2022 Chicago Cubs season

On October 15, 2021, the Cubs announced they had hired the assistant general manager for the Cleveland Guardians, Carter Hawkins, as the team's new general manager.[6] On October 25, the club announced they had hired Ehsan Bokhari as assistant GM.[7]

On March 11, 2022, the Cubs announced that manager David Ross had signed a three-year contract extension through the 2024 season with an option for 2025.[8]

Hitting coach Anthony Iapoce was fired following the season.[9] Shortly thereafter, the team hired Tampa Bay minor league hitting coordinator Greg Brown as the new hitting coach.[10] On November 15, 2021, the Cubs had parted ways with associate pitching, catching, and strategy coach Mike Borzello.[11] Additionally, assistant director Brad Mills departed the team.[11] The team further named Daniel Moskos as the new assistant pitching coach.[11] Johnny Washington was later named assistant hitting coach.[12]

The expiration of the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Major League Baseball Players Association occurred on December 1, 2021 with no new agreement in place.[13] As a result, the team owners voted unanimously to lockout the players stopping all free agency and trades.[14][15]

The Cubs officially signed three players, including free agent pitcher Marcus Stroman, prior to the lockout being put in place.[16]

The parties came to an agreement on a new CBA on March 10, 2022.[17]

Pursuant to the new CBA, several new rules were instituted for the 2022 season:[18][19]

• the National League will adopt the designated hitter;
• a draft lottery will be implemented;
• the postseason will expand from 10 to 12 teams; and
• advertising patches will appear on player uniforms and helmets for the first time.

Due to the shortened season as a result of the lockout, MLB instituted temporary rules for the 2022 season including increasing roster size to 28 through May 1 and starting extra innings with a runner on second base.[20]

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Due to the 2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout, several games were initially canceled,[29] but it was later announced that the games would be made up both through the use of doubleheaders and by delaying the end date of the regular season from October 2 to October 5.[30]

Updated with the results of all games through May 2, 2022.

Thursday, April 7, 2022 vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field

