North Side Territory: A Chicago Cubs Podcast

The Cubs are fully in postseason mode, making spectacular defensive plays, deploying their bullpen aggressively, and spraying champagne and beer all over the clubhouse. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney take you behind the scenes to explain the moments won the Wild Card Series that eliminated the Padres, and describe the current vibes in the clubhouse. Plus, a look ahead to a must-s...

What was Craig Counsell thinking? And does it really matter when the offense scores zero runs? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back to break down Game 2 of a National League Wild Card Series that suddenly shifted when San Diego’s stars came out at Wrigley Field and the Cubs’ curious pitching plans did not work out. It’s also time to look ahead and identify what will determine...

What an atmosphere. In taking control of their National League Wild Card Series, the Cubs restored the big-game energy at the Friendly Confines. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down Tuesday’s Game 1 win over the Padres. Between the huge swings by Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly, Craig Counsell’s bullpen usage and Dansby Swanson’s momentum-shifting defense, the Cubs showed thei...

There’s a full scouting report within this Wild Card crossover episode between North Side Territory and Friar Territory. Who's going to be the hero (or the goat)? Which team has the pitching edge? Will home-field advantage matter? Kyle Glaser, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the star personalities, matchups and X-factors that will decide this best-of-three series at Wrigley Field. Dow...

Maybe there’s a scenario in which Cade Horton throws another pitch for the Cubs this year. But for now, the club is operating under the assumption that Horton will be unavailable until at least the National League Championship Series. And that’s only if the Cubs advance that far and Horton recovers from a fractured rib in time. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney detail the Horton sit...

The Cubs still want to make sure this wild-card series will be played at Wrigley Field, but their playoff opponent is now set. In some ways, the Padres are a lot like the Cubs heading into the postseason. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney give you their early scouting report and the storylines they are already monitoring, beginning with Cade Horton’s status, Shota Imanaga’s recent s...

How concerned should Cubs fans be right now? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney try to separate it all out during the final week of the regular season. Instead of cruising into the playoffs, the Cubs are dealing with a Cade Horton situation and a still uncertain timeline for Kyle Tucker. There is also added context around Matt Shaw’s decision to miss a game and attend Charlie Kirk’s...

Following their big celebration in Pittsburgh, the Cubs were swept out of Cincinnati. The final week of the regular season continues with the Cubs on their longest losing streak of the year. How concerned should Cubs fans be right now? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney share what they’re hearing in and around the clubhouse as October approaches. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook ap...

Is the offense still a concern heading into the playoffs? And why would anyone other than Cade Horton start Game 1 for the Cubs? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney dig into those questions and more, assessing a lineup that’s missing Kyle Horton, and tracking Horton’s development into one of the sport’s best young pitchers. Internally, those postseason conversations have already begun...

The Cubs are advancing to the postseason for the first time since 2020, an achievement that the team celebrated wildly in Pittsburgh. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney take you behind the scenes to capture the sights, sounds and smells from PNC’s visiting clubhouse. The moment revealed so many parts of the team’s identity, and served as a reminder that these opportunities should nev...

It feels inevitable. The Cubs are so close to clinching their first playoff berth since 2020 that even the people in uniform are thinking ahead and looking beyond that night’s game. For a behind-the-scenes perspective on what it’s like in the clubhouse right now, listen to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney. The beat reporters explain how Cubs manager Craig Counsell is lining up the...

With the playoffs approaching, you have questions, and Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney have answers. The Athletic’s Cubs writers respond to listeners who want to know who will be starting Game 1 at Wrigley Field: Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton or Shota Imanaga? Plus a look at who might be the Opening Day right fielder next year, and what the Cubs will be targeting on the free-agent market this winter...

One of the most popular players in franchise history is returning to Wrigley Field. Ahead of the ceremonial weekend marking Anthony Rizzo’s retirement and new role as a Cubs ambassador, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney look back on what made that era so special, and why people gravitated toward the big first baseman. The Athletic’s Cubs writers also dig into the decision to (finally) put All-Star...

Where to begin? Cubs closer Daniel Palencia is now on the injured list, though his recent performance was already putting his bullpen role in doubt. Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong seemed to benefit from their mental resets, but then the All-Star outfielders got hurt. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain how Cubs manager Craig Counsell is looking at the bullpen situation, a...

As the Cubs prepare for October, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are here to answer questions from listeners who want to know about the Cade Horton plan and what it could look like in the playoffs. Pitching is a focus throughout the episode, explaining how Craig Counsell and his staff could map things out in a postseason series. Also, does anyone remember what the Cubs got in retu...

With Chicago’s playoff odds holding steady, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back for a rundown on some of the club’s most important players. How the Cubs handle Kyle Tucker’s latest injury issue will be interesting. The hope is that Pete Crow-Armstrong will benefit from the kind of reset that Tucker took recently. And what has been the reaction within the clubhouse to the very...

With the wild-card odds overwhelmingly in their favor, the Cubs can use this final month of the season to their advantage. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney start with Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has cooled off considerably after an MVP-level stretch that carried the team. What does Kevin Alcántara’s promotion from Triple-A Iowa mean for Crow-Armstrong? Plus, a full analysis of Chicago...

You have questions, we have answers. Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back with another edition of their mailbag, which not surprisingly revolves around Craig Counsell’s decisions at a time when the offense is struggling. The Athletic writers explain what the Cubs manager is thinking and what they’re observing in the clubhouse. In addition to context on Matt Shaw’s development and Seiya Suzuk...

With a West Coast trip in full swing, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney get together to bring you the latest on the Cubs. There are updates on Jameson Taillon and the club’s pitching plans for October, vibe checks in San Francisco, and first impressions of the 2026 schedule that just got released. Inspired by pitching Tommy Hottovy – who recently put Kyle Hendrick on his “Mount Rushmore of Cubs pi...

After a mental reset/three-game benching, Kyle Tucker again looked like the difference-maker the Cubs will need to go on a long playoff run. How did it get to this point? And what were the reactions in the clubhouse and the dugout? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney compare notes and share reporting from Angel Stadium after a three-game sweep that put a little heat on the Brewers in...

In a recent TV appearance, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred fueled talk about expansion and reconfigured divisions. How would that impact the Cubs? Even if these concepts are off in the distance, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney have some ideas. The Athletic’s Cubs beat writers also get into the state of the pitching staff and the idea that maybe it’s time to just focus on the wild...

Recognizing that a moment had slipped away, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was not overly enthusiastic after his club won a five-game series against the division leader. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze where things stand after the Cubs did not gain a lot of ground on Milwaukee. Plus more on the Kyle Tucker situation and the organization’s deliberate development plan for Owen...

What once would have seemed unthinkable suddenly became inevitable. With Kyle Tucker going through the worst offensive stretch of his career – and the Wrigley Field crowds turning on him – Cubs manager Craig Counsell decided to give him a break during a huge series against the first-place Brewers. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze what led to this point and how the Cubs coul...

The fallout from an underwhelming trade deadline continues. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney are back to take more questions from listeners, beginning with Carter Hawkins’ recent comments to ESPN. What did the Cubs general manager mean by the 2032 quote that has gone viral? Plus, much more on what makes the Brewers so good, and so frustrating for Cubs personnel and Cubs fans.   Dow...

At this point, it’s not an overreaction. The Cubs are playing an uninspired brand of baseball while continuing to lose ground in the National League Central. It’s time to sound the alarm bells. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain the current mood within the clubhouse as well as the larger organizational forces that have created this environment. While the Cubs still have time...