[update: These stats were previously through game 3 of the 2017 NLCS. They are now updated to include the final stats from all five games]
The 2017 Cubs had an incredibly hard time this postseason. But is this their worst ever? Since 1906 the Cubs have played in 25 postseason series. Their .156 batting average against the Dodgers in the 2017 NLCS is the worst of all 25 series.
Five worst team batting average for postseason Cubs series
- .156: 2017 NLCS vs. Dodgers
- .164: 2015 NLCS vs. Mets
- .180: 2017 NLDS vs. Nationals
- .181: 1998 NLDS vs. Braves
- .194: 2007 NLDS vs. Diamondbacks
(the best postseason Cubs team was the 1989 NLCS vs. Giants, batting .303)
OPS
- .454: 1998 NLDS vs. Braves
- .491: 2017 NLCS vs. Dodgers
- .519: 1906 World Series vs. White Sox
- .522: 2015 NLCS vs. Mets
- .541: 1918 World Series vs. Red Sox
(the best OPS a Cubs team put together was in the 2015 NLDS vs. Cardinals, hitting .856)
Runs per game
- 1.3: 1998 NLDS vs. Braves
- 1.6: 2017 NLCS vs. Dodgers
- 1.7: 1918 World Series vs. Red Sox
- 2.0: 2015 NLCS vs. Mets
- 2.0: 2007 NLDS vs. Diamondbacks
(the most runs a Cubs team scored per game was in the 2003 NLCS vs. Marlins. The Cubs scored 6.0 runs per game)
The 2017 Cubs’ OPS and runs per game ranks second worst all-time. So yeah, the Cubs had a rough time here.
If you’d like to see the raw data from all 25 Cubs postseason series, check out the Google Sheet.