The 1987 Chicago Cubs season was the 116th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 112th in the National League and the 72nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished sixth and last in the National League East with a record of 76–85, 18½ games behind the division and pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals.
Offseason
Spring training The team opened camp in Mesa, Arizona, apparently content with Brian Dayett to start in right field. However, Andre Dawson and his agent Dick Moss showed up after camp opened hoping that Green would consider signing the all-star outfielder. Dawson was one of the top free agents on the market during the off-season, but he garnered little interest. He made no secret that he wanted to leave Montreal, where his knees were battered by the Olympic Stadium Astroturf. He also made it known during the off season that the Cubs were his top choice, as Wrigley Field had a natural grass surface and had no lights. Dawson hit considerably better during the day.
After a couple weeks of Green saying he was flatly uninterested in Dawson, Dawson and Moss presented Green with a "blank" signed contract. Green filled in the amount -- $500,000 for one year.
Spring training also began with the dark news of broadcaster Harry Caray suffering a stroke in Palm Springs. WGN announced that until Caray was well enough to return, guest announcers would fill in and sit alongside color analyst Steve Stone.
Notable transactions December 9, 1986: Heathcliff Slocumb was drafted by the Cubs from the New York Mets in the 1986 minor league draft.Heathcliff Slocumb at Baseball Reference February 17, 1987: Guy Hoffman was traded by the Cubs to the Cincinnati Reds for Wade Rowdon.Guy Hoffman at Baseball Reference March 9, 1987: Andre Dawson was signed as a free agent by the Cubs.Andre Dawson at Baseball Reference March 23, 1987: Mike Martin was released by the Cubs.Mike Martin at Baseball Reference March 30, 1987: Thad Bosley and Dave Gumpert were traded by the Cubs to the Kansas City Royals for Jim Sundberg.Jim Sundberg at Baseball Reference
Regular season The 1987 season featured a career year from free-agent acquisition Andre Dawson, who captured National League Most Valuable Player honors following a 49-home run season. It was also the rookie season for starting pitcher Greg Maddux, the final full season for Wrigley Field without lights, and the last year for general manager Dallas Green, who resigned in late October 1987.
Season summary An 18–10 May propelled the Cubs into the race, and they spent time in first place in early June. However, injuries to Ryne Sandberg and Shawon Dunston within days of each other crippled the Cubs' middle infield and hampered their offense. Their replacements were Paul Noce and Mike Brumley, respectively, Brumley having been acquired as "thrown-in" in the 1984 Buckner-for-Eckersley trade. Neither player was able to come close to replacing the lost production from Sandberg and Dunston and, consequentially, the team struggled.
In the month of August, two incidents occurred in which players cheated against the Cubs. Phillies pitcher Kevin Gross was pitching against the Chicago Cubs on Aug 10, 1987. Gross was caught with sandpaper in his glove and suspended for 10 games. Astros batter Billy Hatcher was batting against the Chicago Cubs on Aug 31, 1987, when he broke his bat and it flew down the third base line. Cubs third baseman Keith Moreland saw cork, and Hatcher was suspended for 10 games. Later on, Hatcher claimed that he was using pitcher Dave Smith's bat, and not his own.
After a woeful August, Michael told the press that he was planning on resigning after the season. Green said that he would accept the resignation, effective immediately, and replaced Michael with Frank Lucchesi, a longtime scout in the Philadelphia organization who had become a Cubs roving instructor. As the Cubs played out the string under Lucchesi, they finished last, although they were a markedly improved team over the '86 club, with a promising future.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions April 6, 1987: Dickie Noles was signed as a free agent by the Cubs.Dickie Noles at Baseball Reference July 13, 1987: Steve Trout was traded by the Cubs to the New York Yankees for Bob Tewksbury, Rich Scheid, and Dean Wilkins.Steve Trout at Baseball Reference September 22, 1987: Dickie Noles was loaned by the Cubs to the Detroit Tigers.
