The Kyle Schwarber & Kris Bryant Core (2015-2023)

Lore & Background

The Cubs won back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and 1908, becoming the first major league team to play in three consecutive World Series, and the first to win it twice. Most recently, the Cubs won the 2016 National League Championship Series and 2016 World Series, which ended a 71-year National League pennant drought and a 108-year World Series championship drought, both of which are record droughts in Major League Baseball. The 108-year drought was also the longest such occurrence in all major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Wrigley Field was thick with anticipation as the sun began to dip behind the ivy-covered walls. In the batter's box, Kris Bryant adjusted his helmet, his eyes locked on the pitcher's mound, while Kyle Schwarber waited in the dugout, the weight of a century of history resting on his shoulders. When the ball was finally put into play, it wasn't just about a hit; it was about ending an era of heartbreak and beginning a new chapter for the North Side. The roar of the crowd, a sound long absent from championship nights, erupted as the core they had built together finally delivered.

Reader's Guide

The Cubs are known as 'the North Siders', a reference to the location of Wrigley Field within the city of Chicago, and in contrast to the White Sox, whose home field (Rate Field) is located on the South Side. Through 2024, the franchise has played the most games in MLB history, with an all-time regular season record of 11,419–10,837–161 (.513).

Did You Know?

• The 1906 Cubs won 116 games, finishing 116–36 and posting a modern-era record winning percentage of .763, before losing the World Series to the Chicago White Sox.
• Since the start of divisional play in 1969, the Cubs have appeared in the postseason 11 times through the 2024 season.