Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton looked distraught Friday afternoon in Cleveland when he walked off the field in the second inning of his start against the Guardians, suffering from what was described as “forearm discomfort.” Moments earlier, he had indicated to the dugout that things didn’t feel right, physically.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Is it already time to sound the starting pitching alarm?

“I just wanted to be smart about it,” Horton said. “I’ve been in this spot before and I’ve taken the other route where I keep going, and it ends up being worse. So, I just tried to make a mature decision and end it there.”

The 24-year-old was expected to do big things this year after a breakthrough rookie season in 2025 that saw him perform as, arguably, the best pitcher in all of baseball after the All-Star break.

Manager Craig Counsell told media after the game that Horton to will get imaging to see the extent of the injury and will also be placed on the 15-day IL as he’s being assessed.

Who could take Horton’s spot?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Base thievery may be low-key secret to 2026 success

Now, however, the talk must turn to the future. Specifically, how to fill the young arm’s spot in a Cubs rotation that needs the kind of impact starter Horton was expected to be.

Veteran Colin Rea was brought in to replace Horton on Friday and it’s thought that he’ll likely be the full-time replacement until the team knows what’s in their injured pitcher’s immediate future. Last season, Rea was solid as the team’s full-time rotation fill-in, posting a 10-7 record with a 4.33 ERA in 27 starts.

Chicago also has Ben Brown and Javier Assad as possible rotation fill-ins.

Then, of course, ace Justin Steele is slated to return some time before mid-season.

But if Horton is lost for any extended period of time, the Cubs may have no choice but to reach out and try to pick up somebody outside of the organization.

Some people already have an idea of who that outside pickup should be—Lucas Giolito.

Lucas Giolito to the rescue?

In the Friday night edition of MLB Tonight, the host brought up that exact possibility:

“I keep reminding myself that Lucas Giolito is still sitting out there without a team,” he said, following the segment talking about Horton’s injury.

“He might be a Cub,” replied analyst Harold Reynolds.

Jacob Zanolla of Bleacher Nation also brought up the Giolito possibility:

“The Cubs could look to someone outside of the organization, and there does happen to be one (relatively) legitimate arm still available: Lucas Giolito.

Giolito, 31, made 25 starts for the Red Sox last season, pitching to a 3.41 ERA over 145.0 IP. But while that seems encouraging, a quick peek under the hood reveals the more troubling peripherals that are probably conspiring to keep him a free agent this long: 5.01 xERA, 4.17 FIP. But in terms of emergency fill-in options, you could do a whole lot worse than Giolito.”

Last season with the Red Sox, the 31-year-old Giolito had a good year, stats-wise. But, as Zanolla mentions, maybe the raw numbers don’t tell the full story of what’s under the 9-year veteran’s hood. There has to be a reason, after all, why he’s still unsigned when starting pitching is such an MLB-wide priority.

It remains to be seen whether he’d even be much of an upgrade over the pitchers the Cubs already have lined up as fill-ins.

But he’s somebody definitely worth looking into for a Cubs rotation already showcasing some weakness just days into the season.

The post Chicago Cubs, post-Cade Horton injury, tied to still-available veteran starter appeared first on ChiCitySports.

To no surprise, the Chicago Cubs made a roster move with Cade Horton heading to the IL. It’s not the Jaxon Wiggins promotion some hoped for, but rather calling up lefthanded pitcher Riley Martin. Martin, 28, has been on the Cubs 40-man roster and got some playing time in Spring Training. The native of Salem, Illinois, and 2021 sixth-round pick out of Quincy University, has an interesting story and will now be getting ready to pitch in the Majors for the first time in his career.

The Cubs are calling up LHP Riley Martin, as @SchuckSports first reported.

He was set to go to pharmacy school six years ago, then the pandemic happened and he went from D2 to the Cubs.

Chronicled his story last spring:https://t.co/3g6W5UmBhi

— Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) April 4, 2026

Martin joining the Cubs

Martin once had his eye on a career in pharmacy before the COVID-19 pandemic, but now he will join the Chicago Cubs to add pitching depth to the team. Since being drafted out of D2 ball, Martin has accumulated 282.2 innings in the Cubs system, pitching to a 3.76 ERA, 1.4 WHIP, 13.1 K/9, and 5.7 BB/9. He’s spent the last two seasons in Iowa and is coming off a very good 2025 season with a 2.69 ERA and 1.2 WHIP in 47 appearances.

It’s worth noting he has only made three starts in his Minor League career. Though he made a start last Tuesday, pitching 3.0 innings and giving up one run. He has been getting more stretched out, so he can be used in a “swing” role alongside Colin Rea. Given his being on the 40-man roster and Wiggins’ professional experience still being fairly light, it’s clear why they went with Martin for now.

Martin is a fastball, curve, slider, and occasional change-up pitcher. The fastball and curve are his primary pitches, with his heater sitting in the low-mid 90s (93-94 MPH). His strikeout numbers throughout his MiLB career are very good (410 strikeouts in 282.2 IP), and he’s limited the homers (0.8 HR/9). A weakness that stands out is the walks (178 in 282.2 IP).

The post Cubs callup lefty pitcher Riley Martin from Iowa appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs entered the 2026 season with significant depth in the area of starting pitching. While analysts weren’t blown away with the high-end potential of the rotation as a whole, most everyone agreed that the team’s strength was in its depth.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Base thievery may be low-key secret to 2026 success

Chicago started the regular season with five established starters (Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon) on the Opening Day roster, along with two rotation-capable swingmen (Colin Rea and Ben Brown). Reliable swingman Javier Assad was assigned to start the season in Triple-A Iowa, but would only be a phone call away from Wrigley. Jordan Wicks was also a name tossed about as a possible rotation fill-in. Meanwhile, ace Justin Steele is slated to make his return in May-June.

All told, that makes ten potential starters in the mix for a season where big things are expected.

Now, there’s talk that, maybe, the Cubs won’t have the rotation horses after all.

Horton’s injury spotlights Cubs rotation weak points

More News: Is Chicago Cubs manager tipping new Dodgers-style late-season pitching strategy?

Cade Horton’s forearm injury on Friday and subsequent placement on the 15-day IL is the biggest cause for alarm right now, of course. The 24-year-old right-hander was expected to be an ace-level presence on the mound after a second-half of 2025 that saw him emerge as an elite starter.

But Horton has been injury prone throughout his young career. Last year, he was shut down with a fractured rib late in the regular season and would miss the playoffs entirely. In 2024, he was shut down around mid-season with a shoulder injury. He already has a Tommy John surgery in his past.

At best, Horton had to be seen as a question mark when it came to full season duty.

New Cub Edward Cabrera also has a history of injury, with two stints on the IL just last year.

Matthew Boyd, regarded as injury-prone as well, pitched a full season last year, but it was his first 100+ inning campaign since 2019.

Shota Imanaga got smacked around a bit over the second half of last season and also got smacked around in his first start of this season.

Jameson Taillon got crushed during Cactus League play and looked touchable in his first official start of 2026.

Big problems ahead?

If one of the Cubs’ top starters falters and/or is forced to the IL for a long stretch of time, things will get rough. If a couple starters fall out, there’ll be huge problems. Because, yes, the Cubs have depth, but they’ll need more than seat-fillers. Rea, Brown, and Assad are solid, but there’s a reason they weren’t regarded as rotation fixtures.

For now, as Horton is assessed, the 35-year-old Rea will likely fill the young arm’s spot. The veteran was solid last season as the designated rotation-filler, with a 10-7 record in 27 starts and a 4.33 ERA (11-7, 3.95 ERA overall).

Chicago could do a lot worse when it comes to temporary replacements. But Rea doesn’t bring what Horton brings and “good enough for now” is not what an aspiring championship team needs near the top of their rotation.

For now, it’s reasonable to be alarmed about the team’s starting pitching, especially considering that the season is just beginning and a lot more could happen.

The post Chicago Cubs: Is it already time to sound the starting pitching alarm? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs right-hander Cade Horton exited his start on Friday with apparent forearm discomfort and will head to the injured list.

More News: Chicago Cubs: PCA data suggests a monstrous 2026 may be on the way

Manager Craig Counsell said Horton will stay with the team one more day and travel back to Chicago for imaging. According to Counsell, Horton said he felt discomfort start in his right wrist, which moved up into his forearm. It was ultimately Horton’s decision to stop pitching, as to not do any further harm. 

Craig Counsell said Cade Horton felt discomfort in his wrist that moved to his forearm, and he will travel to Chicago to get it checked out.

An upcoming roster move is likely. https://t.co/oVdej2xNVf pic.twitter.com/oZ9lGdSsWe

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 3, 2026

The Cubs will make a roster move in the coming days with Horton going on the injured list. The Cubs have until April 8 before Horton’s spot comes up again. Horton was 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and had four strikeouts in 7.1 innings.

Despite Cade Horton’s injury, the Chicago Cubs have options

Since the Cubs need another quality starter to fill in for Horton, they need to look no further than Javier Assad. Despite having a great spring, a 1.35 ERA in three games, Assad was optioned to Triple-A due to not having a spot.

Since joining the Iowa Cubs, Assad has struggled, allowing seven earned runs in seven innings (two starts). Even though Assad hasn’t done well, he’d be a quality inning-eater if and until Horton returns.

Right-hander Ben Brown is another option to fill in for the short term. Brown has done well out of the bullpen, having a 2.70 ERA and eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

However, in 114.2 innings as a starter, Brown has struggled, posting a 5.26 ERA. Since Brown’s stuff is more suited for the bullpen, the Cubs bringing up Assad and keeping Brown where he is seems like the best plan.

The post Chicago Cubs manager provides an update on Cade Horton appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have one of the better starting rotations in baseball, but the depth may be tested rather quickly.

Cade Horton, a promising young starter, was starting Friday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, but was pulled early with an injury. Let’s take a closer look at what we know at this point and what it could mean going forward.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton leaves the game with right forearm discomfort

Horton was today’s starter for the Cubs as they begin their road series with the Guardians. He looked sharp in the first inning, but the second inning saw some issues. Horton would throw a 93.8 mph fastball to Bo Naylor and immediately look into the dugout. The trainer and manager Craig Counsell would come out, and Horton would exit the game.

