Cubs Theme Team

87.8 Avg OVR|82.60 Base Meta|26/26 Filled|164.6K Stubs
Cubs|MLB The Show 26|13 Diamond Diamond

Starting Lineup

Catcher (C)
Carson Kelly
Carson Kelly94
83.71
Topps Now
1st Baseman (1B)
Cody Bellinger
Cody Bellinger93
85.52
Awards
Buy:100.0Kstubs
Sell:93Kstubs
2nd Baseman (2B)
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg88
77.47
Jolt
3rd Baseman (3B)
Pedro Ramirez
Pedro Ramirez94
86.26
Topps Now
Buy:4.8Kstubs
Shortstop (SS)
Dansby Swanson
Dansby Swanson97
90.02
Spotlight
Left Field (LF)
Caden Sorrell
Caden Sorrell96
88.89
2026 Draft
Buy:5.4Kstubs
Center Field (CF)
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Pete Crow-Armstrong98
94.18
Spotlight
Right Field (RF)
Seiya Suzuki
Seiya Suzuki97
90.84
Spotlight
Buy:18.6Kstubs
Sell:16.1Kstubs
Designated Hitter (DH)
Billy Williams
Billy Williams94
89.86
Awards
Buy:5.0Kstubs

Starting Rotation

Starter 1 (SP)
Jake Arrieta
Jake Arrieta88
81.20
Jolt
Starter 2
Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux96
93.76
All-Star
Starter 3
Cade Townsend
Cade Townsend96
90.47
2026 Draft
Buy:5.6Kstubs
Sell:5.0Kstubs
Starter 4
Kerry Wood
Kerry Wood87
81.01
2nd Half Heroes
Starter 5
Edward Cabrera
Edward Cabrera87
78.69
New Threads
Buy:2.6Kstubs

Bullpen

Long RP 1
Craig Kimbrel
Craig Kimbrel90
87.26
All-Star
Buy:10.7Kstubs
Sell:9.0Kstubs
Long RP 2
Bruce Sutter
Bruce Sutter83
81.55
All-Star
Mid RP 1
Daniel Palencia
Daniel Palencia84
77.43
World Baseball Classic
Sell:19.4Kstubs
Mid RP 2
Phil Maton
Phil Maton71
72.26
Live
Buy:33stubs
Mid RP 3
Caleb Thielbar
Caleb Thielbar72
70.85
Live
Buy:29stubs
Setup 1
Luke Little
Luke Little70
70.65
Live
Buy:34stubs
Setup 2
Jacob Webb
Jacob Webb70
68.63
Live
Buy:38stubs
Closer
Gavin Hollowell
Gavin Hollowell68
64.53
Live
Buy:39stubs
Sell:25stubs

Bench

Bench 1
Justin Dean
Justin Dean94
86.80
Topps Now
Buy:4.8Kstubs
Bench 2
Ian Happ
Ian Happ92
85.38
Cityscapes
Bench 3
Nico Hoerner
Nico Hoerner92
85.31
Awards
Buy:7.1Kstubs
Sell:6.1Kstubs
Bench 4
Javier Baez
Javier Baez92
85.17
Topps Now

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
90.5
Power
85.0
Speed
70.7
Baserunning
63.1
Fielding
85.8
Arm
82.3
Pitching
82.2
Stamina
53.3

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 Pete Crow-Armstrong (98 OVR, Red Diamond), Dansby Swanson (97 OVR, Red Diamond), Seiya Suzuki (97 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 Pete Crow-Armstrong (98 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 164.6K 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.

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