2016 Chicago Cubs season

Previous season

Offseason

Broadcast changes

Transactions

November 2015

December

February 2016

Regular season

Game log

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day starters

Season summary

April

• April 4 – Dexter Fowler had three hits and Miguel Montero homered and drove in three runs as the Cubs clobbered the Angels 9–0 on Opening Day in Anaheim. Jake Arrieta pitched seven shutout innings allowing only two hits for the win.
• April 6 – Dexter Fowler, Matt Szczur, and Anthony Rizzo all homered as the Cubs again handled the Angels, winning 6–1. Jon Lester pitched seven innings while allowing only one run in the Cub win.
• April 7 – As the Cubs next traveled to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks, Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler collided in the outfield which resulted in a torn his ACL and LCL in Schwarber's left knee that would cause him to miss the remainder of the regular season. In the game, the Cubs fell behind early, but came from behind as Anthony Rizzo drove in six runs and Fowler drove in two runs as the Cubs won 14–6, their third straight win to open the season. John Lackey struggled in his first start as a Cub, giving up six runs in six innings, but the Cub bullpen shut out the D-backs for the remainder of the game to secure the win.
• April 8 – In the second game of the series in Arizona, the Cubs took an early lead on a bases loaded walk by Jason Heyward and groundout by Ben Zobrist. Jason Hammell pitched well, allowing only one run in six innings, but four Cub relievers allowed two runs including the walk-off single by Yasmany Tomas as the Cubs fell for the first time on the season 3–2.
• April 9 – In game three of the series, the Cubs jumped up on the D-backs early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs in 6.2 innings of work and Hector Rondon earned his first save of the season as the Cubs won 4–2.
• April 10 – In the final game of the series, Jake Arrieta and Jorge Soler each homered and drove in two runs. On the mound, Arrieta scattered eight hits in seven innings of work while giving up three runs as the Cubs defeated the D-backs 7–3.
• April 11 – The Cubs opened the season at Wrigley Field against the Cincinnati Reds, but fell behind 3–0 early. Jon Lester only lasted six innings while giving up the three runs and left trailing 3–0. However, Jason Heyward drove in two runs in the seventh to narrow the lead to 3–2 and Addison Russell hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eight to give the Cubs the 5–3 win.
• April 13 – After an off day, the Cubs jumped out to an early 5–1 lead in the first inning against the Reds and pushed the lead to 9–1 by the fourth inning. John Lackey allowed two runs in 6.2 innings in the 9–2 blowout.
• April 14 – Looking to sweep the Reds, the Cubs led throughout, breaking open a 3–0 lead in the eighth inning by scoring five runs to push the lead to 8–0. The Reds managed a run in the ninth, but the Cubs moved their record to 8–1 on the season in the 8–1 win.
• April 15 – The Colorado Rockies next visited Wrigley for a three-game series. Kyle Hendricks allowed four runs in six innings and the Cub bullpen allowed two more as the Cubs fell 6–1. The Cubs managed only four hits in the game while committing four errors.
• April 16 – The Cubs bounced back the next day, scoring six runs on homers by Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler, and Dexter Fowler. Jake Arrieta pitched eight scoreless innings before Travis Wood allowed two runs to the Rockies in the ninth as the Cubs won 6–2.
• April 17 – The Cubs were shutout by future Cub pitcher Tyler Chatwood as the Rockies beat the Cubs 2–0. Jon Lester allowed one run in 7.1 innings, but the Cub offense managed only three hits. The loss marked the first series loss on the season for the Cubs as they fell to 9–3 on the season.
• April 18 – The Cubs next traveled to St. Louis to face the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. John Lackey pitched seven innings against his former team while striking out 11 and driving in a run. The Cub bullpen blanked the Cardinals as Dexter Fowler homered in the 5–0 win.
• April 19 – Jason Hammel allowed only one run in six innings and drove in the only Cub runs of the game. St. Louis could manage nothing else and the Cubs won 2–1, moving to 11–3 on the season.
• April 22 – Kyle Hendricks gave up four runs and could not make it out of the sixth as the Cardinals beat the Cubs 5–3. Anthony Rizzo homered and drove in two in the loss.
• April 21 – The Cubs hit five homers to beat the Reds 16–0 in Cincinnati. Jake Arrieta threw a no-hitter for the second time in 11 regular season starts while Kris Bryant drove in six runs in the blowout. Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist each homered and drove in three as well as the Cubs pounded out 18 hits.
• April 22 – Jon Lester allowed five hits, but only one run in seven innings and Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez each homered in the 8–1 blowout. The win moved the Cubs to 13–4 on the season.
• April 23 – The Reds scored seven runs in the sixth inning off John Lackey and Trevor Cahill as part of a 13-run output to beat the Cubs 13–5. Addison Russell homered in the loss for the Cubs.
• April 24 – In the final game of the series, the Cubs beat the Reds 9–0 as Anthony Rizzo homered twice and drove in four runs. Jason Heyward drove in three while Tommy La Stella hit his first homer of the season. As a result, the Cubs remained the only team in baseball not to have lost back-to-back games. Jason Hammel pitched six scoreless innings to earn his third win on the season.
• April 26 – Returning home to Wrigley to face the Milwaukee Brewers, Addison Russell drove in two runs while Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo each drove in a run to beat the Brewers 4–3. The win moved the Cubs to 15–5 on the season.
• April 28 – After a rainout the day before, the Cubs cruised to an easy 7–2 win over the Brewers as Ben Zobrist drove in two runs and Jake Arrieta only allowed one run.
• April 29 – The Cubs welcomed the Atlanta Braves to Wrigley but could manage only one run through seven innings. In the eighth, tied at one, Anthony Rizzo singled to take the lead and Matt Szczur hit a grand slam to give the Cubs the 6–1 win.