Marquee Sports’ Taylor McGregor would say on the broadcast that he had “tears in his eyes” as he was heading to the clubhouse. The team would officially call the injury right forearm discomfort. Unfortunately, the mind immediately jumps to Tommy John with forearm injuries, but it’s important to note that nothing has been announced at this point.

Horton is coming off a promising 2025 season as a rookie, finishing second in the 2025 National League Rookie of the Year voting. If he is going to miss extended time due to the injury, expect Javier Assad to get called up. He has been pitching in Triple-A and is on the same schedule as Horton has been in terms of starts.

It will be interesting to see what the latest updates for Horton will be. We will likely not find out until after the game concludes when we hear from Counsell.

The post Cade Horton exits start with right forearm discomfort vs. Cleveland Guardians appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs made a lot of moves this past offseason and are now about a week into a 2026 campaign where big things are expected.

More News: Is Chicago Cubs manager tipping new Dodgers-style late-season pitching strategy?

The biggest move, of course, was the signing of three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman to a 5-year, $175 million contract.

They finally pulled the trigger on a trade with the Miami Marlins for emerging powerhouse pitcher Edward Cabrera, who they had been eyeing already for the better part of two seasons.

They also restocked a depleted bullpen with the signing of four free agent relievers (Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey).

They even secured the future of the franchise with big-money six-year extensions for centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and second baseman Nico Hoerner.

Despite a tepid start to the 2026 campaign, most would agree that this Cubs team looks deep and all-around good. The starting rotation is deep, the bullpen is versatile, the defense is elite, the offensive firepower is also there.

Speed kills—opposition

More News: Chicago Cubs trade deemed both smartest and dumbest move of offseason

One overlooked strength, though, could be the key to next-level success this season—speed. Specifically, speed as it pertains to having an aggressive mindset on the bases and the ability to pile up stolen bases.

Third base coach Quintin Berry is one of the key leaders in that area, tasked, along with first base coach Jose Javier, with getting the Cubs moving on base.

Last season, Chicago was tied for third in all of baseball with 161 stolen bases in 196 attempts, marking a near elite-level success rate just above the 82% mark. This season, the team is 7-for-7 in stolen base tries.

Berry came over from manager Craig Counsell’s old team, the Milwaukee Brewers, for the 2025 season in a thus far successful attempt at replicating the Brewers’ aggressive mindset on the bases. A former Cub, himself, Berry spent his MLB playing days as a baserunning specialist.

The Cubs’ baserunning specialist

The Chicago Sun-Times recently talked with him about his role in getting the Cubs moving.

“I’m more of a peace of mind [guy] — peace for [Crow-Armstrong],’’ Berry said. “Just like, what is he thinking, what’s he doing with his body. How to keep him relaxed and be confident.

“A lot of times, guys want to be quick. They’re trying so hard. I think the harder you try, the more tense you get, the more locked up, and then you see things that aren’t there, and then you get real passive, or you get real jumpy.

“So I’m just trying to make guys feel confident, confident and comfortable.’’

While home runs and strikeouts get most of the fan and media love, stealing bases and being able to get an extra bag here and there is such an overlooked asset in baseball. It adds a level of extra pressure to an opponent and forces them to operate outside their original plan. And the Cubs have been built with an eye on speed. Up and down the lineup, with the exception of maybe two spots, there’s some serious running ability present.

Could this ability to steal bases prove to be the deciding factor in how this season finishes? As always, time will tell.

The post Chicago Cubs: Base thievery may be low-key secret to 2026 success appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs, early this season, appear to be very cognizant of what their postseason should look like and how best to optimize a run at a championship. Last year, the focus seemed to be on just making the postseason.

More News: Chicago Cubs trade deemed both smartest and dumbest move of offseason

In 2025, pitching injuries hobbled their playoff run. By the time they reached the NLDS, they were down to, maybe, two reliable starters and two or three trusted relievers. It was a sobering reality that played out at the tail end of an otherwise tremendous season.

In 2026, however, the pitching focus has seemingly shifted to depth and to pacing themselves for a more pitching-powerful postseason.

That, maybe especially, means keeping an eye on the workload of the team’s younger starters and using their long relief to greater benefit early in the season.

That mindset seemed evident in the first starts of Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera.

An early focus on workload

More News: Chicago Cubs: PCA data suggests a monstrous 2026 may be on the way

Both young arms were cooking into the sixth inning with a minimal pitch count. Manager Craig Counsell opted to take both out of their respective games.

Horton and Cabrera do have a history of injury and durability issues, so it’s no surprise that Counsell would want to be cautious with both. Horton, for example, was shut down late in the season and missed the playoffs entirely with a rib injury, after a sizzling post-All-Star break run. But Counsell’s own words to the media after the Horton game reveal, perhaps, more of a long-term team goal than a simple focus on the health of one young arm.

“If you look at history,” Counsell said, “the first three weeks of the season for pitchers are pretty delicate.”

Counsell has also talked about the benefit of having starter-capable pitchers such as Ben Brown and Colin Rea on the team.

“Having a pair of experienced starters filling in the long-reliever role is a luxury for a team,” Counsell said.

“Early in the season, we thought it could be valuable. With unforeseen weather and being cautious with the starters, I think it’s worked out and will continue to be an asset the next couple of weeks.”

It’s been speculated that the Cubs may be trying to adopt a 2025 Dodgers strategy to managing their starting corps, one where the team is ultra conservative with their starters in order to bring a strong and rested rotation into the playoffs.

Adopting the 2025 Dodgers strategy?

Last season, the Dodgers’ rotation was strained throughout much of the regular season due to injury, with only Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivering more than 112.2 innings as a starter.

They were then careful and judicious with the return of injured/recovering starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and even Shohei Ohtani. Ultimately, they were able to reintroduce all three to the rotation just in time for a strong pennant push and then the postseason.

The strategy paid off as Yamamoto and the fresh, strong threesome of Glasnow, Blake, and Ohtani accounted for more than 68% of the innings pitched in the postseason en route to another World Series win for the Dodgers.

The Cubs don’t have the studs the Dodgers did, but they do have big-time depth. The team currently has seven possible starters on the big league roster and Javier Assad in Iowa, with recovering ace Justin Steele set to make his return before mid-season.

If the workload is handled just right, it’s almost a guarantee that Chicago will be able to put together a very nice four-man rotation for what they hope to be a deep postseason run.

Last season, they really didn’t have that luxury of depth—and they ultimately paid the price. This season, they’re angling for a much different end to the season.

The post Is Chicago Cubs manager tipping new Dodgers-style late-season pitching strategy? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have gotten off to a slower start than they had hoped, but there have been some impressive showings. One pitcher made his team debut earlier this week and impressed. Let’s take a closer look at who it was and what it means for the Cubs going forward.

Edward Cabrera’s Chicago Cubs debut was impressive

The Cubs had some solid performances, but starter Edward Cabrera was highlighted for his debut. MLB’s Brent Maguire wrote about some of the top pitching performances. He would mention Cabrera’s excellent debut against the Los Angeles Angels, where he pitched five shutout innings and allowed one hit, one walk, and five strikeouts. Below is what Maguire wrote about Cabrera’s debut:

“The Cubs sent three prospects, including Owen Caissie, to the Marlins over the offseason to acquire Cabrera, fully believing there was another level for the talented right-hander. So far, that inclination looks wise, after Cabrera one-hit the Angels in six innings in his Cubs debut, striking out five batters and only issuing one walk. Cabrera’s usual electric stuff was on display, leading to 15 whiffs on 40 swings, but just as notable (if not more) was the one walk and 61.3 percent strike rate. After running a career-low 8.3 percent walk rate last season (he had never been below 10 percent in a season), another drop in walks could propel Cabrera to another level.”

Cabrera is expected to slot into the middle of Chicago’s pitching rotation and showcase his talents. He was also labeled as the biggest takeaway from the team in the early stages of the season. His pitches had a tick down from where they averaged last season, but that could simply be going from pitching in Miami to outside in Chicago. Cabrera’s changeup forced hitters to go 0 for 8 with three strikeouts in his Cubs debut. It will be intriguing to see if he can continue pitching well as the season goes along.

The post This Chicago Cubs pitcher impressed with his team debut appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs entered the 2026 MLB season as the betting favorite to win the NL Central, and it wasn’t particularly close. Near even odds on most sportsbooks, the Cubs stood out as clear favorites in a weak division that saw two teams trade away key players in the offseason and two more who did little to improve.

It can be nerve-wracking to depend on your offseason eye test, projections or Spring Training stats to place a bet on a team’s projected win total before Opening Day. But now that the first week of the regular season has come and gone, let’s dig into the oddsboard and consider: Are the Chicago Cubs a lock to win the NL Central in 2026?

The biggest reason to like the Cubs has less to do with their own roster and more to do with the landscape around them. The NL Central projects as one of the thinnest divisions in baseball, leaving the Cubs with +120 odds to take the division on most sportsbooks. Browse this list of sportsbooks available in Illinois and you’ll find an array of betting apps that offer MLB futures markets, including NL Central betting odds — and they all come with a generous welcome offer if you haven’t yet signed up with the platform.

Can the Chicago Cubs win the NL Central?

In evaluating the Cubs’ chances to win the division, it’s important to first size up their competition. Let’s start with the Pittsburgh Pirates. On paper, they arguably boast the most exciting rotation in the division, headlined not just by Paul Skenes, but other talented young arms like Bubba Chandler and Mitch Keller. However, that strength is offset by a glaring weakness: defense. Pittsburgh failed to adequately address its fielding issues, eschewing gloves for better bats, which will prove to be a major concern over a 162-game season. Poor defense doesn’t just cost runs — it undermines pitching strengths, inflates pitch counts, and turns winnable games into losses. Even with elite arms, that imbalance makes it difficult to trust the Pirates as a consistent division winner.

The St. Louis Cardinals, historically a steady presence atop the Central, appear to be taking a step back. After trading away several of their best players, including Brendan Donovan, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray, this roster looks more like one in transition than one built to contend. While St. Louis rarely stays down for long, it’s difficult to make a case for them as a serious threat in 2026 given the talent they’ve shipped out and the uncertainty surrounding young players like Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman.