• April 2 – The Cubs announced that Kyle Hendricks would be the Opening Day starting pitcher for the third consecutive season.[31]
• April 7 – The Cubs opened the season at Wrigley Field against division rival Milwaukee. Ian Happ had three hits and drove in two runs while Nico Hoerner hit his first home run since 2019 as the Cubs beat the Brewers 5–4. Kyle Hendricks allowed one run in 5.1 innings while David Robertson got the save.[32]
• April 9 – Following a rain out the day before, the Cubs faced the Brewers in the second game of the series. Justin Steele pitched five scoreless innings and three relievers held the Brewers hitless as the Cubs won 9–0. New Cub Seiya Suzuki drove in three runs while Happ had two hits and two RBI in the win. The Brewers hit three Cub batters in the game leading to Cub pitcher Keegan Thompson retaliating and hitting Andrew McCutchen. This led to the benches clearing and Thompson getting ejected.[33]
• April 10 – In the final game of the series, new Cub Marcus Stroman pitched five innings and allowed only one run. The Cubs scored three runs in the first on a three-run SeiyaSuzuki home run. However, the Cub bullpen struggled, giving up a 3–1 lead and the go-ahead run after the Cubs had tied the game at four. The 5–4 loss marked the Cubs' first loss of the season.[34]
• April 12 – After an off day, the Cubs traveled to face the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Seiya Suzuki hit two solo home runs while Drew Smyly continued the Cubs' starting pitchers success, allowing no runs in five innings. The Pirates managed only one run as the Cubs held on for the 2–1 win.[35]
• April 13 – The Cubs' string of good starting pitching ended as Kyle Hendricks gave up six runs in 3.2 innings. Willson Contreras homered and Seiya Suzuki drove in a run, but the Cubs could do nothing further as they lost to the Pirates 6–2.[36]
• April 14 – The Cubs traveled to Denver to face the Rockies for a four-game series. Seiya Suzuki drove in a run with an RBI double to extend his hit streak to six games while Frank Schwindel homered and drove in two runs as the Cubs beat the Rockies 5–2. Justin Steele allowed two runs in 4.1 innings, but Keegan Thompson pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. Mychal Givens pitched the ninth to earn his first save in the win.[37]
• April 15 – In game two of the series against the Rockies, the Cubs jumped to an early 3–0 lead on RBI singles by Alfonso Rivas and Rafael Ortega. Willson Contreras also drove in a run on a double. However, Marcus Stroman gave up five runs in the fourth and the Rockies went on to win 6–5.[38]
• April 16 – Needing a fifth starter for the first time on the season, Mark Leiter Jr. was called up for the start and surrendered seven runs in 3.1 innings as the Cubs fell behind big to the Rockies. Jonathan Villar drove in three runs as the Cubs narrowed the lead with four runs in the seventh, but it was not enough as the Cubs lost 9–6 to drop to .500 for the first time on the season.[39]
• April 17 – In the finale of the four-game series against the Rockies, Willson Contreras and Seiya Suzuki homered for the Cubs while Nico Hoerner drove in two as the Cubs won the game 6–4. Drew Smyly pitched well in 4.2 innings, allowing no runs in the win.[40]
• April 18 – The Cubs returned to Wrigley to face the Tampa Bay Rays. Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs in 4.1 innings while Keegan Thompson pitched 3.2 scoreless innings. Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run homer in the second, his first of the season, and Frank Schwindel also homered as the Cubs won 4–2. Seiya Suzuki added two hits and extended his hitting streak to nine games in the win. David Robertson earned his fourth save of the season.[41]
• April 19 – Justin Steele gave up four runs in 2.2 innings as the Cubs fell behind 4–0. However, they rallied behind Patrick Wisdom's second home run of the year, a pinch-hit homer in the fourth, to draw within one run. Cub reliever Chris Martin gave up two runs in the seventh meaning Nico Hoerner's run-scoring triple in the seventh left the Cubs behind by two. Hoerner would score on a wild pitch, but the Cubs could muster no more, losing 6–5 to the Rays.[42]
• April 20 – In the final game of the series against the Rays, Marcus Stroman gave up eight runs in 4.1 innings as the Cubs lost 8–2 in a game shortened to six innings due to rain. Seiya Suzuki's hitting streak ended at nine games, but he did extend his on-base streak to 12 (in his first 12 games in MLB).[43]
• April 21 – The Cubs took an early 3–0 lead against the Pirates at Wrigley, but Mark Leiter Jr., making his second start, gave up two runs in four innings while Ethan Roberts gave up two runs in just 2/3 of inning of relief as the Cubs lost their third in a row 4–3. The loss dropped the Cubs under .500 for the first time on the season.[44]
• April 22 – In a game whose start was delayed over six hours due to expected thunderstorms, the Cubs were held to two runs in a 4–2 loss to the Pirates. Drew Smyly gave up four runs in five innings in the loss, the Cubs' fourth in a row.[45]
• April 23 – Kyle Hendricks and two relievers shut out the Pirates and the Cub offense exploded for 21 runs while hitting only one home run. Alfonso Rivas drove in five runs while three other Cubs drove in three runs in the 21–0 blowout. The Cubs had 23 hits in the game, 18 of which were singles.[46]
• April 24 – Despite the prior days' offensive explosion, the Cubs only managed three runs and lost the third game of the series against the Pirates despite outscoring them by 15 in the series. The 4–3 loss was the Cubs' fifth loss in the prior six games.[47]
• April 26 – After an off day, the Cubs traveled to Atlanta to face the Braves. Marcus Stroman pitched six innings while allowing only two unearned runs, but the Cubs were only able to score on an Ian Happ solo home run as they lost 3–1. The loss dropped the Cubs to three games under .500 on the season.[48]

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(through April 26, 2022)
Players in bold are on the active roster.
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; K = Strikeouts; Avg. = Batting average; OBP = On Base Percentage; SLG = Slugging Percentage

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(through April 26, 2022)
Players in bold are on the active roster.
Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts

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