May

• May 1 – For a second straight game, the Cubs trailed for the majority of the game before the Cubs drew within one in the eighth. In the ninth, trailing 3–2, Ben Zobrist led off the inning with a walk and reached second on an errant pickoff throw by Braves closer, Arodys Vizcaino. Addison Russell then drove in Zobrist with a single to tie the game at three. However, in the 10th, Hector Rondon gave up a run and the Cubs fell 4–3.
• May 2 – The Cubs next traveled to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates. Prior to the game, the Cubs announced that Jason Heyward had a sore wrist and would miss a few days. Additionally, Matt Szczur experienced tightness in his hamstring and underwent an MRI. In the game, Anthony Rizzo doubled twice and drove in four runs while Dexter Fowler drove in three as the Cubs blew out the Pirates 7–2.
• May 3 – For the third regular season month in a row, Jake Arrieta was named Pitcher of the Month for the National League, tying a major league record. For a second consecutive game, Anthony Rizzo doubled twice and the Cubs blew out the Pirates, this time 7–1. The win moved the Cubs record to 19–6 on the season.
• May 4 – In the final game of the series, the Cubs completed the sweep of the Pirates as Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist each homered in the 6–2 win. Jon Lester scattered eight hits in 5.2 innings to notch his third victory on the season.
• May 5 – The Cubs returned home to face the Washington Nationals in a four-game series. Ben Zobrist homered again for the Cubs and drove in four runs in the game. Kyle Hendricks and the Cub bullpen shutout the Nationals until the ninth as the Cubs won 5–2.
• May 6 – In game two against the Nationals, John Lackey pitched seven innings and gave up only two runs. Ben Zobrist homered in his third straight game, homering twice, his fourth in three games. Tommy La Stella and Anthony Rizzo also homered for the Cubs who held on to win 8–6.
• May 7 – Kris Bryant hit his fifth home run of the season and Addison Russell drove in three as the Cubs beat the Nationals yet again, this time 8–5. Seven Cub pitchers appeared in the game to get the win.
• May 8 – The Cubs completed the four-game sweep of the Nationals, winning 4–3 in 13 innings. After going to extra innings tied at three, Javier Baez homered in the bottom of the 13th to give the Cubs the win. The win marked the best 30-game start for the Cubs since 1907, going 24–6. The Cubs also became the first team since the 1984 Detroit Tigers to win at least 24 of their first 30 games.
• May 10 – After a day off, the Cubs welcomed the San Diego Padres to Wrigley looking for their eighth straight win. The Cubs took an early 5–0 and held on to win 8–7. Addison Russell drove in three runs and Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist each drove in two runs in the eighth straight win.
• May 11 – Looking to win their ninth straight game, the Cubs took a 4–2 lead to the seventh before the Cub bullpen fell apart. The Padres scored four in the seventh and one in the eight to win the game 7–4. The loss marked the end of the Cubs eight-game winning streak.
• May 12 – The Cubs suffered their first back-to-back losses of the season, the last team to do so, losing to the Padres 1–0. John Lackey pitched eight innings while allowing only one run, but the Cub offense could manage nothing in the loss.
• May 13 – Welcoming the Pirates back to Chicago, the Cubs scored three runs in the fifth and broke the game open in the fifth as Kris Bryant homered and David Ross hit a three-run homer to extend the lead to 8–0. The Cubs went on to win 9–2, moving to 26–8 on the season.
• May 14 – The Cubs blew out the Pirates for the second consecutive game behind homers by Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell. Jake Arrieta pitched eight solid innings as the Cubs won 8–2.
• May 15 – The Cubs trailed the Pirates 2–0 going into the bottom of the ninth before Anthony Rizzo drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 2–1. However, Ben Zobrist could not get the game-tying hit with Jason Heyward at second and the Cubs fell 2–1.
• May 17 – After a day off, the Cubs traveled to Milwaukee to face the Brewers. Kyle Hendricks gave up four runs in 5.1 innings of work and the Cubs could manage only two solo home runs in the ninth by Jason Heyward and Kris Bryant as the Cubs fell 4–2.
• May 18 – In game two of the series, David Ross threw out four Brewer base runners and the Cubs tied the game at one in the ninth on an Addison Russell groundout. In the 13th, pitcher Travis Wood, batting because the Cubs were out of position players, walked with the bases loaded to force in the winning run as the Cubs won 2–1.
• May 19 – Jason Hammell gave up four runs in six innings of work and the Cubs managed only three runs despite a Dexter Fowler leadoff home run. As a result, the Cubs fell to the Brewers 5–3.
• May 20 – Traveling to San Francisco to face the Giants, the Cubs jumped out early, scoring five runs in the second on RBI singles by Jake Arrieta and Tommy La Stella and a three-run home run by Kris Bryant. That would be all Arrieta would need as he allowed only one run in seven innings of work as the Cubs won 8–1. Jason Heyward suffered an injury colliding with the right-center field wall and the team announced he suffered a contusion and would miss a few games.
• May 21 – Jon Lester only lasted 2.2 innings as he gave up five runs while walking three and allowing six hits. The Cubs scored once in the eighth and once in the ninth, but it was not enough as the Giants won 5–3.
• May 22 – The Cubs were shutout 1–0 by Madison Bumgarner and the Giant bullpen on Sunday Night Baseball. The loss dropped the Cubs record to 29–13 on the season.
• May 23 – Traveling to St. Louis to face the Cardinals, the Cubs took a 3–1 lead into the seventh, but John Lackey could not hold the lead, allowing the Cardinals to tie the game. Adam Warren gave up a walkoff solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to Randal Grichuk as the Cubs fell 4–3.
• May 24 – Jason Heyward returned to the lineup after missing four games and the Cubs scored six runs in the first inning. Jorge Soler drove in three runs in the game. The Cubs added four in the ninth, blowing out the Cardinals 12–3.
• May 25 – The Cubs again scored six runs in an inning, this time in the second to take a 6–2 lead. Kris Bryant homered and drove in three as the Cubs held on to beat the Cardinals 9–8 and to move to 31–14 on the season.
• May 27 – Returning to Wrigley to face the Philadelphia Phillies following an off day, Jorge Soler, David Ross, and Kris Bryant homered as the Cubs won 6–2. Jon Lester allowed two runs in 6.1 innings to get the win.
• May 28 – The Cubs took an early lead against the Phillies in game two as Dexter Fowler led off the bottom of the first with a home run. Kyle Hendricks pitched nine stellar innings, allowing only one run on five hits as the Cubs won 4–1.
• May 29 – The Cubs again jumped early on the Phillies, scoring in four of the first five innings and taking a 7–0 lead. Ben Zobrist drove in three and John Lackey allowed only one run in seven innings of work as the Cubs won 7–2, sweeping the Phillies.
• May 30 – With the Los Angeles Dodgers in town, Jason Hammel left a game against the after two innings with a leg cramp. The Cub bullpen combined for seven perfect innings of relief as the Cubs shut out the Dodgers 2–0. Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward drove in the runs for the Cubs in the win which moved the Cubs' record to 35–14 on the season.
• May 31 – The Dodgers returned the favor in game two of the series, shutting out the Cubs. In a pitching duel until the eighth, the Cub bullpen could not build on Jake Arrieta's seven shutout innings, allowing five runs as the Cubs fell 5–0.

