It has been ten years since the rainy October night in Cleveland when the Billy Goat Curse was finally laid to rest. As the sports world looks back on the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 Cubs World Series win, most fans immediately recall Kris Bryant’s smile as he threw to first base for the final out or Rajai Davis’s heart-stopping home run. However, beneath the surface of the box score lies a statistical and tactical rarity that remains one of the most unique feats in modern Major League Baseball history.
The Three-Catcher Strategy of the 2016 Cubs World Series Win
In the high-stakes environment of a World Series Game 7, managers typically tighten their rotations and stick to their most reliable assets. Joe Maddon, however, took a different approach. During the 2016 Cubs World Series win, the North Siders utilized three different catchers in a single winner-take-all game: Willson Contreras, David Ross, and Miguel Montero.
This wasn't just a matter of late-game substitutions; it was a masterclass in roster management that saw each catcher play a pivotal role in securing the title. In the history of the Fall Classic, seeing a team burn through their entire catching depth chart in one game is nearly unheard of, primarily due to the risk of injury. Had an injury occurred to Montero late in extra innings, the Cubs would have been forced to put an infielder behind the plate—a gamble that Maddon was willing to take to secure the championship.
A Trio of Contributions: Contreras, Ross, and Montero
The rarity of the situation is amplified by the fact that all three catchers didn't just appear in the game; they all made significant impacts on the outcome. The distribution of labor behind the plate was a microcosm of the Cubs' depth throughout that historic season:
- Willson Contreras: The rookie phenom started the game, handling the pressure of the early innings and providing a youthful spark to the lineup.
- David Ross: Entering the game as a personal catcher for Jon Lester, "Grandpa Rossy" hit a legendary solo home run off the nearly unhittable Andrew Miller. It was the final game of his career, making him the oldest player to ever homer in a World Series Game 7.
- Miguel Montero: Coming in late as a defensive replacement and situational hitter, Montero provided what would eventually be the game-winning RBI with a clutch single in the top of the 10th inning.
Why This Rarity Matters Ten Years Later
In today's MLB, roster construction has shifted toward carrying more versatile utility players and fewer specialized spots. The 2016 Cubs were unique in that they carried three catchers who were all arguably starters on most other MLB teams. This depth allowed Maddon to be aggressive with pinch-hitting and defensive switches, a luxury few managers have enjoyed in the decade since.
The use of three catchers in Game 7 is a testament to the specialized roles each player occupied. Ross was the veteran leader and Lester’s confidant; Contreras was the future of the franchise with an elite arm; Montero was the seasoned professional who had carried the load for years prior. Seeing all three contribute to the 2016 Cubs World Series win in the same game remains a statistical anomaly that highlights the perfect storm of talent on that roster.
The Tactical Risk of the 10th Inning
When Miguel Montero entered the game, Joe Maddon effectively "burned" his bench. In the 10th inning, after the brief rain delay that has since become part of baseball lore, the Cubs were playing without a safety net. If the game had stretched into the 12th or 13th inning, the lack of a backup catcher could have been catastrophic. However, the aggressiveness paid off.
The 10-year anniversary serves as a reminder that championships are often won on the margins. While the superstars like Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist took home the headlines, the catching carousel was the engine that kept the Cubs' pitching staff afloat during the most stressful nine (and ten) innings in Chicago sports history.
Legacy of the 2016 Catching Corps
Looking back from 2026, the paths of these three catchers since that night further illustrate why that unit was so special. David Ross transitioned into a managerial role, Willson Contreras became a perennial All-Star, and Miguel Montero retired as a hero in the eyes of Cubs fans. The 2016 Cubs World Series win wasn't just about breaking a curse; it was about a perfectly constructed roster where even the third-string catcher could drive in the winning run of a championship game.
Sources & Original Reporting
