Spring Training is here, and the Chicago Cubs are poised for a good 2024 MLB season. The Cubs are slated to finish second in the NL Central this season, according to FanGraphs projections. FanGraphs has the Cubs finishing 81-81 in 2024, which would put them second in the NL Central. The St. Louis Cardinals are the one team above them, but their season projection gives them a record of 83-79. The Cubs should have the talent to compete in the NL Central in 2024, and the projections are proving it.
The 2024 Pre-Spring Training ZiPS Projected Standings: National League https://t.co/dZeKjVwrZb
— FanGraphs Baseball (@fangraphs) February 9, 2024
2024 Cubs Projections: 2nd in NL Central
Cubs Offseason at a Glance
Chicago has made some moves this offseason, but there has not been a major splash. The additions of Hector Neris and Yency Almonte have spruced up the bullpen, which was a big need for the Cubs. Chicago was also able to snag one of the coveted Japanese pitchers in Shota Imanaga. Their pitching staff has definitely gotten better, but there are some good free-agent pitchers still at large.
At the plate, the Cubs did not make any moves besides acquiring Michael Busch in the same trade as Almonte. Their lineup is still going to cause some problems for opposing teams, though. With Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Christopher Morel, and whoever ends up playing first base, the Cubs should have a good season batting-wise. There are still some moves to be made, but the Cubs are confident in who they have.
Is the FanGraphs Projection Realistic?
For the 2023 season, FanGraphs had the Cubs finishing third in the NL Central with around 77 wins. Chicago ended up finishing second with a record of 83-79, and just missing the playoffs. It is hard for projections to get anything spot on, but FanGraphs was pretty close in 2023.
For 2024, the Cubs lost Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger, so that was a little bit of a hit. However, as mentioned, the Cubs made some moves, and they hired a new manager in Craig Counsell. With these additions, their losses should not outweigh their gains. The projection for the Cubs in 2024 does seem to be pretty realistic, but they will need more than 81 wins if they want to make the playoffs.
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