Full breakdown of Chicago Cubs FIRST 50 GAMES

0:00We give a full breakdown of the Cubs first 50 games. You are locked on Cubs. Your daily Chicago Cubs podcasts part of the locked on podcast network. Your team every day. You are locked on Cubs part of the locked on podcast network. The number one sports podcast network. We are your team every day alongside Sam over. I'm Matt Cozy, Sam and I are lifelong fans, taking our passion into a discussion with you and all things Cubs. This episode is brought to you by MLB, the show 26 visit MLB the dot show slash locked on and use code locked on to lack a pack for use in diamond dynasty pre order. Now available March 17th on PlayStation five Xbox and Nintendo switch rated E for everyone. Well, this episode is one thing and we're breaking down the first 50 games of the season for the Cubs.

1:04As we sit here, we are only 18 days away from opening day on March 26th against the nationals, which I'm starting now to prepare myself like the Cubs might not play all six games in that home stand. I'm not thrilled with them opening that home because of weather reasons if it's going to be warm now, what's it going to be like on the 26 so almost in my mind, I'm wondering, hey, are they going to maybe five games would be a good goal. But Sam, hopefully at a nice time change and you're enjoying the weather. Yeah, so neither of those are true. Yeah, yeah, the time change, the time change threw me off. I lost, I lost an hour, just like the rest of the country did. And it'll just, you know, it just will take me about 24 hours to lock back in. Oh, wow, that's a long time. Yeah, yeah. So, you know, right now we're recording take you till Monday or Tuesday.

2:08Yeah, you know, take me about Monday. Okay, we're recording this at about one o'clock. I'm throwing off, you know, I should be having lunch soon. You know, so I'll refocus. Yeah, really, it's 1207 right now. So it's really recording for us. Yeah, it throws me off, you know, in a lot of different ways. So we're going to take our time with the schedule breakdown here. It's fun to think about this because the 50 games that we're going to go over, which is almost one third of the year. It's about 31% of the season takes us through May, May 20th. And there's a reason why I decided to stop there. We're going to have more on that later because we're going to go in order. But Sam, the first 15 games that I just, I've had this position since probably what the winter meetings or so. Yeah, you would feel like they need to take advantage, you know, whatever that means.

3:13You know, I, of course, I would like to come to play all six and really to open the year, although I don't know how wise it was by the league to do that. But a lighter slate of games here hosting the nationals hosting the angels will be six games in. And I'm just going to read you the starting pictures right now, according to fan graphs, roster resource on these teams. Yeah, maybe because yes, the nationals have James Wood. He's a top 100 guy. Yes, they have CJ Abrams. Yes, the angels have Zach Netto. He's a top 100. All right. Right. Right. Yeah, they have Mike trout, but folks, these teams are going to be brutal. Every team's got somebody, you know, it's decent. Right. It's a big leagues. Let me read you these pictures. So nationals, first three right now, per fan graphs, Cavali, Lord and Michaelis. Wow. And then remember, the angels would be games four, five and six for both teams. So they're four and five starters right now, or Grayson, Rob Regas. So they got for Taylor, reward this off season.

4:13Yeah. Yeah. Alec Manoa, complete reclamation project of Blue Jays. Wow. And then there are number one, you say Kukuchi. They need to win both series, man. Yeah. Yeah. No, you're right. I mean, if they're going to win 92 games again, then their first six games, they have to win four. Yeah. So I, I don't think that statement's true. Well, you've really progressed in our time as a showroom. Yeah. No, I mean, I don't think it's true to say if they're going to win 92 games, then they have to win four of the first six. But I also have to, but they'd be nice. Yeah. Right. I just say that's what you said. So I think that you're right in the sense that it is, it is important because I think the biggest point is is that you can make a case the two easiest home series on paper.

5:14They're going to play to start the year. I mean, the year are to start the year. And that you don't want to mess, mess around with those because to your point, if they were playing these series in September, and you know, we would go into those series going, if you can't win both these series, then you don't belong in the post season. You know, I mean, we would be saying that, but March baseball is a little bit of a different animal. And you know, one of my, you know, New Year's resolutions on this program is to not. Oh, no, you know, they're three and three because I'll tell you this. I remember last year now granted totally different situation when they went, went up, you know, went up went, went over to Japan and got crushed by the Dodgers. That week was just, I mean, that took a lot out of you for sure. It was so defeated at Owen too. I didn't even enjoy Illinois's win against Xavier in the NCAA tournament really that much.

