The Cubs are in an enviable position this September. As a fan, it’s understandable to feel some fatigue, watch some football, and forget all of this. After all, there’s no stress, and the stakes don’t really rise until September 30 now, right?

Wrong. The Cubs are setting themselves up for October. Here is a watcher’s guide to the Cubs in September.

1: POSTSEASON ROSTER
The Cubs can keep 26 on their postseason roster. With the Wild Card Series being only three games, pitching depth is less important. They can keep 13, but may just opt to keep 11 or 12 arms, especially for that first series.

The roster locks are obvious: Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Matt Shaw, and Carson Kelly will start. Willi Castro, Justin Turner, and Reese Maguire comprise the established depth.

Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Cade Horton are likely to be the starters in a three-game series. Similarly, Daniel Palencia, Caleb Thielbar, Andrew Kittridge, and Brad Keller will comprise the back end of the bullpen. 

At this point, there are 19 stone-cold locks for the postseason. That leaves:

September performances and health will dictate the postseason roster. Alcántara would seem to be a hedge on a Crow-Armstrong substitution, and Santana an extra bat in that situation, leaving Caissie off. That would leave five pitchers from the above list of eight, with three being left off. 

Pitching Questions to answer:

Is Ben Brown reliable enough for the postseason?

Is Brasier cooked?

Are Taillon and Assad healthy enough?

Is Rea good enough?

It seems very likely that at least one of Taillon and Assad makes the squad. Rea and Brown have been bulk-innings guys for the team, but if they end up on the playoff roster, it will almost certainly be as short relievers. Can they demonstrate that their stuff can play up under those constraints?

2: AUGUST SLUMPERS
Will Pete Crow-Armstrong rebound?
The starting center fielder’s .446 OPS in August needs to come up if the Cubs are going to have confidence in him. His .188/.218/.388 slash line against left-handed pitching this year will also impact planning for the playoff run. The former MVP candidate has fallen into a deep, long slump. Coming out in October is crucial for the lineup.

Will Seiya Suzuki recapture his career form? 
Suzuki’s approach has been inconsistent in 2025. You can see it in his walk rate. In August, he did tally 21 walks, good for a .375 OBP, but he only totaled 18 in June and July combined. The real problem, of course, is that the walks he did collect last month appear to be a symptom of an inability to drive the ball. Since the All-Star break, Suzuki’s slugging average is a lowly .271. Long gone are the days when we wondered if he could reach 150 RBIs. The Cubs need him to get right, even if that means something less than what he did during the first half.

WHO WILL HIT LEADOFF?
The leadoff spot has not been kind to Michael Busch. Maybe he’d have slumped either way, but ever since Craig Counsell pressed him into leadoff duty because of other players’ struggles, he’s gone from red-hot to ice-cold. He has a .264 OBP in the last 30 days. Nico Hoerner snagged a start at leadoff on September 3 against Atlanta, and his OBP is comparable to that of other bats in the lineup. Matt Shaw has done well, but moving a rookie out of his comfortable spot seems too risky. 

FINAL THOUGHTS
I implore you to not stress about an individual game or performance down the stretch. The Cubs are playing the long game and trying to optimize their roster for what is to come. Guys will be taken out of no-hitters in the sixth inning. Others will sit games for slight tightness, in order to avoid long-term injuries. It’s all fine. Annoyance is fine, of course. It is the Cubs, and they can be annoying.

The Cubs are trying to win games, but the subplots here will take precedence. You need to run Hodge out there to see if he can recapture last year’s magic, for example. If and as Michael Soroka gets healthy, the team will want to see what he can do, too. The Cubs are good and they’re going to the playoffs. Let’s give them some space to make the best decisions about who to bring along.