Milwaukee, another recent division staple, also took a noticeable step backward. The departures of Freddy Peralta and Caleb Durbin weaken both their pitching depth and overall roster balance. The Brewers have long relied on maximizing value through development and bullpen usage, but losing a frontline arm like Peralta is not easily overcome. Without a clear upgrade elsewhere, Milwaukee looks more vulnerable than in recent seasons. Yes, we say this every year about the Brewers — but manager Pat Murphy can only work so much magic.

Then there’s Cincinnati, a team that showed flashes in their 2025 playoff run but ultimately made minimal changes in the offseason. The Reds are essentially running it back with the same core that fell short last year, with the exception of Eugenio Suarez, a Reds mainstay from 2015-2021. While continuity can be valuable, it’s less encouraging when the baseline wasn’t good enough to begin with. Unless young players like Sal Stewart and Matt McLain take unexpected leaps, Cincinnati looks more like a .500 team than a true division contender.

Against that backdrop, the Cubs don’t need to be elite — they just need to be better than average. And there’s plenty of reason to believe they can clear that bar.

Chicago made one of the splashier moves of the offseason by adding Alex Bregman. Even if he’s no longer at his absolute peak, Bregman brings a combination of plate discipline, power, and postseason experience that elevates the lineup. He lengthens the order and gives the Cubs a reliable bat in high-leverage situations, something they’ve lacked at times in recent years.

The addition of starting pitcher Edward Cabrera is another intriguing move. Cabrera has shown flashes of top-of-the-rotation stuff, with a high-velocity fastball and swing-and-miss secondary pitches. While consistency has been an issue, a change of scenery could unlock another level. If the Cubs can stabilize his command even slightly, he has the upside to become one of the more impactful arms in the division.

Of course, it wasn’t all positive for Chicago this offseason. Losing Kyle Tucker creates a noticeable hole in the lineup, particularly in terms of left-handed power and overall offensive production. Tucker’s departure raises legitimate questions about run generation, especially against high-end pitching. However, in a division in which few teams project to have dominant rotations, the impact of that loss may be somewhat mitigated.

Ultimately, betting on the Cubs at +120 comes down to a simple calculation: stability versus uncertainty. Chicago has improved in key areas and maintained a competitive core, while their divisional rivals have either regressed, failed to improve, or introduced significant risk factors.

In a stronger division, the Cubs might look like a fringe contender. In the 2026 NL Central, they look like the safest bet. And at +120, the pick may not be dripping with value — but we’ll take a favorite at plus odds any day.

The post Chicago Cubs 2026 Betting Odds as season gets underway appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs had been eyeballing right-handed power pitcher Edward Cabrera of the Miami Marlins for the better part of two years, starting from the end of the 2024 season. They finally pulled the trigger on the trade to bring him over this past offseason.

More News: Chicago Cubs: PCA data suggests a monstrous 2026 may be on the way

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer paid a hefty price for the emerging 27-year-old starter. To bring Cabrera aboard, they had to send over their top prospect OF Owen Caissie, their no. 11 prospect INF Cristian Hernandez, and 19-year-old talent INF Edgardo De Leon.

Both the Cubs and the Marlins walked away from the deal happy. So far, each side has every reason to feel like they came out ahead.

Cabrera and Caissie shining so far

More News: Chicago Cubs: Moving on from Seiya Suzuki may be the team’s Plan A

In Cabrera’s first start with his new team, he blew the Los Angeles Angels away with a masterful showing. On the day, he tossed 6 shutout innings, striking out 5 while giving up only one hit and one walk in a 7-2 win.

The Marlins also have to be pleased with their new outfielder’s season so far, as he’s helped carry them to a very early first place spot atop the NL East. The 23-year-old outfielder has driven in 8 runs so far, with a walk-off home run and an impressive .350 batting average.

The success of both principal players in the Cubs-Marlins swap has created an odd point of debate when it comes to which team actually “won” the trade.

A trade that was both smart and dumb?

Michael Brauner of SI.com encapsulates this perfectly in a recent piece regarding the Cubs dumbest and smartest moves of the offseason—including the trading FOR Cabrera as a smart one and the trading OF Caissie as a dumb one.

Per Brauner:

“Cabrera came in on Monday night and did exactly what he was brought in to do: generate a ton of swing and miss. The right-hander carved up the Los Angeles Angels lineup with six scoreless innings, striking out five and walking one while allowing just one hit.

Cabrera may just wind up as the ace of this staff, and if he keeps looking how he did on Monday night, he very well could be an All-Star as well.

He still has a ton to prove, but it was as strong a beginning to his time with the team as one could possibly hope for.”

Also, per Brauner:

“The way Chicago’s former top prospect has started with the Miami Marlins, it makes fans wish Hoyer had found a way to get Cabrera without sacrificing Caissie.

The 23-year-old has slashed .385/.429/.769 so far this year (.350/.391/.600 currently, as of April 2) coming off a huge showing in the World Baseball Classic and even hit a walk-off home run for Miami the other night. The Cubs needed pitching, but seeing Caissie have a huge rookie season would be a tough pill to swallow.”

There’s no doubt that Cabrera and Caissie will always be connected from this point forward with both team’s fan bases and the value of the trade judged by each player’s performance. But this very well could go down as one of those deals where both sides come out a winner.

The post Chicago Cubs trade deemed both smartest and dumbest move of offseason appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has turned heads very early this season with some very intriguing data points.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Moving on from Seiya Suzuki may be the team’s Plan A

By the account of some well-respected baseball analysts, PCA’s bat speed has ticked up considerably and he’s currently swinging the bat faster than anyone in MLB. As a matter of fact, his top-end bat speed right now is greater than that of any qualified player over the last two seasons.

Last season, the emerging young star, who just signed a 6-year, $115 million contract extension, blew people away with a stellar first half of the year before experiencing a significant fall over the second half. Overall, though, he finished 2025 with high-end stats that included 31 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases, as well as a Gold Glove.

PCA on the verge of even bigger things?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Brilliant Ben Brown angling to take James Taillon’s rotation spot?

Over the offseason, the 24-year-old Crow-Armstrong worked on the mechanics of his batting stance and is sporting a more balanced approach at the plate, which is likely leading to the faster swing speed. So far, though, his 6 hits this season have all been singles.

But increased bat speed is considered a harbinger of good things to come, across the board, for a hitter.

Evan Altman of Cubs Insider lays out the case for why increased bat speed is not only important for power numbers, but also for overall success at the plate:

“The thing about increased bat speed isn’t just that it will directly correlate to more home runs, but that it broadens a hitter’s margin for error. Every additional tick of EV correlates to around 7 feet of ball flight, which means carrying over a shortstop’s glove or past a leaping outfielder. And in a game decided by fractions of inches or seconds, hitting a ball even slightly harder puts that much pressure on the defense.”

A 50-home run season?

Driveline Baseball ops analyst Sam Ehrlich is estimating that PCA’s added 3.5 mph of bat speed—the greatest jump in all of MLB—could make for a 50 home run season if the trend continues.

PCA w +3.5mph of bat speed could be looking at a 50HR season. Small sample, but that is a massive gain https://t.co/KGhKX9jI2A pic.twitter.com/1SHZz2Es9l

— sam ehrlich (@SamEhrlich) March 30, 2026

Eno Sarris of The Athletic, using his own metrics, has arrived at the same conclusion that the young star is currently sporting a mighty swing:

“Pete Crow-Armstrong is swinging a powerful stick right now. Using our method, we find that he’s swinging more than 2 mph harder this March than he did in September. At Driveline Baseball, they are big proponents of bat speed training, and they were enthusiastic about PCA’s gains, even modeling what the increased bat speed would mean.

The real gains for the Cubs’ center fielder are probably smaller than this, but it also seems likely that last year’s 31 homers were not a mirage, and more might be coming this season.”

It’s wild to imagine that a 30+ home run season from the Cubs centerfielder in 2025 could actually be the just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what he’s capable of doing.

Of course, all of this actually has to play out on the field, But, still, it’s pretty exciting to think that the best of PCA may be yet to come.

The post Chicago Cubs: PCA data suggests a monstrous 2026 may be on the way appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After an impressive 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs, Matthew Boyd earned the right to be the team’s opening day starter. He’s leading what is considered one of the top pitching staffs in the national league. But Boyd’s season got off to a rocky start.

In the opener against the Washington Nationals, Boyd only lasted 3.2 innings. He gave up six hits and six runs in the game along with one walk in the game. That ballooned his ERA to 14.73 after just one start.

But then Wednesday happened and he made his second start of the season, this time against the Los Angeles Angels.

Matthew Boyd responds with big outing

Boyd was much better on Wednesday against the Angels, going 5.2 innings allowing just two hits, and one earned run. The biggest thing? He was getting swings and misses as he struck out 10 batters.

Following the game, he earned praise from his manager Craig Counsell.

“He established the change up really well early,” Counsell said on Wednesday after the game. “He played the front and back game, he was able to get strikeouts with the fastball and change up essentially. Just being in zone and competitive with the change up, really set him up as he went through the lineup the second time. He pitched really, really well. The swing-and-miss in both starts is always encouraging.”

It was a cold day with the wind blowing in, but Boyd did look like the 2025 version of himself. That’s encouraging for the Cubs who already got strong starts from Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera this season.

If Boyd can get better as the season goes on, the Cubs really could have one of the best rotations in all of baseball this season.

The post Matthew Boyd responds with strong outing in Chicago Cubs’ win appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a spent a bundle this year extending two prized assets on six-year deals—center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and second baseman Nico Hoerner. In total, that amounts to $256 million invested into the team’s future.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Brilliant Ben Brown angling to take James Taillon’s rotation spot?

But even with the bundle of money spent this past offseason, including the extensions and free agent signings of Alex Bregman and four relievers, the team will still have a lot of money coming off the books after 2026.

Several core members of the roster could become eligible for free agency at the end of this season, including names such as Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Carson Kelly, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon.

Happ or Suzuki?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman points out major change in Cubs business mindset

The outfield situation for Chicago is especially interesting since they could lose both corner outfielders. The 2027 free agent class is not deep with outfielders and both Happ and Suzuki would rank highly on the list of most desired acquisitions if they hit the open market. That’s why the thought is that the front office will make a move to extend at least one of them.