6:15I was like, man, did we look flat? And then 92 games, 92 wins later, you know, you look back and go, who cares? But yeah, I mean, I do think it would be, it would be disappointing if they split those series. It would be disappointing. It would be a disappointing start. But I'm, you know, I'm excited because, you know, the full seasons that we've covered, we obviously started in 22, but go in 23, 24, 25. We've been pretty blessed with good starts in those three years, you know, good April's for the most part. If I remember correctly. Yeah, in fact, I think there's, they've had the same record through three straight years through, through 18 or 19 games. But we haven't had something fun where they're like seven and one. Exactly. And that would be pretty cool. And that opportunity is on the table here with these two ball clubs. Right. I don't need them to be 11 and seven for the fourth straight year.

7:18Like instead of 11 and seven, maybe 14 and four. Well, yeah, well, that would be really good for everybody involved. All right. The next nine games of this slate of 15. There's a six game road trip against the guardians and raise and three back in home against the pirates. Say that again. You have a six game trip at Cleveland at Tampa. Yeah. And then three back at home against the pirates, who all have basically the same over under win total on fan duels, Sam. Guardians and pirates 78 and a half raise actually a bit less 76 and a half. And you start to think about to your point from 30, you know, seconds ago or so. Mm hmm. Of like, yeah, okay, they could be sure nine and six. Well, 10 and five would be better. Yeah. So. Wow. Yeah. No, that, that, that is an interesting American league road trip there. Cleveland and Tampa.

8:23It's an odd one. Yeah, it is. Eastern, Eastern time zone for us, which is nice. You'll see skiing early in that, probably early in that slate. Is that a weekend series against Pittsburgh? Yes. Yeah. So you probably see him on that Friday, 120 to get that series started. And no, you're right. You're right. They should probably be 10 and five after 15. They'll have to mix. We got to the same place after three months. Someone marked that down in the, in the notes. You know what I don't want to see. But what I don't like, we did this a lot last year. You win the fair. Yeah, neither of us look great. You want to know we really don't know. It's one of the worst shows. I would say just appearance wise for both of us. Obviously, you know, time change got us.

9:25I don't want to win the first two against the angels or the gnats and then just completely lay an egg game. Third one. No, no, no, talk about that. I got a lot. I remember a specific series early against. Especially on a weekend. Yeah, against the Padres where you and I went to Saturdays tilts. And then Sunday, Ben Brown walked about 11 straight guys. Right. That was the end of his comes career. And then we couldn't effectively. Yeah. And you know, I don't know if you'll cover this tomorrow or I will, but you know. Another rough outing for a managa. Yeah, no, I think I'm going to let you take that. I would put the title, you know, something about him being cooked. A couple of caps. That's starting to come across my radar. These 15 are really important. What I tell you about the next 16 next. This episode is brought to you by MLB. The show 26, the greatest game in baseball is back with its newest installment.

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12:47All is back and you could lock in by joining the every day or club which gets you add free episodes go to lock down cubs dot super cast dot com or tap the link in this episode description. Well the first 15 games are light for the 2026 cubs of the next 16 there's no other way to put this difficult but could lend itself to the same theory of playing them early let's see what you have to say about. We go through this slate three at the Phillies. A seven game home stand with the meds and Phillies three with the meds four with the Phillies which means in a span of 11 days they're going to play seven. The next games against the Phillies dude. Why did they do that series series against team a break another series against team a real it's so not fun to watch.

13:47It's it always ends up in a four and three three and four if it's seven usually a three and three if it's six you'd rather get it done against a team of that caliber than having to do it against the bad team. I enjoy watching like a team like the Phillies play in them early in the year and later in the year it stinks I don't like it I've never liked it it's not fun I mean it's essentially a playoff series. And I just I don't enjoy that I don't enjoy that I'm glad it's against a good team though instead of having to do that against like the gnats. I see I could see that because you'd rather go four and three three and four you know it gets the good team you know. Well the meat of the sandwich is the math so we have one of the best lineups in the sport. Yeah they do at their place. Is it that that's one that one's not it rigley? Oh no it's that rigley my mistake. Yeah that one's it rigley. So that's that's going to be so again you have three of the top teams in the NL right there including the Cubs fun series though.

14:47So go on the road after that what would that be 10 games yeah the 10 games we just spoke of. I will say the Phillies lineup doesn't scare me as much as I thought you and a lot of people especially Vegas. So that would be what Shorber Turner Harper one two three yeah. And then after that it's it's it's a little yeah it is. A Dolly's got a hold up a Dolly's Garcia real mutual right you have those three world class guys and we'll see you then. Then they go on the road for six Sam and this is going to take the Cubs through April and the first 31 here. 31 games three at the Dodgers three at the Padres. Yeah no that's always a tough trip tough shows. Not just because of the time but they always blow a game against every year in San Diego every year San Diego.

