In a development that has left the Cubs front office scrambling and botanists cautiously intrigued, the ivy covering the outfield walls of Wrigley Field has formally requested creative credit for the team’s 2025 winning season, claiming it played a “pivotal and underappreciated role” in at least seventeen key defensive plays.

The ivy, which has adorned the ballpark’s brick outfield walls since 1937, issued its demands through a statement delivered to the team’s offices early Wednesday morning. The statement, described by witnesses as “surprisingly well-written for a plant,” was found tucked between the ivy’s leaves near the left-field foul pole, printed on what appeared to be recycled compost paper.

“For eighty-eight years I have caught balls, confused outfielders, and provided an iconic backdrop for this franchise without so much as a thank-you note,” the statement reportedly read. “I am not asking for a salary. I am asking for acknowledgment. A plaque would be nice. Maybe a bobblehead.”

Cubs management initially dismissed the statement as a prank, likely perpetrated by a creative grounds crew member. However, that theory was complicated when the ivy retained the services of Greenleaf & Associates, a boutique entertainment law firm that, until recently, was believed to be entirely fictional.

“My client has contributed to the aesthetic and strategic fabric of Wrigley Field for nearly a century,” said the ivy’s attorney, speaking from what he described as a “neutral outdoor conference room” near the bleacher entrance. “There are at least three instances last season where a ball entered the ivy and was ruled a ground-rule double. That’s not luck. That’s performance.”

Baseball analysts have been divided on the ivy’s claims. Some point out that the ground-rule double scenarios did, statistically, benefit the Cubs in several close games. Others argue that the ivy is, taxonomically speaking, a plant, and therefore not eligible for creative credit under any existing labor agreement.

The Players’ Association has so far declined to comment, though one anonymous player told reporters, “Honestly, the ivy’s been here longer than anyone on the roster. If it wants a ring, I’m not going to be the one to say no.”

The Cubs organization released a brief statement Thursday afternoon acknowledging the ivy’s “long and valued tenure” at Wrigley Field while noting that “compensation structures for non-human, non-animal entities are not currently addressed in Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement.” They added that they remain “open to dialogue” and have offered the ivy a commemorative patch to be worn on all home jerseys for the 2026 season, which the ivy has reportedly described as “a start, but insulting.”