NL Central Division Title (2016)

Lore & Background

The Cubs won the division by 17½ games, reached the 100-win mark for the first time since 1935, and won 103 total games, the most for the franchise since 1910.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Wrigley Field felt different on that late September evening; it was thick with the electric hum of inevitability rather than the usual anxiety. As the final out of the division-clinching game was recorded, the roar from the bleachers didn't just shake the ivy-covered walls—it seemed to vibrate through the very foundations of the city. Players hugged in the dugout, not with the frantic relief of a season saved, but with the quiet confidence of a promise kept. In that moment, the ghosts of 1945 and all the years between finally faded, replaced by the bright lights of a new era where the impossible suddenly felt within reach.

Reader's Guide

The Cubs were managed by Joe Maddon in his second season as Cubs manager and played their home games at Wrigley Field as members of the National League Central.

Did You Know?

• The Cubs won their first National League Central title since the 2008 season.
• The Cubs finished with the best record in Major League Baseball at 103–58 (and 1 tie).
• The Cubs won the division by 17½ games.