NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field · Chicago
The Chicago Cubs are a Major League Baseball team in the National League Central division.
NL Central Rivalry
Cubs–Cardinals
The I-55 baseball border war
The rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, two of the National League's oldest franchises, located about 300 miles apart along Interstate 55. It is among the longest-running and most-played rivalries in Major League Baseball.
The Rivalry
The rivalry's roots reach back to the economic and civic competition between Chicago and St. Louis, and the two clubs have met as National League opponents since 1892. Over more than 130 years they have built one of the sport's longest-running series, fueled by midwestern geography and overlapping fan territory. Defining chapters include the lopsided 1964 trade that sent Lou Brock from Chicago to St. Louis, often called one of baseball's most one-sided deals, and Ryne Sandberg's two dramatic home runs in the 1984 "Sandberg Game." In 1998, the rivalry hosted a national spectacle as the Cardinals' Mark McGwire and the Cubs' Sammy Sosa chased the single-season home run record. It runs hot because the clubs are division rivals, the cities sit a short drive apart, and fan bases blend together across the Midwest.
What's at Stake
As NL Central rivals, the Cubs and Cardinals meet many times each season, and the results shape the division race. The short drive along I-55 means fan bases overlap throughout central Illinois and the Midwest, so series often draw large traveling crowds. With two tradition-rich franchises and passionate followings, every meeting carries bragging rights and, frequently, real playoff stakes.
Famous Moments
- 1964 — The Cubs traded Lou Brock to the Cardinals, a deal widely regarded as among the most one-sided in baseball history.
- 1984 — In the "Sandberg Game," Ryne Sandberg hit game-tying home runs in the ninth and tenth innings as the Cubs beat the Cardinals.
- 1998 — Mark McGwire broke the single-season home run record while the Cubs' Sammy Sosa chased alongside him.
- 2015 — The Cubs defeated the Cardinals in a four-game NLDS, the first postseason series between the rivals.
The Two Teams
Plan the Trip
A Cubs-Cardinals series is a classic midwestern road trip. Wrigley Field, opened in 1914 on Chicago's North Side, is one of baseball's most beloved ballparks, with its ivy-covered walls. St. Louis's Busch Stadium offers downtown views of the Gateway Arch and a renowned sea of red-clad fans. The two cities sit a manageable drive apart along I-55, making a head-to-head series an easy and rewarding bucket-list pairing.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cubs–Cardinals
The two teams first met in 1892. The rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, two of the National League's oldest franchises, located about 300 miles apart along Interstate 55. It is among the longest-running and most-played rivalries in Major League Baseball.
As NL Central rivals, the Cubs and Cardinals meet many times each season, and the results shape the division race. The short drive along I-55 means fan bases overlap throughout central Illinois and the Midwest, so series often draw large traveling crowds. With two tradition-rich franchises and passionate followings, every meeting carries bragging rights and, frequently, real playoff stakes.
Yes — as NL Central division rivals they face off many times across the 2026 MLB season.
Chicago Cubs host at Wrigley Field in Chicago; St. Louis Cardinals play at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
