 3 3 19 20 Washington Nationals 3 4 22 32 Total 16 14 117 128 NL Central Chicago Cubs — Cincinnati Reds 8 11 69 78 Milwaukee Brewers 11 8 71 60 Pittsburgh Pirates 5 14 63 89 St. Louis Cardinals 9 10 87 93 Total 32 43 290 320 NL West Arizona Diamondbacks 2 5 30 32 Colorado Rockies 5 2 31 31 Los Angeles Dodgers 3 4 39 47 San Diego Padres 3 4 24 39 San Francisco Giants 2 4 16 27 Total 14 18 135 168 American League Baltimore Orioles 3 0 13 4 Boston Red Sox 3 0 20 10 Chicago White Sox 1 3 17 21 New York Yankees 1 3 8 10 Tampa Bay Rays 1 2 6 10 Toronto Blue Jays 0 3 3 28 Total 9 11 67 83 Month Games March/April 26 9 17 99 108 May 27 11 16 108 108 June 28 15 13 98 101 July 26 10 16 107 141 August 30 16 14 111 120 September 25 12 13 91 129 Home 81 41 40 308 329 Away 81 32 49 306 378 Total 162 73 89 614 707

Game log

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 1 | March 31 | @ Pirates | L 0–1 (10) | Morris (1–0) | Villanueva (0–1) | | 39,833 | 0–1

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 2 | April 2 | @ Pirates | L 3–4 (16) | Pimentel (1–0) | Villanueva (0–2) | | 29,762 | 0–2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb" | 3 | April 3 | @ Pirates | W 3–2 | Hammel (1–0) | Rodríguez (0–1) | Strop (1) | 11,418 | 1–2 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 4 | April 4 | Phillies | L 2–7 | Hernández (1–0) | Wood (0–1) | | 38,283 | 1–3 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 5 | April 5 | Phillies | L 0–2 | Lee (2–0) | Samardzija (0–1) | Papelbon (1) | 30,651 | 1–4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb" | 6 | April 6 | Phillies | W 8–3 | Villanueva (1–2) | Burnett (0–1) | | 26,712 | 2–4 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 7 | April 8 | Pirates | L 6–7 | Watson (2–0) | Strop (0–1) | Grilli (2) | 26,177 | 2–5 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb" | 8 | April 9 | Pirates | W 7–5 | Hammel (2–0) | Rodríguez (0–2) | | 28,247 | 3–5 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 9 | April 10 | Pirates | L 4–5 | Cole (2–0) | Russell (0–1) | Grilli (3) | 25,502 | 3–6 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb" | 10 | April 11 | @ Cardinals | W 6–3 | Grimm (1–0) | Rosenthal (0–1) | Rondón (1) | 43,903 | 4–6 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 11 | April 12 | @ Cardinals | L 4–10 | Wainwright (2–1) | Villanueva (1–3) | | 45,302 | 4–7 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 12 | April 13 | @ Cardinals | L 4–6 | Wacha (2–0) | Jackson (0–1) | Rosenthal (4) | 44,135 | 4–8 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbb;" | — | April 15 | @ Yankees | colspan="6" | Postponed (inclement weather) (Makeup date: April 16) |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 13 | April 16 | @ Yankees | L 0–3 | Tanaka (2–0) | Hammel (2–1) | Kelley (4) | 36,569 | 4–9 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 14 | April 16 | @ Yankees | L 0–2 | Pineda (2–1) | Wood (0–2) | Warren (1) | 40,073 | 4–10 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 | April 18 | Reds | L 1–4 | Simón (2–1) | Samardzija (0–2) | Broxton (2) | 28,699 | 4–11 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 16 | April 19 | Reds | W 8–4 | Jackson (1–1) | Cingrani (1–2) | | 32,966 | 5–11 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 17 | April 20 | Reds | L 2–8 | Bailey (1–1) | Villanueva (1–4) | | 27,927 | 5–12 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 18 | April 21 | Diamondbacks | W 5–1 | Wood (1–2) | Arroyo (1–2) | | 32,439 | 6–12 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 19 | April 22 | Diamondbacks | W 9–2 | Hammel (3–1) | McCarthy (0–4) | | 35,381 | 7–12 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 20 | April 23 | Diamondbacks | L 5–7 | Cahill (1–4) | Strop (0–2) | Reed (4) | 32,323 | 7–13 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 21 | April 24 | Diamondbacks | L 2–5 | Bolsinger (1–1) | Jackson (1–2) | Reed (5) | 33,085 | 7–14 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 22 | April 25 | @ Brewers | L 2–5 | Garza (1–2) | Villanueva (1–5) | Rodríguez (10) | 32,868 | 7–15 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 23 | April 26 | @ Brewers | L 3–5 | Estrada (2–1) | Wood (1–3) | Rodríguez (11) | 40,008 | 7–16 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 24 | April 27 | @ Brewers | W 4–0 | Hammel (4–1) | Peralta (3–1) | | 45,286 | 8–16 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbb;" | — | April 28 | @ Reds | colspan="6" | Postponed (inclement weather) (Makeup date: July 8) |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 25 | April 29 | @ Reds | L 2–3 | Simón (4–1) | Samardzija (0–3) | Broxton (5) | 17,579 | 8–17 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 26 | April 30 | @ Reds | W 9–4 | Jackson (2–2) | Christiani (0–1) | | 21,847 | 9–17

