Last week, on the cusp of the 2025 postseason, I looked back at the Cubs’ postseason record per year, in the 21 previous postseasons they had played.
Today, as we wait for tonight’s NLDS Game 2, let’s have a look at Cubs postseason history in a bit of a different way, by examining all the teams they’ve played, both in NL postseasons (since 1984) and the 11 World Series in which they have played.
The Cubs have played 18 of the other 29 current MLB teams in a postseason series. That breaks down to 12
National League teams and six American League clubs. Entering tonight’s action, the Cubs’ all-time postseason record is 49-77-1, and 2-2 this year.
The only NL teams the Cubs have not faced in a postseason series are the Phillies and Reds, and it’s possible they could play the Phillies in this year’s NLCS.
Here are the Cubs’ postseason years and records against the other 12 NL teams as of this morning, by division.
NL Central
Brewers: 2025 NLDS, 0-1. Of course, we hope that record will be improved after today.
Cardinals: 2015 NLDS, 3-1.
Pirates: 2015 NLWC, 1-0.
NL East
Braves: 1998 NLDS (1-3), 2003 NLDS (3-2), total 4-5.
Marlins: 2003 NLCS, 3-4.
Mets: 2015 NLCS, 0-4.
Nationals: 2017 NLDS, 3-2.
NL West
Diamondbacks: 2007 NLDS, 0-3.
Dodgers: 2008 NLDS (0-3), 2016 NLCS (4-2), 2017 NLCS (1-4), total 5-9.
Giants: 1989 NLCS (1-4), 2016 NLDS (3-1), total 4-5.
Padres: 1984 NLCS (2-3), 2025 NLWC (2-1), total 4-4.
Rockies: 2018 NLWC, 0-1.
Overall by round:
NLWC: 3-4
NLDS: 12-16
NLCS: 11-21
Overall in NL postseason: 26-41
And here is how the Cubs have fared against the six AL teams they have faced in the World Series.
Athletics: 2-8
Indians: 4-3
Red Sox: 2-4
Tigers: 11-4-1
White Sox: 2-4
Yankees: 0-8
Overall in World Series games: 23-36-1
Obviously, none of these records are very good — except the Cubs’ World Series record against the Tigers, who they defeated twice in 1907 and 1908 before losing in 1945. There are two AL teams still active in this year’s postseason who the Cubs have never faced in the World Series, the Blue Jays and Mariners, both of whom entered the AL as expansion teams in 1977.
And there’s still a chance the Tigers and Cubs could meet in this year’s World Series. That would be an intriguing matchup. Detroit won two of three from the Cubs during this year’s regular season. Let’s hope for a good rematch. Go Cubs!
