Striking stat shows importance of home run ball to Cubs this year

The Chicago Cubs have been MLB’s most prolific offense this season, and it hasn’t been particularly close. Chicago leads the league in runs scored by a wide margin, currently holding a 27-run advantage, while also becoming the first team to reach 200 home runs. The New York Yankees and Washington Nationals are the only other teams in the 190s.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has led the power surge with 39 home runs, but the Cubs have gotten plenty of production throughout the lineup. Alex Bregman and Seiya Suzuki have each gone deep 24 times, Ian Happ has 23, and Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson have each added 18.

On the other side of the ball, the Cubs have also surrendered more home runs than any team in MLB, allowing 215 so far this season. That’s three more than the second-place Athletics and a staggering 20 more than the Nationals.

The Chicago Cubs have hit 200 home runs this season, the most in baseball.

The Chicago Cubs have also allowed 215 home runs this season, the most in baseball.

— Jacob Zanolla (@jacobzanolla) September 5, 2026

Shota Imanaga’s struggles have been well documented, with a league leading 33 home runs allowed, but he’s hardly been alone. Colin Rea has surrendered 20, while former Cub Jameson Taillon has given up 25.

Together, these stats show just how important the home run ball has been to the Cubs this year.

The 2026 Chicago Cubs will live or die by the home run ball

For all the damage the Cubs have done with the long ball, their inability to keep the ball in the park has been just as glaring. Chicago has built one of MLB’s most dangerous offenses by consistently clearing the fences, but its pitching staff has allowed an MLB-high number of home runs.

That makes the home run ball a defining part of the Cubs’ season, and potentially one of the biggest factors in determining how far this team can go when the games matter most.

By reaching 200 home runs as an offense this season, the 2026 Cubs have joined an exclusive group in franchise history. This year’s team is now just the ninth team in Cubs history to reach the milestone, adding another impressive mark to what has been a historic offensive season.

The 2019 Cubs still hold the franchise record with 256 home runs, followed by the 2004 team with 235. Last year’s squad ranks third with 223, meaning this year’s Cubs have a legitimate chance to climb even higher on that list before the season is over.

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