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 27 | May 2 | Cardinals | W 6–5 | Wood (2–3) | Wainwright (5–2) | Rondón (2) | 28,160 | 10–17 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 | May 3 | Cardinals | W 3–0 | Schlitter (1–0) | Wacha (2–3) | Rondón (3) | 37,874 | 11–17 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 29 | May 4 | Cardinals | L 4–5 | Siegrist (1–1) | Rondón (0–1) | Rosenthal (8) | 30,023 | 11–18 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 30 | May 5 | White Sox | L 1–3 (12) | Webb (3–0) | Grimm (1–1) | Lindstrom (5) | 33,146 | 11–19 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 31 | May 6 | White Sox | L 1–5 | Putnam (1–0) | Ramirez (0–1) | | 34,305 | 11–20 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 32 | May 7 | @ White Sox | L 3–8 | Danks (3–2) | Wood (2–4) | | 21,075 | 11–21 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 33 | May 8 | @ White Sox | W 12–5 | Schlitter (2–0) | Carroll (1–2) | | 26,332 | 12–21 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 34 | May 9 | @ Braves | L 2–3 (10) | Wood (3–5) | Wright (0–1) | | 27,145 | 12–22 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 35 | May 10 | @ Braves | L 0–2 | Santana (4–0) | Schlitter (2–1) | Kimbrel (10) | 30,658 | 12–23 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb; " | 36 | May 11 | @ Braves | L 2–5 | Harang (4–3) | Jackson (2–3) | Carpenter (2) | 26,151 | 12–24 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 37 | May 12 | @ Cardinals | W 17–5 | Wood (3–4) | Lyons (0–3) | | 44,434 | 13–24 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 38 | May 13 | @ Cardinals | L 3–4 (12) | Maness (1–2) | Grimm (1–2) | | 43,627 | 13–25 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bbb;" | — | May 14 | @ Cardinals | colspan="6" | Postponed (inclement weather) (Makeup date: August 30) |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 39 | May 15 | @ Cardinals | L 3–5 | Wacha (3–3) | Hammel (4–2) | Rosenthal (11) | 42,501 | 13–26 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 40 | May 16 | Brewers | L 3–4 | Lohse (5–1) | Samardzija (0–4) | Rodríguez (17) | 35,771 | 13–27 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 41 | May 17 | Brewers | W 3–0 | Jackson (3–3) | Garza (2–4) | Rondón (4) | 36,671 | 14–27 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 42 | May 18 | Brewers | W 4–2 | Wood (4–4) | Estrada (3–2) | Rondón (5) | 37,631 | 15–27 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 43 | May 20 | Yankees | W 6–1 | Hammel (5–2) | Tanaka (6–1) | | 38,753 | 16–27 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 44 | May 21 | Yankees | L 2–4 (13) | Claiborne (2–0) | Veras (0–1) | Robertson (9) | 34,808 | 16–28 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 45 | May 22 | @ Padres | W 5–1 | Arrieta (1–0) | Stults (2–5) | Villanueva (1) | 21,263 | 17–28 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 46 | May 23 | @ Padres | L 1–11 | Stauffer (2–0) | Jackson (3–4) | | 26,489 | 17–29 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 47 | May 24 | @ Padres | W 3–2 | Wood (5–4) | Buckner (0–1) | Rondón (6) | 42,107 | 18–29 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 48 | May 25 | @ Padres | L 3–4 | Kennedy (3–6) | Hammel (5–3) | Street (14) | 32,167 | 18–30 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 49 | May 26 | @ Giants | W 8–4 | Samardzija (1–4) | Petit (3–2) | | 42,257 | 19–30 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 50 | May 27 | @ Giants | L 0–4 | Hudson (5–2) | Arrieta (1–1) | | 41,060 | 19–31 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 51 | May 28 | @ Giants | L 0–5 | Kontos (1–0) | Jackson (3–5) | | 41,186 | 19–32 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 52 | May 30 | @ Brewers | L 5–11 | Estrada (5–2) | Wood (5–5) | | 36,100 | 19–33 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 53 | May 31 | @ Brewers | W 8-0 | Hammel (6–3) | Peralta (4–5) | | 42,332 | 20–33

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 54 | June 1 | @ Brewers | L 0–9 | Lohse (7–1) | Samardzija (1–5) | | 36,277 | 20–34 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 55 | June 3 | Mets | W 2–1 | Rondón (1–1) | Rice (1–2) | | 34,697 | 21–34 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 56 | June 4 | Mets | W 5–4 | Jackson (4–5) | Eveland (0–1) | Rondón (7) | 28,185 | 22–34 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 57 | June 5 | Mets | W 7–4 | Grimm (2–2) | Black (1–1) | Ramirez (1) | 28,833 | 23–34 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 58 | June 6 | Marlins | W 5–3 (13) | Villanueva (2–5) | Slowey (1–1) | | 28,495 | 24–34 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 59 | June 7 | Marlins | W 5–2 | Samardzija (2–5) | Wolf (1–2) | Strop (2) | 33,786 | 25–34 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 60 | June 8 | Marlins | L 3–4 | Dunn (5–3) | Strop (0–3) | Cishek (14) | 33,134 | 25–35 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 61 | June 9 | @ Pirates | L 2–6 | Morton (3–7) | Jackson (4–6) | | 24,075 | 25–36 |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 62 | June 10 | @ Pirates | W 7–3 | Wood (6–5) | Sadler (0–1) | | 31,567 | 26–36 |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 63 | June 11 | @ Pirates | L 2–4 | Cumpton (2–2) | Hammel (6–4) | Grilli (10) | 20,540 | 26–37