Cubs Theme Team

91.3 Avg OVR|89.11 Base Meta|26/26 Filled|68.1K Stubs
Cubs|MLB The Show 26|4 Diamond Diamond

Starting Lineup

Catcher (C)
Carson Kelly
Carson Kelly94
83.71
Topps Now
1st Baseman (1B)
Ben Zobrist
Ben Zobrist99
110.11
MLBx
2nd Baseman (2B)
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg88
77.47
Jolt
3rd Baseman (3B)
Ron Santo
Ron Santo99
99.14
Hall of Fame
Buy:10Kstubs
Sell:5.8Kstubs
Shortstop (SS)
Nico Hoerner
Nico Hoerner99
99.04
2026 Postseason
Left Field (LF)
Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant99
100.01
Spotlight
Center Field (CF)
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Pete Crow-Armstrong98
94.18
Spotlight
Right Field (RF)
Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa99
104.84
Spooky
Designated Hitter (DH)
Alex Bregman
Alex Bregman99
104.73
Spotlight

Starting Rotation

Starter 1 (SP)
Jake Arrieta
Jake Arrieta88
81.20
Jolt
Starter 2
Kerry Wood
Kerry Wood99
106.43
Spooky
Starter 3
Clay Holmes
Clay Holmes98
93.88
New Threads
Buy:8.2Kstubs
Sell:5Kstubs
Starter 4
Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux96
93.76
All-Star
Starter 5
Cade Townsend
Cade Townsend96
90.47
2026 Draft
Buy:8.5Kstubs
Sell:5.0Kstubs

Bullpen

Long RP 1
Ryan Zeferjahn
Ryan Zeferjahn97
96.90
New Threads
Long RP 2
Craig Kimbrel
Craig Kimbrel90
87.26
All-Star
Buy:20.0Kstubs
Sell:13.6Kstubs
Mid RP 1
Bruce Sutter
Bruce Sutter83
81.55
All-Star
Mid RP 2
Daniel Palencia
Daniel Palencia84
77.43
World Baseball Classic
Sell:21.5Kstubs
Mid RP 3
Jacob Webb
Jacob Webb71
70.22
Live
Buy:40stubs
Setup 1
Caleb Thielbar
Caleb Thielbar71
68.25
Live
Buy:41stubs
Setup 2
Javier Assad
Javier Assad72
67.22
Live
Buy:42stubs
Closer
Aaron Civale
Aaron Civale68
64.65
Live
Buy:44stubs

Bench

Bench 1
Josiah Hartshorn
Josiah Hartshorn98
94.17
Pipeline
Bench 2
Seiya Suzuki
Seiya Suzuki97
90.84
Spotlight
Buy:13.0Kstubs
Sell:8.0Kstubs
Bench 3
Dansby Swanson
Dansby Swanson97
90.02
Spotlight
Bench 4
Caden Sorrell
Caden Sorrell96
89.37
2026 Draft
Buy:8.2Kstubs
Sell:5.1Kstubs

Captains

Captains are active roster designations, not additional roster spots.

Hitter Captain
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg88
77.47
Jolt

Active at 2B

Pitcher Captain
Jake Arrieta
Jake Arrieta88
81.20
Jolt

Active at SP

Team Category Ratings

Averages from filled lineup, rotation, and bullpen. Scale 0–99.

Contact
103.2
Power
95.0
Speed
70.4
Baserunning
52.4
Fielding
88.4
Arm
85.1
Pitching
84.5
Stamina
61.4

Like this lineup? Open it in the Team Builder to customize your Cubs theme team.

About the Cubs Theme Team in MLB The Show 26

The Cubs theme team fills all 26 playable roster slots — starting lineup, rotation, bullpen, and bench — using exclusively Cubs-affiliated cards available in MLB The Show 26 Diamond Dynasty. Captain cards occupy legal active-roster positions and are designated separately. The remaining slots are optimized using position-specific base meta scores while respecting card eligibility and duplicate-player rules.

Top Cubs cards in this roster include Ben Zobrist (99 OVR, Red Diamond), Ron Santo (99 OVR, Red Diamond), Nico Hoerner (99 OVR, Red Diamond). As new program cards and series are released throughout MLB The Show 26, this page automatically updates to reflect the best available options.

Use the "Edit in Builder" button to load this lineup into the Team Builder where you can swap cards, compare alternatives, and fine-tune your Cubs squad. You can also browse all 30 theme teams to compare rosters across franchises.

Cubs Theme Team FAQ

Who is the best Cubs player in MLB The Show 26?

Based on overall rating, the top Cubs card is Ben Zobrist (99 OVR, Red Diamond). Check the position rankings to see how Cubs players stack up league-wide.

How much does a Cubs theme team cost?

The estimated community market cost is approximately 68.1K stubs based on current Buy Now prices. Costs vary as the market fluctuates and you may already own cards through programs or packs.

Are theme teams competitive in Diamond Dynasty ranked seasons?

Theme teams can absolutely compete in ranked play, especially for marquee franchises. The key is balancing position quality with the roster cost of activating both captain cards, which this optimizer enforces. Use the Team Builder to customize and fine-tune the roster for ranked play.

How do Cubs captains work?

Each MLB team has two dedicated captain cards — one hitter and one pitcher. Captains provide attribute boosts to teammates on the same team. The Cubs captains shown above are active roster cards: the hitter starts in the batting lineup, while the pitcher occupies the rotation or bullpen. They boost eligible Cubs players across multiple tiers. Learn more on the Captains page.