Cubs vs. Cardinals: a Look Back at This NL Central Rivalry

When Do the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals Play Next?

Chicago Cubs tickets and St. Louis Cardinals tickets can be found on their respective team pages.

Are the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals Rivals?

Yes, the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals have a division rivalry that is also referred to as the Route 66 or the I-55 rivalry. Both the Cubs and the Cardinals play in the National League Central, with the winner of the Central receiving an automatic bid into the MLB playoffs.

Who are the Chicago Cubs’ Biggest Rivals?

The Chicago Cubs’ biggest rivals are the Chicago White Sox (known as the Crosstown Classic), the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. All three of the Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers are division rivals, competing in the NL Central.

Who are the St. Louis Cardinals’ Biggest Rivals?

The St. Louis Cardinals have four big rivals. They have an interleague rivalry with fellow Missouri-based squad, the Kansas City Royals, and they also have inter-division rivalries with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals Series History

The Cubs and Cardinals rivalry dates back more than 100 years. In 1892, the franchise in St. Louis was originally referred to as the Brown Stockings (shortened to the Browns) but rebranded when they joined Major League Baseball, and more specifically, the National League. In 1900, they became known as the Cardinals. In the early 1900s, the Cardinals did not have much success on the field, while the Cubs won three straight National League pennants and two World Series championships between 1906 and 1908.

That would be their second to last pennant (1945) and last World Series win for more than 100 years. The tide turned for the Cardinals, who won their first NL pennant and World Series in 1926 as the red birds.

Tensions ramped up between the two sides during the famous single season home run chase of 1998 between Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire and Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa. The record at that time of 61 home runs in a single season set by Roger Maris was thrashed by both Sosa and McGwire, who finished their seasons with 66 and 70 home runs, respectively. These records still stand in the MLB official record books, but are tarnished according to public opinion and Hall of Fame voters due to numerous performance-enhancing drug allegations.

Despite 2,500+ competitive matchups between the two teams across more than 100 years, the Cardinals and Cubs have only met once in the postseason: the 2015 NL Division Series where the Cubs won the best-of-five series 3–1.

Famous ball players who have made their mark in this series include: Roger Hornsby, Lou Brock, Jim Edmonds, Sammy Sosa, Kris Bryant, Albert Pujols, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, and more.

Where Do the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals Play?

The St. Louis Cardinals play at Busch Stadium located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium opened in 2006 and took the name from the old Busch Stadium that closed the year prior.

The Chicago Cubs play at Wrigley Field on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Wrigley Field is hailed as one of the most iconic ballparks across any sport in the United States. Having opened in 1914 and known for the ivy-covered outfield walls, Wrigley Field is the second-oldest active MLB ballpark behind Fenway Bark in Boston (home to the Red Sox).

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