Entering the season, the Chicago Cubs had lofty expectations which included being a heavy favorite to win the World Series after a 108-year drought, especially with the big free agent signings that they did over the offseason in Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, and John Lackey. They opened the season in Los Angeles with interleague play against the Angels, facing them in a two-game set.  On Opening Day, Cubs ace Jake Arrieta pitched the Cubs to a 9-0 shutout. Miguel Montero became the first Cub to hit a home run in 2016 when he hit one off of Fernando Salas in the sixth inning of the contest. The Cubs would also take game two of that series 6-1 as well.

The Cubs would next face the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in a four-game series. In the first game of the series, the Cubs would just pile on the runs. They ran starting pitcher Jorge De La Rosa out of the game in the 4th inning. However, “tragedy” struck when outfielders Dexter Fowler and Kyle Schwarber collided in the outfield, sending Schwarber to the ground wincing in pain. Schwarber would be diagnosed with a torn ACL and LCL and will miss the rest of the season.  The Cubs would end up dropping only one game to the D-Backs though.

The much anticipated return to Wrigley Field would come two days after the final game with Arizona, where they would open a series with division rival Cincinnati Reds. They would sweep them easily. The homestand would not be over yet as the Rockies would come to town for the next series. The Cubs would end up dropping the series though to the Rox, only winning one game of three. The Cubs would then marched down to unfriendly turf taking on the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium; that series also featured the return of former Cardinals Jason Heyward and John Lackey, both of whom took less money in free agency to sign a deal with the Cubs. Heyward was booed and jeered by most of the Cardinals fans throughout the series. They would take two of three from their rival Cardinals. Next, the Cubs would take three of four from the Reds, who are “rebuilding” and will have another down year. They would take 2/2 from the Brewers, who like the Reds are on a down stretch, with one game postponed due to inadequate conditions in Chicago. The Cubs next take on the scuffling Atlanta Braves, who are 4-17 on the year, at the Friendly Confines.