The 2019 MLB season has been filled with exciting games, and it will come down to the very last one in the NL Central Division to see who will make it to the Post-Season.

The Chicago Cubs have no doubt had a rather successful year, but nothing in comparison to the last few and that is why I don’t think that they will be making it to the playoffs this year. The NL Central is filled with powerhouse teams and all-star caliber players like Christian Yelich which will ultimately be the reason why the Cubs will be sent home early this year.

There are five reasons that I have in mind which are the biggest factors in the Cubs not making the postseason.

1. The St. Louis Cardinals

The bitter rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals has been around for quite some time, and these two teams are battling for a playoff spot day in and day out for the last few years. Currently, the Cardinals hold a record of 81-62 putting the Cubs 4.5 games behind them for a clinched playoff spot. The Cardinals have recently become a hot team winning seven of their last ten games while the cubs have won five and are currently on a three-game losing streak. By the time the season comes to a close in a few weeks, the Cubs will not only need to win a majority of their games, but the Cardinals will also need to start losing, and that is something I just don’t see happening.

2. The Cubs Flawed Bullpen

If you were to talk to any Cubs fan about their team and ask them about their biggest problem as a team, I am about 99% sure that they will say their bullpen has been a problem all year and is the main reason for their underachieving season. The Cubs bullpen currently has a losing record and their “all-star” closer, Craig Kimbrel, is not only currently on the IR, but has an ERA of 5.68 and a record of 0-2. Throughout the season, the cubs have not been able to rely on one single pitcher, and if they want any chance of a playoff birth, they need to find someone they can depend upon ASAP.

3. Christian Yelich

The reigning NL all-star currently poses the biggest threat to the Cubs other than themselves. Yelich this year again has put up all-star stats, and the Milwaukee Brewers themselves aren’t too far behind for the wildcard spot, the same one the Cubs are fighting for. There is no doubt in my mind that if it came down to one single game, Christian Yelich will take the game into his own hands and single handily send the cubs home packing. Yelich walked off the Cubs with a double only a few nights ago which can back up my reasoning to why he can most defiantly do it again.

4. Injuries

One thing that has happened recently to the Cubs that has insured to me that they won’t make the post-season and that has been the recent and not so recent injuries that the Cubs have endured. It has just been announced that one of their superstars, Javier Baez, will likely miss the rest of the regular season with a thumb injury and without one of the teams home run leaders, the Cubs have almost no chance of putting up the runs they need to win. Injuries have been a problem for the team for quite some time now especially with the best pitcher in their horrendous bullpen on the IR too.

5. The Cubs’ Performance on the Road

The final problem that has been lingering for the Cubs throughout the season has been their performances away from Wrigley. They have a brutal record of 29-42 when on the road, and it hasn’t been looking any better. On top of all that, the Cubs play the Cardinals for the final series of the regular season at Busch Stadium. They have a lot to clean up in these last few weeks and playing the Cardinals away from home should be the biggest challenge they face all year.

All in all, the Cubs are facing near-impossible odds to pull off a playoff birth at all and coming from a White Sox fan, I would be impressed to see it. I would put money on the Cubs not making it to the NLDS, but an NL Wild Card game is something that could happen, although they defiantly wouldn’t win it in my opinion. One thing about baseball, though, is that it can be very unpredictable at times, but I am more than positive that we will not see a Chicago Cubs 2019 post-season.