Brett and Michael react to the Cubs' season-ending Wild Card loss to the Padres, with an offense that managed just one run across two games. They discuss the Cubs' inability to deliver in key moments, Nico Hoerner's strong series, and how much of the offensive inconsistency from 2026 should actually factor into the team's offseason evaluation.
Brett and Michael are back for the eighty-second episode of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast (Presented by Ankin Law). Unfortunately, the Cubs' season is over after dropping both games of their Wild Card series against the Padres while scoring just one run.
The offense was the defining problem of the series, particularly when opportunities arose to deliver a big hit. Nico Hoerner did everything he could with four hits, but there simply wasn't enough around him to keep the season alive.
Brett and Michael discuss how to evaluate such an abrupt ending without allowing two frustrating postseason games to rewrite everything that came before them. At the same time, the offensive struggles can't simply be dismissed. The Cubs went through extended stretches this season where the lineup failed to produce consistently, including another difficult run down the stretch, and seeing those issues resurface in October makes them impossible to ignore.
The guys begin unpacking what went wrong, what actually carries significance into next season, and what shouldn't be overreacted to after a disappointing postseason exit.
A special thank you to Ankin Law for sponsoring this podcast!
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