June

• June 1 – Major League Baseball announced results of early All Star Game voting. The Cubs had five players in starting positions: Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Ben Zobrist, Anthony Rizzo, and Dexter Fowler. Jon Lester pitched game three of the series against the Dodgers and threw a gem, a complete game four-hitter, as the Cubs beat the Dodgers 2–1.
• June 2 – In the final game of the series against the Dodgers, Javier Baez, Jason Heyward, Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo all homered while Kyle Hendricks continued his streak of great pitching performances, going eight inning while allowing only two runs. The Cubs won easily 7 .
• June 3 – Returning home to face the Diamondbacks, the teams engaged in a pitching battle through seven innings. With the Cubs leading 1–0 in the eighth, Addison Russell drove in two runs on a double while Javier Baez doubled to drive in two runs and scored on a throwing error to blow the game open. The Cubs notched the 6–0 win to move their record to 38–15 on the season.
• June 4 – The Cubs fell behind early as Jason Hamel gave up two runs in the first, but he righted the ship to pitch seven strong inning while allowing only those two runs. Hamel helped the Cub offense as well, driving in two runs as Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo homered to give the Cubs the 5–3 win.
• June 5 – Jake Arrieta gave up three runs on nine hits while the Diamondback pitching staff limited the Cubs to two runs. The 3–2 loss dropped the Cubs to 39–16 on the season.
• June 6 – Hitting the road to face the Phillies again, the Cubs took a 6–0 lead into the ninth behind Jason Heyward and Anthony Rizzo's two RBIs each. However, in the ninth, Justin Grimm surrendered three runs on a Freddy Galvis three-run homer and Hector Rondon gave up a solo homer to Tommy Joseph before he nailed down the game and the Cubs won 6–4.
• June 7 – Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs on four hits, but lasted only five innings whele Adam Warren gave up one run in relief. The Cub offense could only manage two runs as the Cubs fell 3–2.
• June 8 – Major League Baseball released an update of All Star Game voting. The Cubs received the four highest number of votes among NL teams: Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Dexter Fowler, and Ben Zobrist. Addison Russell was also leading at SS. Against the Phillies, the Cubs scored one in the fifth, three in the sixth, and four in the eighth as Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist homered. John Lackey allowed no runs in seven innings as the Cubs won 8–1. The win move the Cubs' record to 41–18 on the season.
• June 10 – After an off day, the Cubs traveled to Atlanta to face the Braves. Jason Hamel gave up three runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work and Justin Grimm allowed two runs as the Cubs lost 5–1.
• June 11 – Jake Arrieta's allowed four hits and two runs in an 8–2 victory over the Braves. The win gave Arrieta a record of 7–0 in road starts and 10–1 overall. Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo, Miguel Montero, and Kris Bryant all homered in the win.
• June 12 – Jon Lester allowed one run in seven innings and the Cub offense clobbered the Braves as Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez drove in three runs apiece while Ben Zobrist and David Ross drove in two runs each. The 13–2 win moved the Cubs to 43–18 on the season.
• June 13 – Jon Lester was named National League Player of the Week. The Cubs traveled to Washington, D.C. to face the Nationals and Kyle Hendricks struggled, surrendering four runs in 5.1 innings. The Cubs managed only one run off Washington starter Max Scherzer and lost 4–1.
• June 14 – The Cubs took an early 3–1 lead in game two of the series in Washington. However, John Lackey allowed a run in the seventh and Travis Wood allowed the tying run in the eighth. In the ninth, Addison Russell walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by David Ross. Albert Almora Jr. followed with a double to score Russell and Hector Rondon nailed down the game with a perfect ninth to give the Cubs the 4–3 win.
• June 15 – In the final game of the series against the Nationals, the Cubs entered the ninth trailing 2–1. Kris Bryant led off the ninth with a double and Anthony Rizzo homered off of Oliver Perez to give the Vubs the 3–2 lead. However, Hector Rondon surrendered a run in the ninth to tie the game. In the 12th, Addison Russell singled to score Albert Almora Jr. and give the Cubs a one-run lead. However, in the bottom of the 10th, Trevor Cahill gave up two runs as the Cubs lost 5–4.
• June 17 – The Cubs returned home to face the Pirates after an off day. Jake Arrieta pitched six scoreless innings and the Cub bullpen also held the Pirates scoreless. Matt Szczur and Albert Almora Jr. each drove in two runs as the Cubs won easily 6–0. The win moved Arrieta's record to 11–1 on the season.
• June 18 – In game two of the series against the Pirates, Dexter Fowler left game after first inning with hamstring discomfort. Jon Lester allowed three runs in seven innings, but Anthony Rizzo, Krist Bryant, and David Ross all homered to give the Cubs a 4–3 win.
