The 2019 Chicago Cubs season was the 148th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 144th in the National League and the Cubs' 104th season at Wrigley Field. The Cubs were managed by Joe Maddon, in his fifth year as Cubs manager, and played their home games at Wrigley Field as members of Major League Baseball's National League Central.
The Cubs began the season on the road against the Texas Rangers on March 28MLB Schedule 3/28–3/30/2019 and ended it at the St. Louis Cardinals on September 29.MLB Schedule 9/27–9/29/2019 They finished the season 84–78 to finish in third place in the Central Division. The Cubs failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, after a historic late season collapse.The @Cubs fail to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. That snaps their consecutive streak of playoff appearances at 4, which was the longest streak in franchise history. Chicago will also finish with fewer than 90 wins for the first time since 2014., ESPN Stats & Info, Twitter, September 25, 2019 Prior to the end of the season, the Cubs announced that Joe Maddon would not return as manager for the 2020 season.
Previous season The Cubs finished the 2018 season 95–67 to earn a tie with the Milwaukee Brewers for the division. They lost to the Brewers in a 163rd game to determine the Central Division champions, failing in their quest to win the division for a third consecutive year. Instead, they hosted the Wild Card Game against the Colorado Rockies, but the Cubs lost 2–1 in 13 innings.
Television broadcasts The 2019 season marked the last full year of Cubs' television broadcasts on WGN-TV, the FTA broadcaster for over 71 straight years beginning in 1948. It was announced that, effective from the spring training season of 2020, the Cubs were moving to a new regional cable TV channel, the Marquee Sports Network, making them the fourth team overall to have their own cable station. WLS-TV Channel 7 was the team's secondary over-the-air broadcaster for the season, but did not extend its contract. It was also the final season to be aired over NBC Sports Chicago.
Offseason
Transactions October 2018 October 12Did not renew the contract of hitting coach Chili Davis.October 15Named Anthony Iapoce as hitting coach.October 29LHP Jaime García, LHP Justin Wilson, RHP Jesse Chavez, C Bobby Wilson, LHP Jorge de la Rosa, and 2B Daniel Murphy elected free agency.October 31Claimed LHP Jerry Vasto off waivers from Kansas City Royals. Source
November 2018 November 1Claimed RF Johnny Field off waivers from Minnesota Twins. Signed free agents Darling Grullon (RHP), Edwin Castillo (SS), and Orlando Guzman (OF) to a minor league contract.November 2Activated RF Mark Zagunis, RHP Justin Hancock, RHP Brandon Morrow, and RHP Yu Darvish from 60-day disabled list. Assigned SS Mike Freeman and CF Terrance Gore outright to Iowa Cubs. Traded LHP Drew Smyly and a player to be named later to the Texas Rangers in exchange for player to be named later. Claimed SS Jack Reinheimer off waivers from New York Mets. Exercised their 2019 option on LHP Cole HamelsNovember 3Assistant Hitting Coach Andy Haines departed the Cubs organization to become the Hitting Coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.November 20Announced the resignation of pitching coach Jim Hickey. Selected the contract of LHP Justin Steele from Tennessee. Claimed LHP Ian Clarkin off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Announced INF Jack Reinheimer was claimed off waivers by Texas. Assigned OF Johnny Field and LHP Jerry Vasto outright to Iowa.November 29Agreed to terms with LHP Kyle Ryan on a one-year contract.November 30Failed to tender 2019 contracts to INF Ronald Torreyes, RHPs Justin Hancock, and Allen Webster. Source
December 2018 December 6Named Tommy Hottovy pitching coach, Terrmel Sledge assistant hitting coach, and Chris Denorfia quality assurance coach.December 18Agreed to terms with INF Daniel Descalso on a two-year contract.December 23Agreed to terms with RHP Kendall Graveman on a one-year contract. Source
