Inside The Cubs

Long Ball Could Be The New Curse For Chicago Cubs

Despite having one of the top records in MLB and clinching a playoff berth, the Chicago Cubs pitchers have given up nearly 200 home runs this season.
Scott Conrad|
Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have been rather impressive during the 2025 MLB season. Though they did not steal the NL Central Division crown from the Milwaukee Brewers, both baseball teams will be in the playoffs this October.

Of the five teams that make up the NL Central, three of them rank near the top in Major League Baseball with the fewest home runs allowed. Entering Thursday's games, the Brewers have given up just 165 home runs so far this season. That is the seventh best mark in MLB.

Unfortunately for Chicago, their pitching staff is on the other side of the curve. The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cubs' final opponent of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals, are the other two NL Central teams that have allowed the fewest home runs on the year.

Of the ten teams in MLB that have given up the most home runs, only two of them have clinched a postseason berth: the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cubs. Chicago has surrendered 198 long balls going into the series finale against the New York Mets. In fact, the Mets have given up the second fewest home runs in 2025 (145).

Before suffering a season-ending injury after just four starts for the Chicago Cubs, Justin Steele gave up five home runs.
Apr 7, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele (35) delivers against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Everybody on Chicago's pitching staff is guilty of giving up the long ball. Even the injured Justin Steele had five home runs hit off of him in his only four starts early on this season.

In the Cubs first series on the road of the season (in the States), they split the four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the two losses, Chicago pitchers gave up three two-run home runs, a pair of which were hit by Eugenio Suarez in the same game.

Look no further than the Cubs' recent sweeps to the Reds and Giants.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has seen his pitching staff give up too many home runs (eight in the Reds' series sweep).
Sep 24, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) before the game against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Losing a pair of games, 1-0, isn't necessarily a red flag. But for Chicago, allowing a combined 13 runs in the other two games is. Cubs pitchers gave up eight total home runs in that span, as three of them were hit by Reds first baseman Spencer Steer. Shota Imanaga gave up two of the long balls hit in this series.

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Chicago lost all four games on the road to Cincinnati not too long ago. Another series sweep on the road for the Cubs came against the San Francisco Giants at the end of August.

Though two of the three games were close, Chicago still got outscored 21-8 in the series at San Francisco. Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames all hit a pair of home runs for the Giants against Chicago in the three-game sweep last month.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga has given up 8 home runs in 4 starts this month. He's allowed 29 of them so far.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Six home runs were given up by Cubs pitchers, including two more by Imanaga. Of the 29 home runs he has given up, Imanaga accounts for nearly 15% of the Cubs' season total. In addition, starting pitchers James Taillon and Colin Rea have had at least 20 home runs hit off of them in 2025.

If the Cubs want to have a deep playoff run and return to their first World Series in nine years, their pitching staff simply can not allow home runs. At least not in the quantity that they do.

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Published | Modified
Scott Conrad
SCOTT CONRAD

Scott Conrad is a Beat Writer for Chicago Cubs On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated Network. He is also a Contributor for the Chicago Sky and Washington Wizards On SI as well as Niner Noise and The View from Avalon on FanSided. Scott grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, primarily Lombard and Naperville, Illinois, and attended Cubs games regularly when he attended Neuqua Valley High School. He graduated from Ball State University with a degree in advertising. His passion to be a sports journalist started in middle school. In 2015 & 2016, Scott was a Correspondent for the Tampa Bay Times covering high school football games. He is also a youth volleyball coach and a two-time published author.