Chicago Cubs: 3 reasons road trip is most important of season

The Cubs won’t stand a chance in the postseason if they can’t figure out how to win on the road.

Right now, the Chicago Cubs would be the third seed in the National League playoffs behind the Braves and the Dodgers. The Dodgers would get to host the winner of the Wild Card game and the Cubs would begin their postseason in Atlanta. Mind you, the Cubs went 2-5 against the Braves this season and got swept in Atlanta in the second series of the season.

The Cubs have been flirting with pulling away in the National League Central Division but their poor play on the road has kept the door open for other teams like the Brewers and the Cardinals. At the All-Star Break, first and last place was separated by just 5.5 games.

Ever since Joe Maddon has been the manager, the Cubs have largely been the favorite for the division with this year being no exception. Sure the Brewers won game 163 at Wrigley in 2018 and sure they took the National League champions to 7 games in the NLCS, but the Cubs have made the playoffs in Maddon’s first four seasons and won the World Series in 2016.

In the Fall Classic, the Cubs found themselves down 3 games to 2 heading back to Cleveland for at least another game. They were able to come through with clutch hits when they needed them and won both games on the road. That kind of clutch hitting has been lacking this season for the Cubs who have largely been a home run or nothing kind of offense, especially on the road.

They’ve adjusted their lineup a bit, moving Schwarber down in the order and he has thrived there. The front office also made moves to acquire Nick Castellanos and Tony Kemp who have proven to change the dynamic of their lineup. It’s also worth noting the impact that Ian Happ‘s return has had on this lineup. I would expect all three of these guys to be regulars in the lineup.