January 2019 January 2Named Mark Loretta bench coach and Bob Tewksbury coordinator, mental skills.January 11Agreed to terms with SS Addison Russell, 3B Kris Bryant, 2B Javier Baez, OF Kyle Schwarber, LHP Mike Montgomery, RHP Kyle Hendricks, and RHP Carl Edwards Jr. on one-year contracts.January 14Named Craig Breslow director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations.January 16Claimed LHP Ian Clarkin off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.January 22Named Adam Beard director of high performance. Source
February 2019 February 1Agreed to terms with RHP Tony Barnette on a one-year contract. Sent LHP Ian Clarkin outright to Iowa.February 6Agreed to terms with RHPs Christian Bergman, George Kontos, Carlos Ramirez, Colin Rea, Junichi Tazawa and Rob Scahill; LHP Mike Zagurski; INFs Cristhian Adames and Phillip Evans; OFs Jim Adduci and Evan Marzilli; and C Francisco Arcia on minor league contracts.February 11Agreed to terms with RHP Brad Brach on a one-year contract. Source
March 2019 March 1RHP Jose Rosario assigned to Chicago Cubs.March 2C Miguel Amaya assigned to Chicago Cubs.March 5SS Nico Hoerner assigned to Chicago Cubs.March 8 LF Zach Borenstein assigned to Chicago Cubs. Kansas City Royals traded CF Donnie Dewees to Chicago Cubs for RHP Stephen Ridings. Released RHP Rob Scahill.March 9CF Connor Myers, 2B Levi Jordan, RF Roberto Caro, and SS Rafael Narea assigned to Chicago Cubs. Optioned LHP Justin Steele and RHP Oscar De La Cruz to Tennessee Smokies. Optioned RHP Adbert Alzolay and RHP Jen-Ho Tseng to Iowa Cubs.March 15Optioned RHP Duane Underwood Jr., RHP James Norwood, and RHP Rowan Wick to Iowa Cubs. Signed free agent OF Felix Stevens to a minor league contract.March 18Released RHP Marion Meza.March 19OF Cole Roederer and RHP Thomas Hatch assigned to Chicago CubsMarch 20Released RHP Christian Bergman.March 22Option RHP Alec Mills to Iowa Cubs. Signed free agent CF Cirstian More and RHP Jonathan Alvarez to minor league contracts.March 23SS Luis Vazquez and RHP Ryan Williams assigned to Chicago Cubs. Released LHP Mike Zagurski, RHP Jose Rosario, SS Ryan Court, and CF Evan Marzilli.March 24Designated LHP Brian Duensing for assignment. Optioned Dillon Maples, Ian Happ. Tim Collins, RHP Alec Mills, and Taylor Davis to Iowa Cubs. Released RHP Junichi Tazawa. Signed free agent LHP Tim Collins.March 26Optioned Kyle Ryan to Iowa Cubs.March 28Placed RHP Brandon Morrow on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 25, 2019. Placed LHP Xavier Cedeno on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 25, 2019. Placed RHP Tony Barnette on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 25, 2019. Sent LHP Brian Duensing outright to Iowa Cubs. Source
Regular season Game log
|- style=background:#cfc | 1 || March 28 || @ Rangers || 12–4 || Lester (1–0) || Minor (0–1) || — || Globe Life Park || 48,538 || 1–0 || W1 |- style=background:#fbb | 2 || March 30 || @ Rangers || 6–8 || Kelley (1–0) || Edwards Jr. (0–1) || Leclerc (1) || Globe Life Park || 46,238 || 1–1 || L1 |- style=background:#fbb | 3 || March 31 || @ Rangers || 10–11 || Leclerc (1–0) || Strop (0–1) || — || Globe Life Park || 36,812 || 1–2 || L2
|- style=background:#fbb | 4 || April 1 || @ Braves || 0–8 || Parsons (1–1) || Hendricks (0–1) || — || || 41,912 || 1–3|| L3 |- style=background:#fbb | 5 || April 3 || @ Braves || 4–6 || Jackson (1–0) || Cishek (0–1) || || SunTrust Park || 37,398 || 1–4 ||L4 |- style=background:#fbb | 6 || April 4 || @ Braves || 4–9 || Fried (1–0) || Darvish (0–1) || — || SunTrust Park || 33,815 || 1–5 || L5 |- style=background:#fbb | 7 || April 5 || @ Brewers || 10–13 || Anderson (1–0) || Quintana (0–1) || — || Miller Park || 34,926 || 1–6 || L6 |- style=background:#cfc | 8 || April 6 || @ Brewers || 14–8 || Hamels (1–0) || Burnes (0–1) || — || Miller Park || 42,790 || 2–6 || W1 |- style=background:#fbb | 9 || April 7 || @ Brewers || 2–4 || Davies (1–0) || Hendricks (0–2) || Hader (5) || Miller Park || 40,322 || 2–7 || L1 |- style=background:#cfc | 10 || April 8 || Pirates || 10–0 || Brach (1–0) || Taillon (0–2) || — || Wrigley Field || 40,692 || 3–7 || W1 |- style=background:#fbb | 11 || April 10 || Pirates || 2–5 || Lyles (1–0) || Darvish (0–2) || Vázquez (3) || Wrigley Field || 32,798 || 3–8 || L1 |- style=background:#cfc | 12 || April 11 || Pirates || 2–0 || Quintana (1–1) || Musgrove (1–1) || Strop (1) || Wrigley Field || 31,906 || 4–8 || W1 |- style=background:#cfc | 13 || April 12 || Angels || 5–1 || Hamels (2–0) || Skaggs (1–2) || — || Wrigley Field || 30,102 || 5–8 || W2 |- style=background:#fbb | 14 || April 13 || Angels || 5–6 || Buttrey (1–0) || Hendricks (0–3) || Allen (4) || Wrigley Field || 38,755 || 5–9 || L1 |- style=background:#bbb | — || April 14 || Angels ||colspan="8"|Postponed (snow) (Makeup date: June 3) |- style=background:#cfc | 15 || April 15 || @ Marlins || 7–2 || Darvish (1–2) || Richards (0–2) || — || Marlins Park || 9,888 || 6–9 || W1 |- style=background:#cfc | 16 || April 16 || @ Marlins || 4–0 || Quintana (2–1) || López (1–3) || – || Marlins Park || 8,137 || 7–9 ||W2 |- style=background:#cfc | 17 || April 17 || @ Marlins || 6–0 || Hamels (3–0) || Alcántara (1–2) || — || Marlins Park || 10,247 || 8–9 || W3 |- style=background:#cfc | 18 || April 19 || Diamondbacks || 5–1 || Hendricks (1–3) || Kelly (1–2) || Strop (2) || Wrigley Field || 33,938 || 9–9 || W4 |- style=background:#fbb | 19 || April 20 || Diamondbacks || 0–6 || Greinke (3–1) || Darvish (1–3) || Clarke (1) || Wrigley Field || 37,667 || 9–10 || L1 |- style=background:#cfc | 20 || April 21 || Diamondbacks || 2–1 || Strop (1–1) || Bradley (1–2) || — || Wrigley Field || 38,181 || 10–10 || W1 |- style=background:#cfc | 21 || April 23 || Dodgers || 7–2 || Quintana (3–1) || Maeda (3–2) || — || Wrigley Field || 35,536 || 11–10 || W2 |- style=background:#cfc | 22 || April 24 || Dodgers || 7–6 || Brach (2–0) || Alexander (1–1) || Strop (3) || Wrigley Field || 35,743 || 12–10 || W3 |- style=background:#fbb | 23 || April 25 || Dodgers || 1–2 || Báez (2–1) || Lester (1–1) || Jansen (8) || Wrigley Field || 35,451 || 12–11 || L1 |- style=background:#fbb | 24 || April 26 || || 3–8 || Ray (1–1) || Hendricks (1–4) || Andriese (1) || Chase Field || 30,664 || 12–12 || L2 |- style=background:#cfc | 25 || April 27 || @ Diamondbacks || 9–1 || Darvish (2–3) || Godley (1–2) || — || Chase Field || 27,793 || 13–12 || W1 |- style=background:#cfc | 26 || April 28 || @ Diamondbacks || 6–5 (15) || Chatwood (1–0) || Andriese (3–2) || Webster (1) || Chase Field || 29,477 || 14–12 || W2 |- style=background:#cfc | 27 || April 30 || @ Mariners || 6–5 || Brach (3–0) || Brennan (1–2) || Cishek (1) || T-Mobile Park || 27,545 || 15–12 || W3
|- style=background:#cfc | 28 || May 1 || @ Mariners || 11–0 || Lester (2–1) || Gonzales (5–1) || — || T-Mobile Park || 29,471 || 16–12 || W4 |- style=background:#cfc | 29 || May 3 || Cardinals || 4–0 || Hendricks (2–4) || Flaherty (3–2) || — || Wrigley Field || 34,978 || 17–12 || W5 |- style=background:#cfc | 30 || May 4 || Cardinals || 6–5 || Kintzler (1–0) || Brebbia (1–1) || Strop (4) || Wrigley Field || 39,601 || 18–12 || W6 |- style=background:#cfc | 31 || May 5 || Cardinals || 13–5 || Quintana (4–1) || Wainwright (3–3) || — || Wrigley Field || 36,499 || 19–12 || W7 |- style=background:#fbb | 32 || May 6 || Marlins || 5–6 || Conley (1–3) || Strop (1–2) || Romo (6) || Wrigley Field || 34,555 || 19–13 || L1 |- style=background:#cfc | 33 || May 7 || Marlins || 5–2 || Cishek (1–1) || Conley (1–4) || — || Wrigley Field || 35,274 || 20–13 || W1 |- style=background:#cfc | 34 || May 8 || Marlins || 3–2 (11) || Edwards Jr. (1–1) || Quijada (0–1) || — || Wrigley Field || 37,241 || 21–13 || W2 |- style=background:#cfc | 35 || May 9 || Marlins || 4–1 || Montgomery (1–0) || Richards (0–5) || — || Wrigley Field || 32,301 || 22–13 || W3 |- style=background:#fbb