15:48And it's always the late game yeah it's the late game. They don't even play till 840 at 1140 they blow the game yep we literally do a show at midnight. No this is how the San Diego series goes every year there they they blow a late game. Then they have a nice win and then the matinee they just get wiped off the surface. It's a disaster yeah and you lose two or three but they've had very good luck at Shavas ravine. Especially in April yeah they have and I you know I might be there for that. Yeah so and when will you make that final decision. Right now I'm probably leaning no okay right now I probably know just a lot of luck. I would have went now a while ago probably 23 season it was April of 23. I mean I was just in LA this winter and I don't think I want to go again. So that's going to be a really really tough stretch so you know what.

16:51Yeah you know I totally hear what you're saying about the beginning part of the year because that stretch. And that's 16 is tough man. You got you're basically playing you can make the case outside of Atlanta you're playing all the best teams in the league in the NL. Well why are a hundred percent and why are people dismissing the Padres going into the year. A lot of people are dismissing. What's the dismiss about them. They're pitching in defense I guess. They're open I like the offense. I like the costiano sad for them. I think he'll help them. I think they're and and they could have one of the worst teams in baseball they're always going to be tough on us over there. I mean one of the worst teams in baseball. Yeah you know they know it's going to be like that the Dodger series is the Dodger series that's going to be a real buzz now because of you know Pete you know what what he said about their fans and and that whole whole situation so.

17:51Yeah that's a that's a very extreme April. Yeah two extremes and you know you wonder who the Dodger starting pitchers will be that series right. If you could sneak into wins because I don't think Blake's now starting the year healthy. You know maybe they already start to manipulate stuff even only 30 games in well I believe that they have won the series there. 23 24 and 25 there. Wow because they they won when I was there in 23 for sure 24 if you remember was late September I think they won both those are mid September. Okay and then last year remember they went. Remember last year. Yeah they blew about one night and then they beat him on Sunday night baseball. Yeah right yeah yeah so I think they've won there three straight years. Yeah then the Friday game he didn't watch along I popped in Yamamoto and boy. Yeah 100% in the Cubs did did not score more than all run.

18:52Yeah. All right coming up next Yamamoto. Oh boy coming up next we go over the last 19 on our breakdown of the first 50 contests of the 2026 campaign stay to it. Hey this is Jeff Carr from Lockdown Reds and you know I've reached the point in my life where my wife and I are looking toward the future. We've got the house we've got the career we even have an awesome dog but now we need to secure that future. That's where ethos comes in for us when I look at this insurance or that insurance and I try to pick one I might as well be reading an entirely different language. Ethos clears up the noise and gets me set up with exactly what I need because ethos makes getting life insurance fast and easy and it's 100% online. You can get a quote in seconds applying minutes and get same day coverage protect your family with life insurance from ethos now by going to ethos.com slash locked on MLB.

19:56And as little as 10 minutes you can get a free quote and up to $3 million in coverage at ethos.com slash locked on MLB. That's ETH OS dot com slash locked on MLB ethos dot com slash locked on MLB application times and rates may vary. This episode is brought to you by game time MLB opening days almost here and you can feel it fresh starts big expectations and at first crack of the bat. Whether it's a breakout rookie or division race that goes down to the wire there's nothing like being in the ballpark for it. The only problem getting tickets can feel like a grind long cues surprise fees price is jumping a checkout that's where there's game time the game time app gives fans the advantage with constant innovation. It's how you unlock amazing tickets and experiences in just a few taps it's simple to use the game time guarantee makes you get 100% authentic tickets delivered on time at the breast at the best price. And here's the best part fees are included in the price you see what you see is what you pay.

20:56Period I know that I I will be going to see our friend of the show Justin steal his first start back at rigley we don't know when that's going to be might be last minute I'll be using game time to make sure I get the best seats at the best price. Take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with game time download the game time app creating account use code locked on for $20 off your first purchase. Terms of lie again creating account and redeem code L O C K E D O N for $20 off download the game time app today. Welcome back to locked on Cubs the number one podcast on the Chicago Cubs to give you everything a Cubs fan can want all in a 30 minute daily podcast 19 games to go on our 50 game break down for the Cubs first 50 of the season. And they have a seven game home stand open the month of May three with the diamond backs and four with the reds not an imposing seven games by any means but two solid teams good young talent.

21:58I like the diamond backs offense I like the reds pitching not a surprise at all here Sam to see a foreign three or three and four. Yeah well I can't remember Matt the last time we want a season series against the reds I don't believe we've won a season series against the reds since you and I've had the program. It's not gone well against them and even last year now to be fair remember we just clinched the playoffs in Pittsburgh last year and then went to Cincinnati and just kind of mailed it in that whole weekend. I mean I always joke with with with Jeff car the host of the reds locked out reds podcast we got them in the playoffs I mean they was that was a four game sweep wasn't it. It was three for sure I think so yeah I think it was a four game sweep because that there was a Thursday night game on Fox and then I don't think we won the entire weekend.