And although Suzuki has a better offensive upside and is a beloved member of the team, re-signing the more consistent and defensively sound Happ may be a more Cubs thing to do.

As a matter of fact, there may already be a Plan B in place for when Suzuki moves on—Ethan Conrad, the team’s first round draft pick in 2025.

By all accounts, Conrad is a true five-tool player who may already be much closer to major league-ready than many anticipate—and this is without having played in one minor league game last season due to a shoulder injury and after starting this season on the IL with a back issue.

The 21-year-old is, apparently, THAT good.

Ethan Conrad lined up to take Suzuki’s spot?

He’s at least good enough and promising enough for the Cubs to not want someone blocking his path to the majors for the next four or five years.

“He’s somebody that can turn a double into a triple with his speed, and I think he’s somebody that is gonna be able to put pressure on the defense in a number of different ways,” Cubs vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz said at the time of the draft. “His decision-making, his ability to make contact, his ability to hit for damage — all three of those pillars are there, and we think that he’s just getting better across the board.”

“Ethan is a five-tool player, who is a gamer,” Conrad’s head coach at Wake Forest Tom Walter said. “This is a great pick by the Chicago Cubs. Ethan will be a guy who will play in the big leagues for a long time and is a potential All-Star. His bat-to-ball skills are elite and he is just scratching the surface of his power potential.”

And the Cubs may already have a backup to Conrad.

Kevin Alcantara as a Plan B?

Kevin Alcantara, who’s flirted with a major league role over the last three seasons is tearing things up in Triple-A Iowa so far this year. The 23-year-old has already hit two home runs and a double in 13 at bats.

The Cubs could let Suzuki walk and then roll the dice on Conrad or Alcantara winning the right field spot. They may also pick up a lower-level free agent next season as temporary one-season insurance for that spot. Because of their prospects’ promise, they may not want a corner outfield spot filled for an extended period of time anyway.

Of course, Conrad has to actually play a game of pro ball before he can be anointed the next big outfield thing and Alcantara has to prove that he can be consistently good over an entire season. But the Cubs do have options and they seem more and more likely to trust in them as soon as next season.

The post Chicago Cubs: Moving on from Seiya Suzuki may be the team’s Plan A appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs came up short against the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, but there was some good news mixed into the bad of a 2-0 loss.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw’s options running out after Hoerner extension

The biggest piece of positivity was the performance of Ben Brown, who came into the game in the top of the sixth inning with two outs and a pair of runners on base. The 26-year-old proceeded to cook through his appearance.

Overall, the lanky right-hander pitched 3.1 scoreless innings, striking out 5 against 1 hit and 1 walk. The impressive box score numbers, alone, don’t even tell the full story of Brown’s performance, though.

Brown dazzles, Taillon hangs tough:

More News: Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman points out major change in Cubs business mindset

The young arm dazzled with a mix of overpowering stuff and outstanding placement. He was also sporting supreme control with 39 strikes in 50 pitches thrown.

This was his second appearance of the season and he delivered much better results this time out, although he did notch 3 strikeouts against the Nationals in relief on Opening Day. Overall this early season, he’s sporting a 2.70 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched.

Brown fought his way this spring to the last bullpen spot on the roster and he’s quickly making a case for staying in the majors. If he keeps up the long-relief brilliance, he could also force himself back into the running for a rotation spot.

Starter Jameson Taillon didn’t quite dazzle Tuesday night, but he showed that he could perform well, even when he doesn’t have his A+ stuff. On the evening, the veteran struck out 3 over 4.2 innings while giving up 2 hits and 4 walks.

The reality is that he looked to be on the verge of allowing a big inning on a couple of occasions this outing, but he managed to maneuver out of trouble. Regardless, the scoreless appearance was a relief after a horrendous spring where he posted a 17.55 ERA over 5 games and experienced a significant dip in velocity. That velocity dip (the four-seamer was down to 90-91 mph on Tuesday) is still there, however, and that is definitely something to watch.

“I thought Jameson pitched well,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the game. “I thought he navigated it and there was really very little hard contact…They drove the pitch count up on him a little bit, but he did a really nice job.”

After the game, the 34-year-old said he felt good and expressed his relief with being able to get to Chicago and restart his pitching a bit.

A swap of roles?

But the tremendous Brown outing and Taillon’s lower-velocity outing happening on the same day kind of introduces the possibility that, maybe, there could be a swap of roles between the two before the end of the season.

The Cubs believe that Brown’s ultimate place will be as a starter and Taillon is working on the last year of his contract before becoming a free agent. If the younger, cheaper Brown can establish himself as a consistent presence over multiple innings, there could be a push to get him into the rotation and move Taillon into a swing man role, especially if there are no significant injuries in the rotation necessitating the use of both as starters.

That’s a big “if,” of course. Brown has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, before much longer stretches of struggle. Taillon, meanwhile, has shown the veteran ability to stabilize and solidify his game after a rough stretch of outings.

For now, the Cubs will let the season play on and make decisions further down the road.

The post Chicago Cubs: Brilliant Ben Brown angling to take James Taillon’s rotation spot? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs got off to a slower start than the team was hoping for, going 2-2 in their first four games. While a slow start does not necessarily indicate anything for the entire season, it will affect them in the power rankings. Let’s take a closer look at how far they fell in one outlet’s power rankings.

The Chicago Cubs drop four spots in The Athletic’s power rankings

The Cubs dropped from being tied for fourth place in the preseason rankings to now being eighth. Their average ranking was 8.0 by the selection panel. The Athletic’s Chad Jennings wrote the following snippet regarding the Cubs’ opening four games of the season:

“After a winter where the Cubs finally acted like a big-market team, it had to be at least a little disappointing to come out and lose two of three, especially to a Nationals team that spent the winter offloading big-league talent. But it’s just three of 162. Right now, that’s completely shrug-offable, a blip on the schedule. If the Cubs go into a tailspin, it won’t be because of this, and if they’re a playoff team, it wont’t even really be in spite of this. It’s just a thing that happened.

“The only way it really matters would be if the Cubs miss a division win or the postseason by one game. If that happens, I promise to rewrite this section.”

Below is the full top 10 list that The Athletic had for their power rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. New York Yankees
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. New York Mets
6. Milwaukee Brewers
7. Boston Red Sox
8. Chicago Cubs
9. Philadelphia Phillies
10. Atlanta Braves

This is a bit of a more harsh drop than the Bleacher Report power rankings, which saw Chicago only drop one spot. The team has two home games remaining against the Los Angeles Angels before a three-game road series against the Cleveland Guardians. It will be intriguing to see if they can turn things around and get back to the top five in the power rankings.

The post Chicago Cubs drop in The Athletic’s Week 1 MLB power rankings appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs went out and bolstered the starting pitching rotation by acquiring Edward Cabrera this offseason from the Miami Marlins. It cost the Cubs top prospect, Owen Caissie who is off to a hot start this season. But if Cabrera pitches like he did in his debut on Monday, the trade will pay off.

The starter went six innings, struck out five batters and allowed just one hit and one walk in his debut. He quickly won over the Wrigley Field faithful as he mowed down the Los Angeles Angels lineup, helping the Cubs get their second win of the season. After a tough weekend in which the Cubs lost the series to Washington, they needed an outing like this.

That was especially true after both Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga struggled in their starts to open the season. Following the start, Cabrera earned some praise not only from his teammates but from a former Cubs slugger as well.

Cliff Floyd believes Edward Cabrera has no-hit stuff

Following the Cubs win over the Angels, Cliff Floyd had nothing but praise for Cabrera on the team’s postgame show on Marquee Network. He went through Cabrera’s outing, pointing out some positive stuff.

“He didn’t shake off Carson [Kelly] once, he was in rhythm, he was in a flow. It allowed him to get deep into the ball game. I’m serious, he’s going to throw a no-hitter,” Floyd said. “If he can keep this stuff up and stay healthy, a no-hitter is gonna go under his belt at some point.”

It was certainly an impressive outing for Cabrera in his first start at Wrigley Field. Floyd has some good points too about how he was able to get into a flow of the game and pitch the six innings.

With teams monitoring pitch counts now, no-hitters are becoming even more rare. That would be an obstacle for Cabrera in Floyd’s prediction. However, you have to be encouraged by his first start as a member of the Cubs and what it could mean for this rotation moving forward.

The post Former Cubs slugger predicts big achievement is in Edward Cabrera’s future appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Former Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox right-hander Michael Soroka had quite the debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

More News: Chicago White Sox’s pair of grand slams makes MLB history

Signing a one-year ($7.5 million) contract in the offseason, Soroka scattered four hits, struck out 10, and walked one in five innings against the Detroit Tigers. According to MLB Stats, Soroka’s 10 strikeouts surpassed Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson for most strikeouts in a Diamondbacks debut.

Dominance in the desert

Michael Soroka passed Hall of Famer Randy Johnson for the most strikeouts in a @Dbacks debut!

(MLB x @SageUSAmerica) pic.twitter.com/QAHCCE2kOq

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) March 31, 2026

Michael Soroka pitches an immaculate inning in his debut

Even more impressive the former All-Star (2021), Soroka pitched an immaculate inning (nine strikes, three strikeouts). Soroka struck out Tigers shortstop and former Cub Javier Baez, designated hitter Kerry Carpenter, and second baseman Gleyber Torres.

IMMACULATE INNING FOR MICHAEL SOROKA!

10 strikeouts through 5 innings in his @Dbacks debut! pic.twitter.com/M9hopu3jxN

— MLB (@MLB) March 31, 2026

The seven-year veteran knew he was in the middle of an immaculate inning with one strike remaining on Torres. Soroka called Torres a “good hitter” and tried to throw a pitch in the zone to complete the feat.

“It was pretty special,” Soroka said to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. “I think I’ve talked to you guys about not putting too much stock in results but I think that’s one that’s worth celebrating. Gleyber is a good hitter, he’s quite passive, too. So I wanted to make sure it was something in the zone and just give myself a chance to get it done right there. So pretty cool. I tried to play it off, but started smiling on the field.”

Soroka’s performance helped the Diamondbacks secure their first victory of the season. The 28-year-old filled up the strike zone, with 60 of his 89 pitches being strikes.
The Diamondbacks right-hander also threw first-pitch strikes to nine out of the 20 batters faced. He also recorded five outs via flyout (three) and groundout (two).

