The Short Porch and the Cubs have jet lag

The 2026 Chicago Cubs season has been a challenging one, with September being one of the two months they posted a sub-.500 record. They finished the season exactly .500 in their last 10 games, dropping two winnable games against the Red Sox and two against the Marlins. Star third baseman Alex Bregman suffered multiple fractures after being hit by a foul ball, resulting in missed games for one of the Cubs' top hitters in the second half.

However, the team's struggles were further exacerbated by a freak September nor'easter that hit Boston in the final days of the season, forcing MLB to devise a difficult itinerary for the Cubs.

The itinerary included a day game at Wrigley on Thursday, Sept. 24, a doubleheader in Boston on Friday, Sept. 25, and an impromptu off day in Florida on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Cubs were set to play one game in Tropicana Field on Sunday, Sept. 27, before flying to San Diego to begin their best-of-three Wild Card Series on Monday, Sept. 28, with the first pitch scheduled at 10 PM Eastern Time.

While it may not be appropriate to complain about the weather, umpires, or roster rules, the Cubs have faced a particularly tough path to the postseason. The question remains to be seen how they will handle this grueling journey. However, the Cubs have shown resilience throughout the season, with Bregman hitting home runs despite a broken face, Pete Crow-Armstrong emerging as the first 40-40 man in franchise history, and the team winning 10 games in a row twice. The Cubs' "We Never Quit" attitude may just be the key to their postseason success.