The 2026 Cubs possess the best offense and best defense in all of baseball, yet they sit in last place for Wins Above Replacement. It is a strange reality where a team dominates every metric except the one that keeps them from the playoffs. According to MLB.com, this squad is on track to be the most complete team by Statcast standards since tracking began a decade ago.
A Historic Split in Performance
The numbers paint a picture of two different teams sharing the same uniform. The offense runs circles around the league while the defense stops runs at an elite rate. But the pitching staff drags the whole effort down to the bottom of the standings. MLB.com reports that the Cubs rank 30th among 30 teams using the FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement metric.
This creates a unique paradox for the front office. They have built a machine that hits and fields better than anyone else, but they lack the arm strength to close games. The saying “first in offense, first in defense, and last in pitching” describes the current roster perfectly. It is a decent enough modern day equivalent to an old slogan about being first in war and peace, but last in the league.
The Jake Bauers Surprise
One player stands out as the engine of this high-powered offense. Jake Bauers has proven himself an undeniable force for the first Major League team to hit 90 wins. Before this season, his career slash line stood at .211/.307/.365 with an 84 OPS+ over parts of six MLB seasons. Before this season, he produced 16% below the league average over more than 1,500 at-bats.
Now he has the Highest Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA) among 244 qualified hitters in 2026 at .385. The league-average wOBA is .316, making his jump even more impressive. However, his body is fighting back. Shin splints, which have excluded him from the starting lineup for the last three games, are what Jake Bauers is battling. “We need him in there,” said Pat Murphy regarding his absence.
A Playoff Test of Faith
The Cubs are currently in control of the second NL Wild Card spot, but the path to the title is narrow. The 2026 Cubs apparently plan to test the saying “Pitching wins in the playoffs.” If they cannot fix the rotation, their historic hitting and fielding might not be enough to lift a trophy. Other teams are 10 times less lopsided than the Cubs, which makes them a tough test for this strange squad.
Can a team win a championship with a top-tier lineup and a bottom-tier pitching staff? The answer lies in the remaining games of the season. The fans have seen great hitting and great fielding, but the pitching must step up or the dream ends early. The season will soon show if this unusual mix can survive the grind of October baseball.