The post Former Cubs and White Sox SP impresses in Diamondbacks debut appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Fireball pitcher Edward Cabrera raised many eyebrows on Monday night in his Chicago Cubs debut. The 27-year old righty pitched six shutout innings, giving up just one hit, walking one, and striking out five in the Cubs’ 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He threw 80 pitches (49 strikes) before Craig Counsell put in Colin Rea to get the final nine outs. The lone Angels hit was a Nolan Schanuel single in the fourth inning, and he did not face anyone with multiple men on base.

Per the Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro, it was the largest home crowd Cabrera has ever pitched in front of. He was definitely pumped up in this one, and having that crowd behind him had to provide a rush.

https:///Twitter.com/MegMontemurro/status/2038818875685409158

Cabrera showed off his filthy stuff.

Cubs fans who had not watched a ton of Marlins games in the past got a taste of what kind of stuff Cabrera features. While the high 90s fastball is a nice weapon, the 90+ MPH changeups and hard breaking balls can really catch one’s attention. His high-octane changeup running down and in to righties resulted in several strikeouts on Monday night, as did the curve down and away.

Edward Cabrera, Filthy 92mph Changeup. pic.twitter.com/PbIEgmgyXl

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 31, 2026

It certainly helped Cabrera that the Cubs jumped out to a 3-0 lead early and kept adding on, putting less pressure on him. The Angels might not be projected to be a contender, but they came into Wrigley Field having scored 25 runs over their first four games, with Mike Trout looking like his old self. Worth noting that Cabrera recorded his first strikeout as a Cub with the curve against Trout.

Edward Cabrera’s first strikeout as a Cub is Mike Trout pic.twitter.com/vtdpeU2ldo

— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) March 30, 2026

All in all, it was a great debut for Cabrera. Could not ask for much more. The stuff has always been there, despite the inconsistencies with command and injuries over the years. Hopefully there are plenty more of those types of outings to come, and he’s healthy this season.

Ian Happ on Edward Cabrera: "The stuff is just nasty." pic.twitter.com/0rZ9GQHPHU

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 31, 2026

The post Edward Cabrera was electric in his Cubs debut appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have had a tough beginning to the regular season, losing two of three games to the Washington Nationals. However, this team is still very talented and should be able to get back on track in the early portion of the season. One outlet had them move in the early power rankings, so let’s see where they stand now.

The Chicago Cubs drop one spot on Bleacher Report’s MLB power rankings

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter released the latest MLB power rankings following the first weekend of the 2026 regular season. The Cubs fell one spot as they are now in the sixth spot after losing two of three games at home against the Washington Nationals to begin the season. Below is what he wrote about the team’s rankings:

“A series loss to a Nationals team most expect to take up residence in the NL East cellar is a less-than-ideal way for the Cubs to start the season, but they did look sharp in a 10-2 victory on Saturday. It was a much more successful week for the front office, as they hammered out extensions for Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner.”

The team was also placed in the second tier of teams. Below are the six teams that were placed in the second tier of the power rankings in order of their power rankings:

• New York Yankees
• New York Mets
• Seattle Mariners
• Chicago Cubs
• Boston Red Sox
• Philadelphia Phillies

The Cubs have some tough lineups to navigate as they have three home games against the Los Angeles Angels before going on the road for three games against the Cleveland Guardians. It will be intriguing to see if they can crack the top five once again this time next week.

The post Chicago Cubs fall one spot in Bleacher Report’s MLB power rankings appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have one of the most talented pitching staffs in Major League Baseball. They are expected to be one of the best teams in the sport, and the pitching staff has a lot of quality arms. But where do they rank in terms of pitching staffs in the sport? Let’s take a closer look at where one outlet is ranking the Cubs’ pitching this season.

Bleacher Report ranks the Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff outside of the top 10

Josh Reuter of Bleacher Report had the task of ranking all 30 MLB pitching staffs. While the team made some additions, Chicago found itself just outside the top 10 in 11th place. Below is the reasoning he gave for the positioning of the team:

“The Cubs didn’t land the bona fide ace this offseason, but there’s still a lot to like about a rotation of Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and newcomer Edward Cabrera. They will also have 2023 All-Star Justin Steele back at some point in 2026. Flame-throwing Daniel Palencia is poised to join the ranks of baseball’s elite closers. Veterans Hunter Harvey and Phil Maton were signed to bridge the setup gap.”

To put in perspective what this ranking means, below are the 10-15 rankings that Reuter posted:

• 10: New York Mets
• 11: Chicago Cubs
• 12: San Diego Padres
• 13: Pittsburgh Pirates
• 14: Toronto Blue Jays
• 15: Houston Astros

The Cubs traded prospects to the Miami Marlins to acquire Edward Cabrera and improve the starting rotation. The team also added four bullpen arms in Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Jacob Webb, and Hoby Milner. Reuter mentioned his rankings were based off starting pitchers, bullpen, and organizational depth. With an injured Justin Steele returning this season, it will be intriguing to see how the pitching staff does in 2026.

The post Bleacher Report ranks Chicago Cubs outside top 10 pitching staffs appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs and second baseman Nico Hoerner have recently agreed to a massive six-year contract extension, avoiding him from potentially heading to free agency after the season. Chicago has shown the ability to extend some young talent, with center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also signing an extension since the regular season began. There was one big demand that Hoerner and his camp had for this contract, but what was it? Let’s take a closer look and discuss what it means for Hoerner and the Cubs going forward.

Nico Hoerner demanded a full no-trade clause in his contract extension with the Chicago Cubs

The Cubs had a press conference following their 6-3 home loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon to announce Hoerner’s contract extension. During the press conference, the president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made it known that there was one major demand that Hoerner had: a full no-trade clause. Hoyer mentioned how the deal was contingent on it as well.

The full no-trade clause means he will be with the Cubs through the 2032 season. The contract details have him making $12 million this season, $23 million in 2027 and 2028, and $20 million for the remaining four years of this deal. With Hoerner signed through his age-35 season, this locks up second base for Chicago for the foreseeable future.

Coming off a season where he received National League Most Valuable Player votes for the first time in his career, Hoerner is expected to be a force in the lineup and as a star-studded second baseman on the field. It will be intriguing to see how Hoerner plays heading into his 30s and if he will outplay his contract extension as one of the longest-tenured Cubs players in recent memory.

The post Nico Hoerner insisted on this clause to be in his Chicago Cubs extension appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs bats woke up on Saturday in a 10-2 win, but the team has much more work to do if they want to be a playoff contender after losing to the Washington Nationals 6-3 on Sunday.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw’s options running out after Hoerner extension

The Cubs squandered an opportunity to win their opening series at Wrigley Field.

Shota Imanaga was the losing pitcher for Chicago, allowing four earned runs on six hits in 5.0 innings pitched on Sunday. The Nationals put up three runs in the first inning in front of a crowd of 33,559 at Wrigley Field.

The loss came just days after second baseman Nico Hoerner signed a six-year contract extension worth $141 million. He went 1-of-4 at-bat on Sunday, and has two hits and 11 at-bats through the first three games of the season.

Chicago Cubs 2B Nico Hoerner is thinking about a World Series

More News: The Chicago Cubs’ x-factor in 2026 may be this unsung hero

Amid the rough start, Hoerner told reporters on Sunday that he wanted to stay with the Cubs because he believes the team can win a World Series.

“I think there’d be nothing more rewarding and satisfying than winning a championship in the place that you started,” Hoerner said, via Marquee Sports Network. “There are just so many relationships in this building and people that I’ve gotten to know over the years, and it’s just those kinds of celebrations that mean that much more.

“When it’s with people that you’ve been through a lot with. We can get a small taste of that just making the playoffs last year, winning a first-round series… I think we’re a part of a group right now that’s capable of a whole lot more, and I think that should be the standard moving forward.”

"I think there'd be nothing more rewarding and satisfying than winning a championship in the place that I started."

Nico Hoerner is ready to bring home some hardware pic.twitter.com/VN8wawGr5m

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 29, 2026

The Cubs didn’t look like a postseason contender during their series with the Nationals. It was a series the team absolutely should have won.

Chicago will ned host the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

The post Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner makes big statement amid 1-2 start appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the more intriguing teams as the 2026 season begins. They have some incredible talent throughout their roster and expect to be in the hunt for the World Series this season. There are a lot of things that need to go right for that to happen. What does one outlet believe is the best-case scenario for the roster? Let’s take a closer look at what they said and why they believe that.

The best-case scenario for the Chicago Cubs is to have their starting pitching pan out

Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly wrote an article discussing the best-case scenario for each team. For the Cubs, he highlighted having the starting rotation pan out. Below is what he wrote about the team:

Not many teams have a wider varience in possible outcomes with their starting rotation in 2026 than Craig Counsell and the Cubs. In the best-case scenario, a rotation made up of Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon-with Justin Steele also working his way back from the left elbow surgery he had last April-could be really good… Certainly, though, if the rotation that president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has assembled can stay healthy, there will be playoff games at Wrigley Field this October.”

The Cubs saw the team finish eighth in starting pitcher ERA in 2025, so this would certainly be a great sign. Adding Edward Cabrera to the rotation is great, but there are some depth concerns with this rotation as well. Chicago’s rotation looks good on paper, but how they look early in the season can be a sign. With Chicago making changes to its lineup and bullpen, the starting pitching has the most variance. It will be intriguing to see how the starting rotation looks throughout the 2026 season.

The post This is the Chicago Cubs best-case outcome for the 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs ownership had been blasted prior to this offseason for being too conservative, too unwilling to spend like the major market team they are. Those criticisms have been quieted this year.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw’s options running out after Hoerner extension

Over the offseason, the Cubs restocked a depleted bullpen with four free agent relievers, signed free agent three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, and extended center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong on a six-year-deal. After Opening Day, they then extended second baseman Nico Hoerner on another six-year deal. They even flipped on their informal policy against deferred money by using some of that down-the-road cash in the Bregman and Hoerner deals.

Per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic:

“Within one fiscal quarter, the Chicago Cubs guaranteed $431 million to three players [Bregman, PCA, Hoerner] in deals that will cover 17 total seasons.”