• June 19 – Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits in six innings. The Cubs scored in each of the first three innings on solo home runs by Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and again by Rizzo to give the Cubs a 4–0 lead Willson Contreras hit a home run on the first pitch of his first major-league at-bat in the sixth, a two-run homer, becoming the 30th player in the modern-era to do so and the eighth player in Cubs history to homer in his first at-bat. The Cubs won easily 10–5 to move to 47–20 on the season.
• June 20 – Welcoming the Cardinals to Wrigley, John Lackey gave up three runs in six innings and the Cubs mustered only two runs RBIs by Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. Despite putting three runners on in the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs could not tie it and lost 3–2.
• June 21 – In game two against the Cards, Jason Hamel surrendered four runs in 5.2 innings, but the Cub bullpen pitched 3.1 perfect innings to keep the Cubs in the game. However, the Cubs could only muster three runs as they lost their second straight, this time losing 4–3.
• June 22 – Jake Arrieta gave up two runs in five innings and Justing Grimm surrendered four runs in 1/3 of an inning as the Cubs were blown out 7–2. Miguel Montero left game after a play at the plate with apparent right knee injury. The Cubs were swept by the Cardinals at Wrigley Field for the first time since 1988.
• June 23 – The Cubs next traveled to Miami to face the Marlins. Jon Lester pitched well, giving up only two runs in seven innings, but Pedro Strop surrendered two runs in the eighth to give the Marlins a 4–2 lead. The Cubs loaded the bases in the top of the ninth but Chris Coughlin struck out and Ben Zobrist flied out to end the game. The loss was the Cubs fourth straight and longest losing streak on the season to that point.
• June 24 – The next day, the Cubs put up four runs in the first on home runs by Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras and a two-run scoring single by Javier Baez. Kyle Hendrick, however, surrendered a grand slam to the Marlins' Justin Bour in the bottom of the first to tie the game. The game remained tied until the seventh when Contreras singled in the winning run. The 5–4 win snapped the Cubs four-game losing streak.
• June 25 – The Cubs took an early 3–1 lead over the Marlins in the third game of the series, but Jon Lackey struggled, surrendering seven runs in 4.1 innings. The Cub bullpen surrendered an additional two runs as the Cubs lost 9–6.
• June 26 – The Cubs' struggles against the Marlins continued in the final game of the series as the Cub bullpen surrendered four runs and the Cubs were blown out 6–1. Having lost six of their last seven games, the Cubs record fell to 48–26 on the season.
• June 27 – A road trip to Cincinnati to face the Reds was just what the Cubs needed however. Kris Bryant became the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs and two doubles in one game, going 5–5 in the game with six RBIs. His 16 total bases set a franchise record and he became the youngest player in club history to hit three home runs in the same game. The Cubs needed more offense however as Jake Arrieta gave up five runs while the bullpen surrendered an additional three runs. However, Bryant's last homer of the day in the eighth and Anthony Rizzo's homer gave the Cubs a 10–7 lead and they held on for the 11–8 win.
• June 28 – In game two of the series against the Reds, the Cubs led 2–1 heading into the ninth. However, Hector Rondon blew the save and gave up the tying run forcing the game into extra innings as a 2–2 tie. By the end of the 12th inning, both teams had usedall their position players. As a result, the Cubs used three pitchers to play left field: Travis Wood entered the game in left in the 14th with Spencer Patton beginning the inning at pitcher. He retired the first batter and was sent to left field and Wood replaced him on the mound. Following a groundout, the two players switched positions again. In the 15th inning, Pedro Strop replaced Patton and played left field with Wood returning to pitch. Wood finished the game with 1 1/3 innings pitched, allowing one hit and striking out three. It was the first time since 1961 that three pitchers moved from the mound to outfield and back in the same game. The last time two pitchers did so was in 1986, when the visiting Mets switched Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell against Cincinnati. In the 15th inning, Javier Baez hit a grand slam, his first career grand slam, which is the latest grand slam, by inning, in Cubs history, to win the game.
• June 29 – In the final game of the series, Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton took a fly ball hit by Anthony Rizzo off the face which allowed Rizzo to hit a three-run inside-the-park homer run in the first inning. That was all Kyle Hendricks would need as he scattered eight hits while allowing only two runs in 6.2 innings of work. Addison Russell and Albert Almora Jr. also homered for the Cubs as they won easily, 9–2.
• June 30 – Jon Lester was named National League Pitcher of the Month for June. The Cubs went on to New York to face the Mets in a rematch of the previous year's NLCS where the Cubs were swept by the Mets. The Cubs took an early 2–0 lead in the first on a two-run homer by Kris Bryant. They pushed the lead to 3–0 in the sixth before John Lackey surrendered two runs and the Cub bullpen did the same. The Cubs lost 4–3.

