This will be the first time in Cubs franchise history that they will open a season against a defending World Series champion that’s an American League team.
The last time the Cubs opened the season against a defending World Series champion was 1998, when they began the year in Miami against the Marlins. They won two of three in that series on their way to a wild card berth, winning 90 games (including the wild-card tiebreaker game, which no longer exists). We’d take a 90-win season this year, I think.
For more on the Rangers, here’s Adam J.