Throw in the bullpen acquisitions, minor league contract deals, and a couple of position players, and we’re talking about a half-billion dollars invested into the team this year by the Ricketts family. It’s not Dodgers-level spending, but this isn’t something done unless ownership is really serious about winning.

Bregman speaks on Cubs investment

More News: The Chicago Cubs’ x-factor in 2026 may be this unsung hero

“They see the potential of this team being a winner for a sustainable period of time,” Bregman told reporters Saturday at Wrigley Field. “When you have a team like that, you want to invest in it.”

The soon-to-be 32-year-old Bregman was acquired as a cornerstone of the Cubs immediate future and now he has company in that regard with Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner.

Including shortstop Dansby Swanson and first baseman Michael Busch, who are both under contract through the 2029 season, the Cubs are guaranteed to be featuring the same five of eight position players for at least the next four season. And that number becomes six of eight if you include catcher Miguel Amaya, who is also under contract through the 2029 season.

That’s the kind of security most teams would kill for. The Cubs, specifically, believe in the team they’re fielding to such a degree that they were willing to go all-in, monetarily (at least as all-in as the Cubs would realistically go).

Daring in the face of uncertainty

Chicago’s offseason daring wasn’t just limited to spending, though. Trading their top prospect Owen Caissie (along with two other prospects) for three years of pitcher Edward Cabrera also screams of confidence that they can not only compete for a championship right now, but also win one (or more).

“It’s hard to try and re-create something good every year with a bunch of new pieces,” Swanson told media. “That’s in any business. So when you have good things going, you try and find ways to keep them and also improve at the same time. Continuity is huge.”

The Cubs are still facing a lot of uncertainty this offseason, however. Core elements of the team such as Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Carson Kelly, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga could all be gone next season via free agency. The bullpen could also find itself nearly as depleted at the end of 2026 as it was at the end of 2025.

For now, though, the Cubs have locked in much of the foundation for the future. Whether they’re actually serious about winning should stop being a question.

The post Chicago Cubs: Alex Bregman points out major change in Cubs business mindset appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of excitement in the early stages of the 2026 season. The team has a lot of young players who can be impactful on an everyday basis, but one player can really make things click. There are some incredible hitters, but one has one of the boldest predictions by one outlet. Let’s take a deeper dive into what the bold prediction is and why it is not as far-fetched as it originally seems.

Nico Hoerner is predicted to win the 2026 National League batting title

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter wrote an article with 10 bold predictions for the 2026 season. One of his predictions was that Chicago’s second baseman Nico Hoerner would win the NL batting title. Looking back at last season, there are reasons to be optimistic. Below is what he based his prediction on:

“After a strong second half led to a career-high 114 OPS+ last season, he looks poised for a career year offensively. The 28-year-old hit .317 after the All-Star break, including a .333/.375/.467 line in 112 plate appearances over the final month. His .297 average overall trailed only Trea Turner (.304) in the NL batting title race. With his speed, contact skills and good lineup protection, Hoerner is one of the few solid bets in the sport to push for a .300 batting averge. Picking up where he left off last September would propel him to the top of the NL leaderboard.”

There has not been a Cubs player to win the National League batting title since Derrek Lee did so in 2005. That season, Lee posted a .335 batting average. In terms of Hoerner, he has been one of the most consistent contact hitters in the game. Hoerner is coming off signing a massive six-year extension on Thursday and is a career .282 hitter. It will be intriguing to see how the lineup looks if he can be a solid hitter who keeps the lineup rolling in the middle of the lineup.

The post Nico Hoerner gets bold prediction for 2026 season after signing extension appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs made early-season headlines when their extension of second baseman Nico Hoerner hit the news, seemingly out of nowhere.

More News: The Chicago Cubs’ x-factor in 2026 may be this unsung hero

The deal for Hoerner is a nice, fat one—befitting one a player of his caliber deserves, actually. The elite-level contact-hitter and Gold Glove middle infielder will get $141 million over six years, with deferred money factoring into the equation.

The deal will keep him in Chicago through the 2032 season and ensure that that the Dansby Swanson-Hoerner double play tandem stays together at least through 2029, when Swanson’s contract runs out.

This is good news for the Cubs and for Cubs fans. Hoerner has proven his worth with the team over the years and, last year, he was an absolute spark plug for Chicago, especially in the latter part of the season and through the playoffs, where he hit .419 in eight games.

But Hoerner’s deal to stay in Chicago is not great news for everyone.

Bad news for Matt Shaw

More News: Could Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins be the next rookie surprise?

Matt Shaw has to be a bit troubled by the team’s decision.

The Cubs’ 2023 no. 1 draft pick came through the farm system as a bat-first prospect, but was nudged towards the third base and second base positions because of big league roster needs. He landed his first major league gig last season as the team’s starting third baseman.

The Cubs, then, of course, acquired third baseman Alex Bregman. Shaw was moved from the hot corner and made a utility man. The thought, however, was that the 24-year-old was being kept around as insurance in case Hoerner opted to explore free agency.

Now, that second base plan is off the table.

Shaw will get playing time as the backup third baseman and second baseman. He’s also getting a shot at the outfield and first base.

Right now, he’s playing right field as a replacement for the injured Seiya Suzuki, but Suzuki will be coming back fairly soon. When the Japanese star is back in his spot, Shaw will go right back to the bench, playing a little bit of everywhere.

“Honestly, it’s been a lot of fun,” Shaw told reporters earlier in the spring. “It feels like Little League, playing a bunch of different positions and moving around. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

This player-without-a-position thing might not be so fun and enjoyable, though, as Shaw further faces the reality that there may be no spot for him on the roster, at least not as a full-time starter.

Shaw’s only spot may be corner outfield

That’s why the pressure is on to look as good as he can in right field while he’s being given the playing time. Suzuki and left fielder Ian Happ are both eligible for free agency after the end of the season and the Cubs may not hold on to either.

Shaw’s best chance to wedge himself into a starting position in Chicago is at a corner outfield spot next season if the Cubs don’t bring back Suzuki and/or Happ. Other than that, barring major injury to Bregman or Hoerner, Shaw’s Cubs future may be as a utility man or, more likely, as trade bait for more pitching.

For now, Shaw is getting his shot in right. His Opening Day performance was solid, although he did misjudge one wind-swatted fly ball a bit before recovering to make the catch. Whatever the case, one wouldn’t blame him for feeling added stress these days.

The post Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw’s options running out after Hoerner extension appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the best teams in adding talent this offseason. As a result, their lineup is projected to be one of the premier lineups in the sport. But where does it rank among the rest of Major League Baseball? Let’s take a closer look into where one outlet believes the team’s lineup ranks.

Bleacher Report ranks the Chicago Cubs lineup outside of the top five in MLB

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter wrote an article power ranking all 30 MLB lineups. While he had the Cubs listed high, they were outside of the top five in sixth place. Below is the snippet he provided to discuss Chicago’s lineup:

“With Kyle Tucker gone and Alex Bregman now manning third base, the Cubs will have a different look this season, but all the pieces are still there for them to be an elite offense. Moises Ballesteros will get a shot at everyday playing time in the DH role, and his 60-hit, 55-power offensive profile could mean another impact bat.”

To understand his thinking, below are the five teams he listed ahead of the Cubs:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. New York Mets
4. Athletics
5. New York Yankees

This is not the only outlet that loves what the lineup looks like. The Cubs added a few new hitters to their 26-man roster in Alex Bregman, Michael Conforto, Scott Kingery, and Dylan Carlson. Even without Tucker on the team, this lineup should be one of the best in the sport. They have some solid hitters and need players like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner to continue showing improvement.

Just as Reuter mentioned, Ballesteros is one of the more interesting hitters, but could also struggle as almost every young hitter does. It will be intriguing to see if they can crack the top five as the season goes along.

The post Chicago Cubs lineup ranks outside of top 5 in MLB, per Bleacher Report appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Former Chicago Cubs outfielder and 14th overall pick by the Atlanta Braves, Jason Heyward, has officially retired. The man who made the famous rain delay speech in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series last played in a Major League game on May 23rd, 2025 with the San Diego Padres. He finishes a 16-year career with five Gold Gloves, a .255/.336/.408 slashline with 186 home runs and .744 OPS in 1,824 games.

Jason Heyward has officially retired, via a release today. 16 years, two rings, one rain delay speech.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) March 27, 2026

Heyward’s legacy on the North Side.

Heyward signed the biggest free agent contract in Cubs history in December, 2015. Coming off a very good season with the Cardinals, the Cubs won the bidding war to get the All Star outfielder. There is no debate that the offensive numbers Heyward posted in a Cubs uniform did not live up to the expectations of the $184 million deal. As a Cub, he hit .245/.323/.377 with a .700 OPS, 62 homers, and an 85 OPS+ in 744 games. He was eventually cut with money and years still owed after 2022.

With that said, Heyward was part of a World Series Cubs team and four Cubs postseason teams total. His defense was very good, winning two of his five Gold Gloves in Chicago, and he was a respected leader in the clubhouse. Even if the results were not there, the work ethic and respect were. Heyward carried himself with class and was a great asset to the community. Just a few years ago, he opened his baseball academy in Chicago.

As corny as it is, the rain delay speech will live in Cubs lore forever. Blowing a 5-1 and 6-3 lead and being in a delay before extra innings put the players, as Anthony Rizzo would say, in a “glass case of emotion.” Rallying the troops and winning in 10 innings proved to be huge in ending a 108-year drought. That was worth something. It’s fitting he retired and can celebrate the 10-year anniversary this season.

Happy retirement to Jason Heyward.

The post Cubs World Series champion outfielder officially retires appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs aren’t hesitating to lock up their talented young players, dishing out two extensions.

More News: 3 takeaways from 2026 Chicago Cubs Opening Day

All-Star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (six years, $115 million) received his extension as spring training ended, with second baseman Nico Hoerner also receiving one. Hoerner and the Cubs reportedly agreed to a six-year extension, preventing the Gold Glove winner from hitting free agency this offseason.

The Cubs also spent money in free agency. All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman signed a lucrative contract (five years, $175 million) with the Cubs after they pursued him the offseason before.
Despite the Cubs’ willingness to pay Crow-Armstrong, Hoerner, and Bregman, two players may not receive extensions.