July

• July 1 – The Cubs struggles against the Mets continued as Jason Hamel gave up 10 runs in four innings while the Cubs could only muster two runs. The 10–2 loss was the sixth straight loss to the Mets.
• July 2 – The Cubs fell behind early as Jake Arrieta surrendered two runs in the first and four in his 5.1 innings of work. Despite two RBIs by Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs lost again, this time 4–3.
• July 3 – Looking to avoid the sweep, the Cubs took a 1–0 lead in the first inning on an Anthony Rizzo run-scoring single. Jon Lester however allowed the Mets to tie it in the first and then allowed seven runs in the second as the Cubs were blown out 14–3. The loss was the eighth straight by the Cubs to the Mets. The Cubs began July 0–3 and had lost 10 of their last 14 games.
• July 4 – Things looked to be heading in the right direction though as the Reds, whom the Cubs had just swept, came to Wrigley Field. The Cubs snapped their four-game losing streak as they scored six runs in the first two innings behind RBI hits by Addison Russel and Jason Heyward in the first and homers by Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras in the second. The Cubs would add four more runs as Addison Russell also homered and Kyle Hendricks allowed only run. The Cubs won 10–4.
• July 5 – However the Cubs returned to their recent rough streak as John Lackey gave up six runs in six innings to the Reds and the Cub bullpen surrendered three more including two in the ninth by Pedro Strop. The Cub offense led by Addison Russell's three RBIs could not muster enough as the Cubs lost 9–5.
• July 6 – Adam Warren got the start for the Cubs in a move to give the Cubs starting pitching staff an extra day of rest. He pitched well, allowing only one run in five innings. The Cub bullpen again struggled however as Trevor Cahill gave up three runs in two innings while the Cub offense could manage only three runs.
• July 7 – In a makeup game of an earlier rainout, the Braves came to Wrigley and jumped to an early 2–0 lead Jason Hamel. The Cubs tied in the bottom of the eighth on a run scoring double by Ben Zobrist and took the lead on a two-RBI triple by Willson Contreras. The Cub bullpen continued to struggle however as Hector Rondon gave up a first pitch homer in the ninth to Nick Markakis. In the 11th, Spencer Pattown allowed the winning run as the Cubs lost again 4–3.
• July 8 – Returning to the road, the Cubs traveled to face the Pirates in the final series before the All-Star game. Jake Arrieta gave up three runs in second, but the Cubs rallied to tie it in the sixth on a Miguel Montero home run. Anthony Rizzo homered in the seventh to give the Cubs the lead, but Arrieta allowed three runs in the bottom of the seventh and the Cubs lost 8–4.
• July 9 – Jon Lester allowed five runs in three innings and Adam Warren allowed seven runs in two innings as the Cubs were blown out 12–6. Ben Zobrist homered and drove in two in the Cubs' fifth straight loss. The streak marked the longest losing streak on the season for the Cubs.
• July 10 – In the final game before the All-Star break, John Lackey struggled again allowing five runs in six innings. however, Krist Bryant broke up a 5–5 tie in the eighth with an RBI single and the Cub bullpen held on to the 6–5 win. The Cubs entered the All-Star break with a record of 53–35, having lost 15 out of their last 21 games. However, the Cubs' lead of seven games over St. Louis in the division was still the largest lead in baseball.
• July 15 – After the All-Star break, the Cubs welcomed the Texas Rangers to Wrigley Field. Kyle Hendricks started the second half off well, shutting out the Rangers over six innings. Addison Russell and Matt Szczur each drove in two runs as the Cubs won easily 6–0.
• July 16 – Jason Hamel allowed one run in six innings of work while Anthony Rizzo drove in two runs and the Cubs beat the Rangers 3–1.
• July 17 – Looking to complete the sweep over the Rangers, John Lackey pitched eight innings and allowed four runs. Meanwhile, the Cubs could manage only one run against future Cub Cole Hamels, losing 4–1.
• July 18 – Facing an eight-game losing streak to the Mets, Jon Lester pitched well at Wrigley, giving up only one run in 7.2 innings. Anthony Rizzo homered and drove in three runs as the Cubs broke their losing streak to the Mets with a 5–1 win.
• July 19 – Jake Arrieta and Noah Syndergaard engaged in a pitching duel that resulted in a 1–1 tie going in to the ninth. Hector Rondon gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth as the Cubs lost 2–1.
• July 20 – The Mets and Cubs wore throwback uniforms in the series finale ahead of the weekend's Hall of Fame inductions in the serie finale. Kyle Hendricks shut out the Mets in 6.1 innings of work and Anthony Rizzo homered twice and drove in three runs. Addison Russell also drove in two runs as the Cubs won 6–2.
• July 22 – After an off day, the Cubs travled to face the Brewers. Dexter Fowler returned from the disabled list with a lead-off home run and drove in three runs as the Cubs beat the Brewers 5–2.
• July 23 – John Lackey gave up three runs in six innings and the Cub bullpen surrendered three runs as the Cubs lost to the Brewers 6–1.
• July 24 – Trailing 4–2 in the seventh, Anthony Rizzo hit a bases-clearing double to give the Cubs a 5–4 lead. Ben Zobrist singled to drive in Rizzo as the Cubs went on to beat the Brewers 6–4.
• July 25 – The Cubs returned to Chicago to face their cross-town rivals, the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Jake Arrieta gave up four runs in six innings, but the Cubs rallied to tie the game in the ninth on singles by Dexter Fowler and Anthony Rizzo. However Mike Montgomery allowed the winning run to score in the bottom of the ninth as the Cubs lost 5–4.
• July 26 – Kyle Hendricks allowed three runs in 5.2 innings, but the Cubs were shut out by three White Sox pitchers and lost 3–0.
• July 27 – Returning to Wrigley Field to face the White Sox, the Cubs blew open a low-scoring game by scoring five runs in the either including Addison Russell's first career grand slam. Jason Hamel pitched well, allowing one run in seven innings as the Cubs defeated the White Sox 8–1. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant also homered as the Cubs snap a two-game losing streak. Bryant's homer, his 26th, ties his total home runs from last season. Newly acquired Aroldis Chapman pitches a perfect ninth inning.
• July 28 – John Lackey out-dueled Chris Sale as the Cubs beat the White Sox 3–1 to split the season series. Newly-acquired Aroldis Chapman pitched 1.1 innings in his first game as a Cub to earn the save.
• July 29 – The Cubs next welcomed the Seattle Mariners to Chicago. Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward each drove in three runs as the Cub offense exploded to score 12 runs. Meanwhile, Jon Lester allowed no runs in six innings as the Cubs won easily 12–1.
• July 30 – Jake Arrieta allowed two runs in seven inning and Aroldis Chapman gave up his first run as a Cub as the Cubs lost to the Mariners 3–1.
• July 31 – The Cubs beat the 7–6 in 12 innings. In a game started by Brian Matusz, who departed after giving up six runs in three innings, the Cubs bullpen pitched nine innings of scoreless relief. Trailing 6–3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs rallied to tie the game and force extra innings. Travis Wood again played left field after pitching in the sixth inning. He made a catch against the wall in the seventh and returned to pitch in the eighth inning. Having exhausted all position players and bullpen pitchers, the Cubs were forced to have Jon Lester pinch hit in the bottom of the 12th after Jason Heyward doubled and moved to third on a Willson Contreras sacrifice fly. With two strikes, Lester executed a safety squeeze bunt and Heyward scored to win the game.