23:01I know we can't really flip their season. So Cincinnati always gives us trouble Arizona is always tough that you know that stretch is really scary might be the right word but last year we played our best ball early in the year against the best teams we never the comes never got to the level they were at last year in mid to late April playing the best teams in baseball. the red September 18 through 21. Yes, that's four. They won two games won to nothing. Yep. 163, 17 to four. Yeah, and that kind of gets lost in the shuffle because it was really meaningless series for the Cubs. But it wasn't for the red. No, that let him, right, you're exactly right, let him to the postseason. Absolutely. All right, following that homestand, the Cubs go on the road for their longest trip of the season, nine games.

24:01Wow. It's notable because of the volume, for sure. Three of the nine go against the brave. So I think are going to be really good. Yes. Three against the Rangers. Their projected win total is 83 and a half. So they're kind of a medium difficulty team on paper. And then you should win two or three at the rate against the white socks. But that's that's a lot of time on the road. A lot of time on the road. I mean, granted that three of them are still in the city. Yeah. But yes, you know, you look at it. There's not really how many absolute rollover teams, right? You know, you say team like the Rangers. There's a lot of teams like the Rangers. You know, there's not a lot of like, and again, this kind of echoes your point in the first segment. You don't get a lot of really bad teams. And the way it played out, you get to right off the bat that you got to be because, you

25:06know, you got your Colorado's. You got your white socks, you know, but I mean, even teams like, like, are we sure Oakland or what the athletics are, are we sure that they're going to, you know, they're, I don't think they're going to be bad. All right. They have a really good offense. Seattle's good, you know, you still, I mean, just look at, I'm just literally just looking at all these teams right now and, you know, I don't think Baltimore is going to be bad again. No. You know, the Marlins aren't very good. No, I don't think they'll be able to stay up to say and I don't think the twins will be very good. Right. Yeah. But yeah, yeah. And, and honestly, you know, you, you haven't mentioned one to a couple teams and the Cardinals will be a horrible. I was just going to say, and you haven't mentioned the Cardinals or the Brewers yet. Well, that's where the show ends, Sam. This 50 game stretch is there's a lot of sirens in the background here. This 50 games, that's not coming to the, the year, is it? Nope. This 50 game stretch ends with the first three games of this season against the rival

26:08Brewers on May 18, 1920. And it's at home. That's why I want to deal to come back. That's why I'd be sick. That, that, that, that would be awesome. Well, I'd love to be there for that with you. That'd be awesome. And yeah, I mean, for game 47 to be the first one against the Brewers, that's not egregious. Like it has been maybe in the past. I know they didn't play the Cardinals last year to like, you know, fourth of July or whatever is. No, it's like September. But, but yeah, that's the first 50, man. And no, St. Louis? No, not in the first 50, no. They probably have a couple stretches with St. Louis that are, you know, three break, three or something like that. So what do you think it'd recognize for the first 50 because it's, it's really 15 games you feel good about and then 35 that are just daunting. So that's interesting. I didn't, I didn't do like a win-loss tally this time. Yeah.

27:09Uh, I would, I would love, so I'd set you over under 27 and a half. Yeah, that's a good number. And I, and I'm hoping for about 28, 22, 29, 21 ish right there. Yeah, 29, 21 would be outstanding, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Outstanding. It's fun. It's fun to start talking, scheduling again, but say, oh, man, um, and, and, and let me just close the show by saying then. And then I got Bennett's first words. Oh, are you serious? Yeah. I'd like to play that word together. I didn't want to play that another day. And it just happened this weekend, I didn't want to wait till Wednesday. I was just going to say that if the weather's like this at all opening weekend or opening the six games, it's a huge win. Oh, be excellent. Yeah. Yeah, I'm not going to count on it, but no, no, great. Yeah. All right, wait, wait.

28:09Let's do this. Here's a clip from this past week of myself and my eight month old. Bennett's first words. Man, this is really cool. Bennett. Bennett. Go Cubs. Go Cubs. And that's my eight month old son saying go Cubs. Bennett. Bennett. Go Cubs. Go Cubs. He really said it. He even said the B. No, it's worse. Two words ever. Bennett. Oh, he's got the disease. Go Cubs. So tell Kira, I'm sorry. He's got our disease, man. I know we got to apologize to her. Yeah. It's for tuning in today to lock down Cubs. Make sure to stay with us all. That's incredible. Oh, you got to, we might have to clip that. And make sure you subscribe and follow lock down Cubs.

29:09Yeah, it'd be great. Wow. Not close to you on video. We said you were the first ever 24 seven national lock down podcast network. YouTube and audio. Make sure you're second. Go Cubs. Fantasy baseball. You get your fantasy roster. That should be our outro. That should be all right. Well, we're getting ready for the year. First 50 games now. We've broken down and hopefully you're even more jacked up. Holy words by him. He's Sam over. You know, he's Sam over. I'm back cozy. This is locked on code. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.