The Chicago Cubs may let two core players walk in free agency

Outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are core members of the Cubs’ lineup and are two players who may not receive extensions. Pending free agents, Suzuki signed a five-year ($85 million) contract in 2022, while Happ signed a three-year extension ($61 million) in 2024.

Suzuki had a breakout season in 2025, mashing 32 home runs and driving in 103 RBI. Happ was his consistent self, having his third straight 20+ home run season (23), and winning his fourth straight Gold Glove.

Both should get extensions, but the Cubs aren’t likely to extend both. Happ and Suzuki are entering their early 30s, and Suzuki is on the injured list with a knee injury.

MLB’s labor negotiations could affect the Cubs’ signing of Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki

The looming work stoppage for 2027 may also affect the Cubs’ efforts to sign Suzuki and Happ. MLB’s wanting a “salary cap” will change how teams spend. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires on December 1, 2026.

Currently, teams can spend as much as they want, with penalties (taxes) applying once they reach a threshold. Under the current CBA, the luxury tax in 2026 is $244 million.
The Cubs’ current payroll, per Spotrac, sits at $246.65 million, the second time in this CBA (2024) the Cubs have surpassed the luxury tax. The Cubs total allocations for 2027 sit at $105.6 million — Hoerner’s contract details are still unknown.

Suzuki’s power potential could sway the Cubs to sign him over Happ. However, a consistent Gold Glove winner in left, paired with a Gold Glove center fielder (PCA, 2025), could be more beneficial.

Outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara — Alcantara was optioned to the minor leagues — is waiting in the wings and one of, or maybe both, Happ and Suzuki could be departing.

The post Two Chicago Cubs who may get left out of the extension carousel appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The 2026 MLB season is finally here following Wednesday night’s showcase on Netflix between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. But for the Chicago Cubs, they held Opening Day on Thursday at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs dropped the opener to the Washington Nationals, falling to 0-1 on the year. It was a shaky start for Ben Brown who was cruising before allowing seven total runs. But before the game, another story regarding Cubs pitching broke from the offseason.

One of Chicago’s needs this offseason was more bullpen help. They almost got it too in the form of former All-Star closer Devin Williams who eventually signed with the New York Mets. However, the Cubs were very much in on Williams per a new report.

Chicago Cubs were outbid for Devin Williams, other relievers

The 31-year-old Williams is now a member of the Mets, signing a three-year deal there this offseason. Prior to that, he was traded by Milwaukee to the New York Yankees last offseason. But Chicago almost had a chance to land him as Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma wrote in The Athletic on Thursday:

The Cubs made a three-year offer to All-Star closer Devin Williams but did not come close to the $51 million that the New York Mets guaranteed. The Mets and Philadelphia Phillies also outbid the Cubs for relievers Luke Weaver and Brad Keller, who each landed two-year, $22 million contracts from those respective NL contenders.

Along with Williams, the report states that the Cubs were also outbid for relievers Luke Weaver and Brad Keller. That’s tough to hear.

The Cubs’ bullpen will be in the spotlight once again this season and on Thursday they saw Boyd give up six earned runs while Ben Brown gave up two. If Chicago’s pitching struggles, it could be a long year for them.

The post REPORT: Chicago Cubs were outbid for All-Star closer this offseason appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Opening Day has come and gone for the Chicago Cubs, and it looks like it is one Cubs fans would like to forget. However, there are some positive things that can come out of the first game of the season. Only a few days after signing center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong to an extension, it appears the front office was not done. Let’s take a closer look at what is being reported.

Nico Hoerner has reportedly signed an extension with the Chicago Cubs

Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation has reported that second baseman Nico Hoerner has agreed to an extension with the Cubs. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers has reported that it is a six-year contract to add some details. However, the price tag has not been announced as of this writing. This is a massive sign of Chicago looking to extend its window to be a sustained winner. Now another integral part of the team is locked into a long-term deal.

Hoerner had a strong 2025 season. He finished with top-20 votes for the National League Most Valuable Player Award and the NL Gold Glove at second base. At the plate, he posted a .739 OPS with seven homers, 61 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 29 stolen bases. He provides a stable contact-oriented hitter at the plate with incredible defensive prowess in the middle of the infield.

Hoerner is in the final year of his three-year, $35 million deal. However, it is likely that the extension will keep that contract in place. He is slated to make $12 million in 2026 before this extension, but he will avoid free agency. It appears that Jed Hoyer and the rest of the front office believe in this core to be a winning group. This will be intriguing to watch as Chicago could be a serious threat in 2026. Hoerner can step up without the pressures of the contract in a place he is familiar with.

The post Chicago Cubs reportedly extend second baseman Nico Hoerner appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Washington Nationals got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead on the Chicago Cubs in the second inning of Opening Day.

More News: The Chicago Cubs’ x-factor in 2026 may be this unsung hero

The Cubs struck back in the third, taking a 2-1 lead on a single by Pete Crow-Armstrong that allowed Michael Busch to score.

But the fourth inning was a disaster for starting pitcher Matthew Boyd, who allowed four runs before Ben Brown came into relieve him with two outs. Brown gave up a two-run shot by Nationals center fielder Jacob Young, allowing Washington to take a convincing 7-2 lead before the Cubs’ next at-bat.

During his postgame news conference, Boyd told the media he felt like he was in a rhythm early, but didn’t make an adjustment when he needed to in the fourth inning.

“Was executing pitches and one whatnot, then just fourth inning,” Boyd said, via Marquee Sports Network. “Honestly, I just needed to make an adjustment faster and that, you know, I wasn’t able to. And, you know, that’s kind of the story of the game.

“Unfortunately, that was the difference maker that gave them a big enough lead to kind of roll with it. And that’s on me. I got to make an adjustment faster, and, you know, I’ll be better from it. But yeah, it’s unfortunate.”

A rough start for the Chicago Cubs

More News: Could Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins be the next rookie surprise?

Boyd allowed six hits and six earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched. He struck out seven batters and walked one batter.

Washington outhit the Cubs 11-8. The Cubs only earned four runs in a 10-4 loss to Washington in front of 39,712 fans at Wrigley Field on Thursday.

The Cubs lost their first game of the season in 2025 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan. The team still made the playoffs.

But Thursday’s loss shows how much work the Cubs have to do to compete for a postseason appearance in 2026.

Chicago will next host Washington on Saturday.

The post Chicago Cubs SP Matthew Boyd reacts to dreadful MLB Opening Day appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are about to kick off a 2026 season where big acquisitions were made and big things are expected. Manager Craig Counsell just released today’s Opening Day lineup for the game against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field in Chicago (1:20 pm CT).

More News: The Chicago Cubs’ x-factor in 2026 may be this unsung hero

There are a couple of surprises in this season-opening lineup, but nothing earth-rattling.

Any surprises in the Opening Day lineup?

More News: Could Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins be the next rookie surprise?

First, first baseman Michael Busch is leading off. There were some projected Cubs lineups that had him filling that spot, but there was also the belief that maybe his power presence (34 homers last season) would be better felt somewhere near the middle of the lineup.

New Cub Alex Bregman is a good choice for no. 2 and his presence should be of great benefit to no. 3 hitter Ian Happ.

Pete Crow-Armstrong in the cleanup spot is also a bit of a surprise as he moves down from the second-half-of lineup position he worked most of last season. Is this an indication that big things are expected of the newly-extended young star this year?

Nico Hoerner in the fifth slot is, arguably, the biggest surprise of this Opening Day lineup. Hoerner, with his strong contact-hitting abilities and stellar on-base rate, is the prototypical no. 2 hitter. Leadoff would’ve also been a not-so-surprising placement.

Rookie DH Moises Ballesteros will get his first Opening Day lineup designation, batting seventh and serving as the lefty bat between righties Carson Kelly and Dansby Swanson.

Matt Shaw playing right field and taking the no. 9 spot in the lineup is not that much of a surprise given his big spring and the team’s apparent confidence in his abilities as a super utility player. A case could’ve been made for new Cub veteran outfielder Michael Conforto taking the right field Seiya Suzuki spot in this big game, but it’s not too much of a shocker that Counsell decided to go with the sophomore Shaw.

Taking the mound is Matthew Boyd

Taking the mound for the first game of the 2026 season will be lefty Matthew Boyd, who worked his way into Cubs ace status following the early-season year-ending injury of Justin Steele last April, with an outstanding 2025.

The game will be broadcast on Marquee Sports Network.

Here’s your 2026 Chicago Cubs Opening Day lineup:

Michael Busch 1B
Alex Bregman 3B
Ian Happ LF
Pete Crow-Armstrong CF
Nico Hoerner 2B
Carson Kelly C
Moises Ballesteros DH
Dansby Swanson SS
Matt Shaw RF

Matthew Boyd P

The post Chicago Cubs: Today’s Opening Day lineup is set, with a couple of surprises appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are gearing up for the 2026 season with a lot of excitement surrounding the team. One of the key players on the roster is second baseman Nico Hoerner. With how the lineup is constructed, it is almost as if pitchers can forget how well he can swing the bat. One outlet wrote some bold predictions and one included Hoerner. Let’s take a deeper dive into what the prediction is.

CBS Sports predicts that the Chicago Cubs will sign an extension with Nico Hoerner

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports wrote an article with bold predictions for all 30 teams ahead of Opening Day. For the Cubs, he predicted that Hoerner would sign an extension during the season. Below is what he said regarding the prediction:

“The Cubs have a lot — A LOT — of players coming off the books after the season. Hoerner, Ian Happ, Shota Imanaga, Seiya Suzuki, Jameson Taillon, and a few others are all heading into free agency. I have a hard time believing Chicago will let them all hit the open market and try to replace them all at once. Expect them to approach a few guy about extensions, with Hoerner likely at the top of the list. He’s already signed one extension to remain on the North Side and his all-around game (Gold Glove defense, elite contact, elite baserunning, etc.) will be close to impossible to replace. How does a six-year, $120 million contract with some bells and whistles (opt outs, options, etc.) sound? Regardless of the contract terms, I boldly predict Hoerner will sign an extension to remain with the Cubs rather than become a free agent this coming winter.”