August

• August 1 – Kyle Hendricks threw a complete game shutout against the Marlins at Wrigley Field and lowered his ERA to 2.22, third best in the National League. His ERA at Wrigley Field this season was 1.19. Addison Russell drove in two runs in the game while Anthony Rizzo doubled and tripled and scored two runs in the 6–0 win.
• August 2 – Jason Hamel pitched six scoreless innings and left with a 3–0 lead behind RBI singles by Willson Contreras and Dexter Fowler. Anthony Rizzo added a sacrifice fly before Pedro Strop gave up two runs in the top of the seventh. Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect ninth to secure the 3–2 victory over the Marlins, the Cubs third straight win.
• August 3 – Cubs completed a sweep of the Marlins with a three-run ninth inning for the win. Trailing 4–2 in the ninth, Dexter Fowler drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Ben Zobrist walked with the bases loaded to tie the game. On the second pitch to the next batter, Marlins pitcher AJ Ramos uncorked a wild pitch allowing Matt Szczur to score the winning run..
• August 5 – Hitting the road to face the Athletics in Oakland, Jon Lester allowed two runs in seven innings while Dexter Fowler homered to lead off the game and Jorge Soler also homered in the first. Soler drove in the three runs in the game as the Cubs won easily 7–2.
• August 6 – Jake Arrieta pitched eight scoreless innings and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs as the Cubs beat the A's 4–0 for their sixth straight win.
• August 7 – The Cubs scored single runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings while Kly Hendricks held the A's to one run in eight innings. Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth as the Cubs won 3–1 and extended their winning streak to seven games. The win also put the Cubs at a season-high 28 games over.500.
• August 8 – Kyle Hendricks was named National League Player of the Week for the first week of August.
• August 9 – John Lackey surrendered a run in the first in Anaheim, but held the Angels without a run for seven more innings. A balanced offensive attack for the Cubs saw four players with an RBI each as the Cubs defeated the Angels 5–1, their eighth straight win. The win moved the Cubs to 70 on the season, the first team to win 70 games. Bryant homered and drove in his 70th run becoming the first Cubs player ever to drive in 70 runs in each of his first two seasons.
• August 10 – Jason Hamel continued his strong streak of pitching, going seven innings and limiting the Angels to no runs. An Anthony Rizzo single and Addison Russell solo home run were all the Cubs needed as they beat the Angels 2–1.
• August 11 – Returning home to face the Cardinals, Jon Lester surrendered two runs in six innings, but left with a 3–2. The Cub bullpen quickly surrendered the lead and the game moved to extra innings tied at three. In the bottom of the 11th, Anthony Rizzo walked with the bases loaded to score the winning run as the Cubs won 4–3, their 10th straight win. The win moved the Cubs to a season-high 13 game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central.
• August 12 – Matt Szczur homered twice, while Willson Contreras, Jorge Soler, and Javier Baez also homered as the Cubs won easily, defeating the Cardinals 13–2, their 11th straight win. The lead in the NL Central increased to 14 games. The Cubs magic number to win the division stood at 34.
• August 13 – The Cubs took an early 2–0 lead, but Carl Edwards Jr. imploded in the eighth inning allowing five runs while walking four batters. The Cubs added two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but could not recover, losing 8–4 and ending their 11 game win streak.
• August 14 – The Cubs again took an early 2–0 lead and John Lackey left with a 3–1 lead in the seventh, before the Cub bullpen again imploded. Hector Rondon allowed four runs in the seventh as the Cubs lost their second straight, losing to the Cardinals 6–4.
• August 16 – After a day off, the Cubs welcomed the Brewers to Chicago for a doubleheader. In game one, started by Trevor Cahill, five Cub pitchers combined to shut out the Brewers. Cahill also drove in a run as the Cubs won 4–0. Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for the save.
• August 16 – In game two against the Brewers, Jason Hamel again pitched well, allowing only two runs in seven innings while the Cubs scored four on a two-run home run by Javier Baez and RBI singles by Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. Aroldis Chapman finished the game to notch his second save of the day and his sixth save with the Cubs in the 4–1 win.
• August 17 - In game three of the series, the Cubs jumped to an early 5–0 lead singles by Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell and a three-run homer by Jorge Soler. Jon Lester allowed only one run on three hits while pitching in to the seventh as the Cubs won 6–1.
• August 18 – The Cubs again jumped out to an early 5–0 lead, but Jake Arrieta surrendered five runs in 5.2 innings and left with the a 7–5 lead. Kris Bryant homered twice and drove in five runs as the Cubs held on to defeat the Brewers 9–6, completing a four-game sweep and moving to a season-high 34 games over.500.
• August 19 – The Cubs returned to the road to face the Rockies in Denver. The Cubs jumped out to 5–1 lead as Kyle Hendricks allowed just one run in six innings. However, Travis Wood surrendered three runs in the seventh and eighth and Carl Edwards Jr. allowed the tying run in the eighth. Dexter Fowler gave up the Cubs the lead in the top of the 11th with an RBI single. Aroldis Chapman came in the bottom half of the 11th and allowed a single and a double, but a throwing error by Javier Baez allowed the winning run to score from second as the Cubs lost 7–6.
• August 20 – Kris Bryant homered and drove in four runs while Miguel Montero drove in three runs as the Cubs crushed the Rockes 9–2. Mike Montgomery and Travis Cahill combined to limit the Rockies to two runs in the win.
• August 21 – Jason Hamel gave up 10 runs in 3.1 innings as the Cubs were blown out 11–4 by the Rockies.
• August 22 – The Cubs next traveled to San Diego to face the Padres. Jon Lester allowed only one run in six innings while Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, and Jason Heyward homered for the Cubs in the 6–1 win.
• August 23 – Jake Arrieta threw eight shutout innings while the Cub offense put up five runs behind home runs by Kris Bryan and Addison Russell, his fifth homer in the last five games, to give the Cubs a 5–0 lead. Felix Pena struggled in the ninth, allowing three runs while getting only one out before Aroldis Chapman entered the game to notch the save. The Cubs moved to a season-high 35 games over.500 at 80–45. Their magic number to win the division moved to 25. Jake Arrieta won his league-leading 16th game of the season and lowered his ERA to 2.62. The Cubs hit multiple home runs in each of the last seven games, the longest streak since the Cubs hit multiple home runs in an eight-game stretch from June 25 through July 2, 1961.
• August 24 – The Cubs completed the three-game sweep of the Padres as Kyle Hendricks allowed only two runs in six innings and the Cubs won 5–3.
• August 26 – After an off-day, the Cubs traveled to face the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Mike Montgomery gave up three runs in five innings and the Cubs trailed 4–2 entering the eighth. A Kris Byrant home run in the eighth preceded a wild pitch scoring Jason Heyward in the ninth to tie the game. In the 10th, Bryant homered again, a two-run shot, to give the Cubs the 6–4 win. The win moved the Cubs to a season-high 37 games over.500 and increased their division lead to a season-high 14-game.
• August 27 – Jason Hamel continued to struggle, giving up three runs in 2.1 innings of work before being lifted from the game. The Dodgers, led by five pitchers, limited the Cubs to two runs and the Cubs fell 3–2.
• August 28 – In the final game of the series against the Dodgers, Jon Lester held the Dodgers scoreless through six, but Trevor Cahill surrendered a run in the eighth. That was all the Dodgers would need as the shut out the Cubs 1–0.
• August 29 – Following back-to-back road losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cubs returned home to face the third-place Pirates. The Cubs jumped out to a 3–0 lead early, but Jake Arrieta gave up the lead and trailed 6–3 in the eighth. Willson Contreras hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Jorge Soler tied it with a homer in the ninth to send the game into extra innings. The Cubs won it in the 13th inning after giving up the go-ahead run in the top of the 13th. Miguel Montero plated two runs to give the Cubs the 8–7 win. The Cubs magic number to win the division moved to 19 and their magic number to secure home-field advantage in the National League playoffs moved to 25.
• August 30 – Kyle Hendricks pitched seven scoreless innings as the Cubs shut out the Pirates 3–0. Anthony Rizzo's first inning two-run home run was all the Cubs needed for the win.
• August 31 – The Cubs jumped to a 5–1 lead on the Pirates behind two RBIs by Addison Russell. The Cubs held on from there to complete a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 6–5. The Cubs finished the month with 22 wins, the most wins in any month for the Cubs since 1945 when they went 22–10 in September of that year. The Cubs lead in the division moved to 15 games, a season high, and their largest first-place lead since the end of the 1907 season. The Cubs magic number moved to 16 as they moved to a season-high 38 games over.500.