Opening Day starters Jody Davis Andre Dawson Brian Dayett Bob Dernier Shawon Dunston Leon Durham Keith Moreland Ryne Sandberg Rick Sutcliffe
Roster 1987 Chicago Cubs Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |1||April 7|| Cardinals||9 – 3 ||Tudor (1-0)||Sutcliffe (0-1)||Dawley (1)|| 38,240 ||0-1|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |2||April 9|| Cardinals||4 – 2 ||Cox (1-0)||Trout (0-1)||Worrell (1)|| 12,441 ||0-2|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |3||April 10||@ Phillies||4 – 3 ||Lynch (1-0)||K. Gross (0-1)||Noles (1)|| 43,212 ||1-2|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |4||April 11||@ Phillies||9 – 1 ||Sutcliffe (1-1)||Cowley (0-1)|||| 21,581 ||2-2|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |5||April 12||@ Phillies||9 – 8 (10)||Bedrosian (1-0)||Smith (0-1)|||| 23,769 ||2-3|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |6||April 13||@ Phillies||5 – 2 ||Moyer (1-0)||Carman (0-1)||Smith (1)|| 15,366 ||3-3|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |7||April 15|| Pirates||3 – 1 (10)||D. Robinson (2-0)||Noles (0-1)|||| 5,369 ||3-4||Pat Summerall broadcasts. |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |8||April 16|| Pirates||6 – 0 ||Kipper (1-1)||Lynch (1-1)|||| 6,956 ||3-5|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |9||April 17|| Expos||7 – 0 ||Sutcliffe (2-1)||Youmans (0-2)|||| 23,023 ||4-5||Bill Murray announces the game on WGN-TV |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |10||April 18|| Expos||4 – 2 ||Sebra (1-1)||Maddux (0-1)||St. Claire (2)|| 32,613 ||4-6|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |11||April 19|| Expos||3 – 1 ||Sorensen (1-0)||Moyer (1-1)||McGaffigan (1)|| 19,889 ||4-7|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |12||April 21||@ Cardinals||5 – 4 ||Noles (1-1)||Dawley (0-1)||Smith (2)|| 26,333 ||5-7|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |13||April 22||@ Cardinals||5 – 4 ||Sutcliffe (3-1)||Dawley (0-2)||Smith (3)|| 23,784 ||6-7|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |14||April 23||@ Cardinals||5 – 2 ||Cox (3-0)||Maddux (0-2)|||| 29,347 ||6-8|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |15||April 24||@ Expos||6 – 4 ||Moyer (2-1)||Sebra (1-2)||Smith (4)|| 7,752 ||7-8|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |16||April 25||@ Expos||9 – 4 ||Sanderson (1-0)||Tibbs (1-3)|||| 11,824 ||8-8|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |17||April 26||@ Expos||7 – 1 ||Trout (1-1)||Sorensen (1-1)|||| 12,052 ||9-8|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |18||April 28|| Giants||6 – 2 ||Krukow (1-3)||Sutcliffe (3-2)|||| 10,097 ||9-9|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |19||April 29|| Giants||8 – 4 ||Maddux (1-2)||Mason (1-1)||Lynch (1)|| 11,120 ||10-9||Dawson hits for cycle |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |20||April 30|| Giants||5 – 4 ||Garrelts (3-2)||Smith (0-2)||Minton (1)|| 11,934 ||10-10||
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |21||May 1|| Padres||7 – 5 ||DiPino (1-0)||McCullers (2-3)||Smith (5)|| 16,100 ||11-10|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |22||May 2|| Padres||7 – 3 ||Trout (2-1)||Whitson (3-3)||Lynch (2)|| 25,428 ||12-10|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |23||May 3|| Padres||4 – 2 ||Sutcliffe (4-2)||Hawkins (0-3)||Smith (6)|| 27,202 ||13-10|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |24||May 4|| Dodgers||5 – 4 ||Noles (2-1)||Howell (2-1)|||| 17,487 ||14-10|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |25||May 5|| Dodgers||3 – 1 ||Welch (4-1)||Moyer (2-2)|||| 18,021 ||14-11|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |26||May 6||@ Giants||9 – 4 ||Sanderson (2-0)||M. Davis (3-2)||Smith (7)|| 15,123 ||15-11|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |27||May 7||@ Giants||11 – 1 ||LaCoss (3-1)||Lynch (1-2)||J. Robinson (6)|| 12,228 ||15-12|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |28||May 8||@ Padres||6 – 3 ||Sutcliffe (5-2)||S. Davis (1-5)||Smith (8)|| 46,533 ||16-12|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |29||May 9||@ Padres||5 – 2 ||Maddux (2-2)||Show (1-3)||Smith (9)|| 19,088 ||17-12|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |30||May 10||@ Padres||14 – 2 ||Whitson (4-4)||Moyer (2-3)||Booker (1)|| 14,682 ||17-13|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |31||May 11||@ Dodgers||6 – 3 ||Sanderson (3-0)||Hershiser (3-4)||Smith (10)|| 35,819 ||18-13|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |32||May 12||@ Dodgers||7 – 0 ||Honeycutt (2-1)||Lynch (1-3)|||| 41,216 ||18-14|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |33||May 13||@ Dodgers||5 – 0 ||Sutcliffe (6-2)||Pena (0-3)|||| 39,294 ||19-14|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |34||May 15||@ Astros||3 – 1 ||Maddux (3-2)||Darwin (2-3)||Smith (11)|| 23,471 ||20-14|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |35||May 16||@ Astros||2 – 1 ||Moyer (3-3)||Ryan (2-3)||DiPino (1)|| 34,921 ||21-14|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |36||May 17||@ Astros||6 – 4 ||Mason (1-0)||Knepper (2-3)||Smith (12)|| 20,678 ||22-14|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |37||May 19|| Reds||9 – 2 ||Sutcliffe (7-2)||Browning (4-5)||Lynch (3)|| 28,890 ||23-14||Harry Caray returns from stroke |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |38||May 20|| Reds||6 – 2 ||Gullickson (5-2)||Maddux (3-3)|||| 27,150 ||23-15|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |39||May 21|| Reds||8 – 7 ||Smith (1-2)||Franco (1-1)|||| 21,718 ||24-15|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |40||May 22|| Braves||9 – 5 ||Palmer (4-4)||Sanderson (3-1)||Acker (4)|| 28,667 ||24-16|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |41||May 23|| Braves||7 – 6 (16)||Moyer (4-3)||Acker (0-3)|||| 33,225 ||25-16||Dawson homers with 2 outs in 9th to tie |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |42||May 24|| Braves||3 – 2 (12)||Noles (3-1)||Dedmon (2-1)|||| 37,259 ||26-16|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |43||May 25||@ Reds||5 – 4 ||Gullickson (6-2)||Maddux (3-4)||Franco (8)|| 24,684 ||26-17|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |44||May 26||@ Reds||3 – 2 ||Franco (2-1)||Smith (1-3)|||| 21,388 ||26-18|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |45||May 27||@ Reds||4 – 1 ||Moyer (5-3)||Reuss (0-3)||Smith (13)|| 23,304 ||27-18|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |46||May 29||@ Braves||6 – 5 (12)||Garber (6-3)||Lynch (1-4)|||| 21,982 ||27-19|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |47||May 30||@ Braves||11 – 6 ||Maddux (4-4)||Z. Smith (5-3)||Noles (2)|| 35,394 ||28-19|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |48||May 31||@ Braves||2 – 1 (10)||Garber (7-3)||Lynch (1-5)|||| 24,353 ||28-20||
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |49||June 1|| Astros||6 – 5 (10)||Andersen (4-2)||DiPino (1-1)||Smith (9)|| 14,556 ||28-21|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |50||June 2|| Astros||13 – 2 ||Mason (2-0)||Ryan (2-5)|||| 13,891 ||29-21|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |51||June 3|| Astros||22 – 7 ||Sutcliffe (8-2)||Knepper (2-6)|||| 19,725 ||30-21|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |52||June 4|| Cardinals||3 – 1 ||Cox (6-2)||Maddux (4-5)||Worrell (12)|| 32,102 ||30-22|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |53||June 5|| Cardinals||5 – 1 ||Mathews (3-4)||Sanderson (3-2)|||| 36,818 ||30-23|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |54||June 6|| Cardinals||6 – 5 ||Moyer (6-3)||Forsch (4-2)||Smith (14)|| 39,008 ||31-23|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |55||June 7|| Cardinals||13 – 9 ||Dawley (2-4)||Mason (2-1)||Worrell (13)|| 38,388 ||31-24|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |56||June 8|| Mets||4 – 2 ||Smith (2-3)||Sisk (1-1)|||| 28,063 ||32-24|| |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" |57||June 9|| Mets||6 – 5 ||Noles (4-1)||Myers (0-2)||Smith (15)|| 31,252 ||33-24|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |58||June 10|| Mets||13 – 2 ||Gooden (2-0)||Sanderson (3-3)|||| 35,190 ||33-25|| |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" |59||June 12||@ Cardinals||4 – 1 ||Forsch (5-2)||Moyer (6-4)||Worrell (15)|| 48,096 ||33-26||