MILWAUKEE (670 The Score) -- An hour after the final out of the Cubs’ 2025 season and a 3-1 loss to the Brewers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, buses waited outside American Family Field for a trip down I-94 to Chicago.
Cubs players walked slowly through the visitors’ clubhouse wearing the look of dejection. Shortstop Dansby Swanson emerged still in his full grey uniform to find his wife, Mallory. Rookie third baseman Matt Shaw greeted 40-year-old veteran teammate Justin Turner with a hug after what was likely their final game together. All-Star centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong sauntered back to his locker stall, feeling this disappointment for the first time.
“This is the worst part,” Crow-Armstrong said. “OK, we all go hug each other and stuff, but I don’t think that really does a full year’s justice.”
Ultimately, this all came to an end for the Cubs in unfortunately fitting fashion. They came up short once again to the rival Brewers.
The Cubs managed just one run – a home run by slugger Seiya Suzuki in the second inning – and four hits. Their lineup was silenced by the Brewers’ power arms. The greatest chance for a big inning came in the sixth, with two runners on for All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker. He struck out swinging, Suzuki lined out to deep left field, and left fielder Ian Happ struck out looking.
The Cubs’ best players didn’t come through in their biggest game. But this was hardly just about Saturday night in Milwaukee. Simply believing this came down to one game is misguided.
Back in late July, the Cubs relinquished their hold on first place in the NL Central to these Brewers. The race became a runaway, with Milwaukee winning 97 games and five games better than its rivals from south of the state line.
This NLDS was decided by home-field advantage, which the Brewers earned in the regular season. The Cubs only played with urgency when their backs were against the wall down 0-2 in this series. Maybe this would have been a different result if played at Wrigley Field.
What the Cubs will realize on that long bus ride home if they haven’t already is that the Brewers are the standard of this division – and perhaps may prove even more in the National League Championship Series with the Dodgers.
A cold offseason in Chicago must begin by acknowledging that reality. The Cubs are a team that needs more to be a World Series champion.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer landed a contract security in late July as the Brewers jumped into first place. Team chairman Tom Ricketts is clearly encouraged by the ballclub’s direction. Now, Hoyer must find ways to bring significant upgrades.
That will almost certainly mean needing to improve the Cubs while also losing Tucker, who is set to become a highly coveted free agent. The belief is that he will sign elsewhere.
“Yeah, I mean, we’ll see what happens,” Tucker said. “I don’t know what the future is going to hold. But if not, it’s been an honor playing with all these guys, and I wish everyone the best of luck, whether it’s playing next year or not for them. It’s a really fun group to be a part of.”
The Cubs have a core in place with the likes of Crow-Armstrong, Hoerner, Suzuki, first baseman Michael Busch, right-hander Cade Horton and more. This team isn’t going away in 2026. But this loss in Milwaukee should make everyone angry back in Chicago.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell was hired on a five-year, $40-million contract in November of 2023 because he was supposed to be a difference-making presence. His team just lost to the Brewers – the team he left after nine seasons – and his mentor Pat Murphy, who has led two division titles since.
“We gave ourselves a shot,” Counsell said. “And that part of it, you'd kind of take every year, give yourself a shot.”
If the Cubs want more than just a shot next season, they need to be aggressive this offseason. That means establishing pitching depth that’s better than the Brewers’ and making difficult decisions about the lineup.
The Cubs got very little production out of their third basemen this season, posting a collective slash line of .219/.285/.336 overall. A prized prospect, Shaw struggled in his first season. That’s an obvious place where this lineup can improve. There may need to be more a difficult decision with Happ, who played 150 games this season. He was 3-for-30 in the postseason and let down this lineup like many other key players.
As the Cubs’ buses took off at 11:15 for Chicago, the grounds crew at American Family Field began cleaning up the celebration that took place. They patched up sod around the pitcher’s mound, replaced dirt on the infield and picked loose blue and gold confetti.
Game 1 of the NLCS is Monday night right back in Milwaukee. These Brewers will keep on playing while the Cubs head for this pivotal offseason.
“I’m not going to win the World Series every year of my career,” Crow-Armstrong said. “So, that’ll be the toughest part, is understanding that it may not be the same faces in here next year. That’s going to suck.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.