September

• September 1 – After falling behind 4–3 to the Giants, Addison Russell drove in two runs on a single in the seventh to give the Cubs the 5–4 win.
• September 2 – Jon Lester pitched a complete game while allowing only one run on 102 pitches. David Ross and Dexter Fowler drove in the only two runs the Cubs would need as the Cubs beat Giants 2–1 to move to 40 games over.500. Jon Lester earned his 15th win of the season with a complete game three-hitter. The Cubs magic number was reduced to 14.
• September 3 – Kyle Hendricks was named National League Pitcher of the Month for August while Kris Bryant was named National League Player of the Month. Jake Arrieta gave up three runs in six innings and the Cubs could manage only two against the Giants as they lost 3–2.
• September 4 – John Lackey allowed only two runs in five innings, but the Cub offenses managed only one run off Giant pitcher Johnny Cueto. Still trailing 2–1 in the bottom of the ninth, Addison Russell doubled to lead off the inning and Jason Heyward drove him in to tie the game. The game remained tied at two into the 13th when Anthony Rizzo singled and moved to second on a groundout by Ben Zobrist. The Giants chose to walk Addison Russell and Jason Heyward came through again, singling to score Rizzo and win the game 3–2.
• September 5 – The Cubs next traveled to Milwaukee to face the Brewers. Falling behind early 1–0, the Cubs were held scoreless until the sixth when Jorge Soler drove in a run to tie the game. In the seventh, the Cubs added two more runs on singles by Chris Coghlan and tommy La Stella. The Cubs blew the game open in the eighth, scoring four runs to beat the Brewers 7–2. The wing moved the Cubs to a season-high 41 games over.500. Hendricks lowered his baseball-leading ERA to 2.07. The Cubs magic number was reduced to 10.
• September 6 – Jason Hamel's struggles continued as he allowed 13 hits and nine runs in 5.2 innnings of work. Anthony Rizzo homered and drove in three as the Cub offense pushed across three of their five run in the eighth and ninth with the game already over as the Cubs lost 12–5.
• September 7 – Mike Montgomery allowed one run in five innings, but the Cubs could muster only one run against Brewer starter Matt Garza. Joe Smith surrendered one run in the eighth as the Cubs lost 2–1.
• September 9 – Traveling to Houston to face their former divisional rival Astros after an off day, Kris Bryant homered in the fifth to give the Cubs a 2–0 lead. Jon Lester scattered seven hits in seven innings and Hector Rondon and Arold Chapman combined for two perfect innings of relief as the Cubs won 2–0. The win was the Cubs 90th of the season, the first team to win 90 games on the season. The last time the Cubs were the first team to 90 wins was 1945 - the last time the Cubs appeared in the World Series. Having finished the 2015 season with 97 wins, it was also the first time since 1928, 1929, and 1930 that the Cubs reached 90 wins in consecutive years.
• September 10 – John Lackey only two runs, but the Cubs only mustered one as they lost to the Astros 2–1.
• September 11 – The Cubs jumped out early lead on the Astros, scoring nine runs in the first four innings. Jake Arrieta allowed three runs in 5.1 innings of work as the Cubs won 9–5 to win the series and reduce their magic number to five.
• September 12 – Traveling to St. Louis, Kyle Hendricks lost a no-hitter bid in the ninth after Jeremy Hazelbaker homered. Hendricks lowered his league-leading ERA to 2.03. However, the Cubs won the game 4–1 behind homers by Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist. The performance by Hendricks marked the 20th straight outing where he gave up three runs or less. The Cubs magic number was reduced to three.
• September 13 – Jason Hamel pitched better, but still allowed four runs in 5.2 innings of work. The Cubs, who chased Cardinals starter Jaime García in the second with two runs, could score nothing further and the Cubs lost 4–2.
• September 14 – Cubs defeated the Cardinals 7–0 behind Jon Lester's eight innings of shutout ball. Anthony Rizzo homered twice and David Ross added a homer and two RBIs in the win. The win clinched a playoff berth for the Cubs as they were assured of at least a wild card berth. The magic number to clinch the division was reduced to one.
• September 15 – Returning home to fave the Brewers, Mike Montgomery and Justing Grimm surrendered five runs in just over six innings of work. Despite a Jorge Soler homer, the Cubs could not pull it out and lost to the Brewers 5–4. However, the Cubs clinched the National League Central Division crown when the Cardinals lost to the Giants later that evening. This marked the first time since 2008 that the Cubs had won the division. The Cubs were the first team to clinch their division and did so earlier than any other team since the 2008 Angels.
• September 16 – With lineup mostly made up of backups, as the team had celebrated clinching the division the night before, the Cubs trailed 4–2 going in to the bottom of the ninth. Chris Coughlan drove in a run on a single then scored the tying run on an Addison Russell single. In the 10th, Miguel Montero homered to give the Cubs the 5–4 win over the Brewers.
• September 17 – The Cubs jumped out to an early 3–0 lead on the Brewers, however Jake Arrieta surrendered four runs in six innings of work and left trailing 4–3. The Cubs bullpen fell apart from there, giving up seven runs in the eighth and ninth as the Cubs lost 11–3.
• September 18 – Kyle Hendricks continued his strong pitching performance on the season, pitching six innings and allowing only two runs. However, the Cubs managed only one run against the Brewers and the Cubs lost 3–1.
• September 19 – With homers by Willson Contreras, Addison Russell, and Jason Heyward, the Cubs beat the Reds at Wrigley Feild 5–2 and reduced magic number to guarantee home-field advantage in the playoffs to five. Jason Hamel pitched well, giving up only two runs in seven innings.
• September 20 – Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs while Jon Lester limited the Reds to only one run in seven innings. The Cubs cruised to a 6–1 victory.
• September 21 – In the final game of the series against the Reds, John Lackey allowed only two runs in seven innings. Miguel Montero drove in three runs while Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant each homered as the Cubs won 9–2 to sweep series and reduce magic number for home-field advantage to two.
• September 23 – After an off day, the Cubs welcomed the Cardinals to Wrigle. The Cubs plated four runs in the first and Jake Arrieta scattered five hits in seven innnings. the Cub bullpen completed the shutout as the Cubs beat the Cardinals 5–0 for their 98th win of the season, surpassing the prior year's total and marking the most wins for the Cubs since 1945. The win was also their 56th home victory, tying a team record. The magic number for home-field advantage was reduced to one. Following the Nationals' loss later that night, the Cubs clinched home-field advantage in the NL playoffs.
• September 24 – Jason Hamel gave up six runs in the first three innings as the Cubs were blown out by the Cardinal 10–4. A homer by Willson Contreras was not enough in the defeat.
• September 25 – In their final regular season game at Wrigley Field of the season, Jon Lester shut out the Cardinals for 6.2 innings. A home run by David Ross and RBIs by Willson Contreras and Addison Russel gave the Cubs the 3–1 win. The win was the 57th at home for the Cubs, breaking the team record from 1933 and 1935. The win also marked the team's 99th with of the season, the most wins by a Cubs' team since 1935. David Ross, in his last regular season home game prior to his retirement, was saluted by the crowd on several occasions and hit a solo home run, his tenth of the season. Ross became the ninth Cubs player with at least ten home runs on the season. Jon Lester recorded his 19th win of the season, the first NL pitcher to do so, while moving into second place in ERA with a 2.28 ERA.
• September 26 – Javier Baez homered and drove in six runs while Kris Bryant homered and drove in two as the Cubs visited Pittsburgh. Kyle Hendricks shut out the Pirates through six innings as the Cubs beat the Pirates 12–2 to win their 100th game of the season, the first time they had won at least 100 games since 1935. Kyle Hendricks lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.99. Kris Bryant hit his career-high 39th home run of the season and reached 101 RBIs, also a career high.
• September 27 – Leading 6–1 in the ninth, the Cubs surrendered three runs to the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth, but held on for the 6–4 win. The win marked their 101st win of the season, the most wins by a Cubs team since 1910.
• September 28 – Jake Arrieta gave up seven runs in just five innings as the Cubs lost 8–4. Anthony Rizzo's first inning homer marked his 32nd of the season.
• September 29 – Cubs and Pirates tied 1–1 after five innings due to rain. It marked the first tie in MLB since 2005, and the first tie for the Cubs since 1993. While the tie was not reflected in the clubs' final records, the statistics from the game are official.
• September 30 – Traveling to Cincinnati for the final series of the regular season, Jake Buchanan got the start and win for the Cubs as he held the Reds scoreless through five innings. Ben Zorist homered twice and drove in three runs as the Cubs won 7–3.

October

• October 1 – Jon Lester gave up five runs in five innings as he Cubs lost to the Reds 7–4.
• October 2 – In the final regular season game, the Cubs trailed the Reds 4–2 entering the eighth inning. Willson Contreras homered in the eighth to move the Cubs within a run. In the ninth, Matt Szczur doubled in two runs and Miguel Montero homered to give the Cubs the 7–4 win. The win marked the 103rd of the season for the Cubs, the most for the franchise since 1910. Kyle Hendricks gave up four runs in five innings of work, marking the first time in his last 23 starts that he gave up more than three runs, but finished the season with a league-leading ERA of 2.13.

Transactions

April

May

June

July

August

September

Roster

Postseason

Game log

Division Series

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Game 4

Composite line score

Division Series Roster

Championship Series

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Game 3

Game 4

Game 5

Game 6

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Championship Series Roster

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Game 3

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Game 5

Game 6

Game 7

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World Series Roster

Regular season statistics

Batting

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Postseason statistics

Batting

Pitching

Awards and honors

• Jake Arrieta
• Kris Bryant
• Dexter Fowler
• Jon Lester
• Anthony Rizzo
• Addison Russell
• Ben Zobrist

  Farm system