Another thing that this bold prediction has in its favor is the impending lockout following this season. If there is a lockout, getting a contract signed means you are not subject to whatever new rules come into place. Even though it does not mean anything, Chicago just proved they are willing to give out contracts as they signed center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong to an extension before the season starts.

Hoerner had an incredible Spring Training. He finished going 14 of 37 (.378) with two homers, eight RBI, and 10 runs scored. His 1.118 OPS proved how hot he can get at the plate. With the depth in this Cubs lineup, he could be a sneaky, solid player.

It will be intriguing to see if the Cubs are able and willing to lock up Hoerner to a contract.

The post CBS Sports makes bold prediction for Nico Hoerner ahead of 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are kicking off the 2026 season with a solid roster and big expectations.

More News: Could Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins be the next rookie surprise?

This offseason, the team lost right fielder Kyle Tucker and surprise bullpen anchor Brad Keller to free agency. However, they brought in free agent three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, traded for emerging powerhouse starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, and restocked a depleted bullpen with four free agent relievers (Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey).

There’s so much enthusiasm with the additions to the roster that World Series talk has even begun to whirl.

But a key factor to the Cubs’ 2026 success may be a holdover from 2025—one that hardly anyone is talking about.

Michael Busch as the under-the-radar hero

More News: Chicago Cubs: Can Alex Bregman live up to expectations?

First baseman Michael Busch came to the Cubs prior to the 2024 season in a trade with the Los Angeles, along with reliever Yency Almonte. The Cubs gave up a pair of quality prospects in the deal (LHP Jackson Ferris and OF Zyhir Hope) who are doing exceptionally well in the Dodgers’ system, but nobody in Chicago is regretting the swap.

Last season, Busch established himself as a “for real” major league presence, hitting 34 home runs and driving in 90 runs with a .261 batting average, all while playing elite-level defensive first base.

ESPN is projecting him to hit 41 homers this season, something which would make him only the second first baseman in Cubs history to pass the 40-home run mark and only the tenth Cub to achieve that feat.

While Pete Crow-Armstrong is a flashier presence and Bregman is the exciting newcomer, Busch may be the glue that holds the offense together. You just wouldn’t know this from the lack of attention he gets.

Hoyer on Busch

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer recently talked about Busch’s under-the-radar presence in a Q&A with Jon Greenberg of The Athletic.

Per Hoyer:

“…The guy had 34 homers during the season, he was our best player in the postseason. He was awesome. The teams were pitching around him in the postseason. It’s who he is as a person. He’s sort of aw-shucks about how he goes about it. He’s very understated. I feel like he’s going to be on my Kyle Hendricks Mount Rushmore of low-maintenance people in the organization. He’s an awesome teammate. There’s never a negative word about him. He just goes about his business and does his thing, but in a very understated way. And I think Kyle Hendricks, for years and years, was so underrated. And then finally, I think he became properly rated. I’m hoping, for Michael’s sake, he becomes kind of properly rated at some point.”

The 28-year-old is heading into his third full season in the majors, but maybe the first year where there are some legit high-end expectations of him. But, as everyone saw from his performance in the playoffs (4 home runs in 8 games), Busch doesn’t easily wilt under pressure.

“Fell short of our goal [in 2025]… and it kind of makes us want a little more,” Busch told CBS Sports in February. “I want us to go back there again, and it kind of creates a little bit of hunger for us.”

The post The Chicago Cubs’ x-factor in 2026 may be this unsung hero appeared first on ChiCitySports.

MLB’s Opening Day is almost here as a new season is on the horizon. For the Chicago Cubs, they are coming off a season in which they earned a berth to the Wild Card round, beating the San Diego Padres before falling to the Milwaukee Brewers.

After another active offseason with the additions of Alex Bregman and pitcher Edward Cabrera, the Cubs have their sights on winning the NL Central and then more.

With the season approaching, there’s an interesting trend regarding the Cubs and their chances this season.

Chicago Cubs are among teams people are betting on to win World Series

Going into this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the clear favorites to win the World Series. The Dodgers are looking to three-peat this season and with the addition of Kyle Tucker, they loaded up on offense again.

As of now, the Dodgers are +220 to win the World Series with the New York Yankees (+1000), New York Mets (+1200), Seattle Mariners (+1300), Toronto Blue Jays (+1400), Boston Red Sox (+1600), Philadelphia Phillies (+1600) and then the Cubs (+1800). However, the public is betting a lot on the Cubs to win the World Series this year.

Per Bet MGM, the Cubs are the second-most bet team in the National League to win the World Series:

The NL team drawing the second-most bets and money to win the World Series at @BetMGM, trailing only the Dodgers:

The Chicago Cubs pic.twitter.com/lzgEqQnc3l

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) March 23, 2026

That’s interesting seeing that the Cubs odds in the NL are behind the Dodgers, Mets and Phillies already. But if you’re confident in the Cubs, it may not be that bad of a bet.

It’s clear the Dodgers are the favorites right now, and rightfully so. But over a 162-game regular season and then the postseason, anything can happen.

The post Chicago Cubs among most bet team to win World Series? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

It’s the dawn of a new Chicago Cubs season, with a clean slate and many possibilities ahead. Expectations are high with the sole goal of a World Series championship. If that wasn’t made clear enough, listen to what newcomer Alex Bregman has said to the media multiple times. There is no lack of confidence in that Cubs clubhouse heading into 2026.

Ownership opened the wallet, and President Jed Hoyer was very active this Winter to address holes and bolster the pitching staff. It’s all on the players to perform now.

Familiar Cubs vibes heading into 2026.

Any fan who has been around a while to witness the start of a Cubs season has felt a range of emotions. While the classic “This is the year!” slogan fueled the Cubs faithful for a century, deep down, there was an understanding that the team would likely be at the bottom of the standings by year’s end. Then came seasons like 2004, 2008, and 2016, where the expectations were “World Series or bust”. It’s safe to say the 2026 Cubs have as close to that “World Series or bust” feeling as they’ve had since they won it all a decade ago.

Like the three seasons mentioned above, the Cubs are coming off a playoff berth and have added notable pieces in the offseason. The additions of Bregman, Edward Cabrera, and several bullpen arms bring the belief that the squad that won 92 games and the Wild Card round last year can take another step. In 2015-2016, they added Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, and John Lackey to a young core that won 97 games and made it to the NLCS. One could say Pete Crow-Armstrong’s extension was that extra preseason vibe boost that they got when Dexter Fowler unexpectedly returned in 2016.

Are the overall feelings quite as strong as in 2016? Probably not. That doesn’t mean the 2026 Cubs cannot win it all, but the 2016 Cubs had all the stars aligned with no real weaknesses. They had slain the rival dragon Cardinals in 2015, while the Brewers have reigned over the current Cubs for years now. There was also no super team like the Dodgers to get through; the 16′ Cubs were clearly the favorite to win the NL pennant.

Expectations compared to recent years.

Over the last two seasons, projections have been bullish on the Cubs. Even last year, they were picked to win the NL Central after acquiring Kyle Tucker. With that said, prior to last year, the Cubs came off multiple 83-win seasons in 2023 and 2024 and had losing records in 2021 and 2022. People had not seen this regime succeed, and plenty criticized the Ricketts for not spending like a big-market team. This bred skepticism.

Now this regime has tasted postseason success, and the Cubs spent big money. It adds to the bullishness people have towards the team, now that they have seen they can be good enough to make the big dance.

The time for talk is over, and it’s time to play ball. There is potential for 2026 to be a special year for the Cubs, and hopefully, they deliver. Anything less than another postseason run would be very disappointing. They are not perfect and are not without their concerns, but they’re a talented group of guys who seem to have built a great culture and have their eyes on the prize.

The post Chicago Cubs: Vibes are high heading into the 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are in a position where they are expected to be one of the top teams in the sport. As a result, manager Craig Counsell is expected to lead the team to a lot of wins. They have massive expectations, and as a result, the pressure is on for the Cubs. Ahead of Opening Day, MLB posted its predictions for season-long award winners and Counsell appears to be the favorite for an award himself.

Craig Counsell is predicted to win the 2026 NL Manager of the Year Award

MLB had 57 of its site experts predict who would win each of the major awards. While more than a majority of the National League managers received votes, Craig Counsell secured the official prediction for the award. Below is the snippet that Theo DeRosa wrote about it:

“Ten of the NL’s 15 managers earned votes in our poll, but it was another Craig who led the way: Counsell, in a close vote over Pirates skipper Don Kelly. In 2025, Counsell led the Cubs to a 92-70 record and an NL Wild Card berth, with Chicago losing a tight five-game NLDS to the Brewers, the club Counsell previously managed.

“Counsell skippered Milwaukee to the postseason for four straight years from 2018-21 and again in 2023 before leaving to manage the Cubs, who posted a winning record in 2024 before making the playoffs last season. With third baseman Alex Bregman, starter Edward Cabrera and several new bullpen arms in the fold, Chicago has a chance to challenge for the NL Central crown under Counsell’s leadership.”

Counsell is entering his 12th year as a manager (third with Chicago), but never won the NL Manager of the Year Award. He has shown to be a strong manager, posting a 707-625 (.531) career record. It will be interesting to see if he can lead the Cubs to a dominant level and win the award for the first time.

The post MLB predicts Craig Counsell will win 2026 NL Manager of the Year appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a strong starting pitching rotation entering the 2026 season. A lot of veteran pitchers for Chicago had a strong season, but can they follow that up in 2026? There is one outlet who ranked the starting pitching rotations around MLB, so where did the Cubs wind up?

The Chicago Cubs rank 12th in The Athletic’s starting pitching rankings

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden ranked all the starting pitching rotations ahead of the 2026 season. For the Cubs, they are 12th on this list. The team made an addition with the trade for Edward Cabrera in the offseason. However, the team is sandwiched between the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles. Below is what Bowden wrote regarding the Cubs’ starting rotation:

“The Cubs’ biggest offseason trade netted them Edward Cabrera, giving Chicago a well-balanced group of starters. Cade Horton was arguably the best pitcher in the National League from the end of July on last season, while Matthew Boyd was dominant for most of the season before fading a bit the last two months. Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon are solid mid-rotation starters.

“The key to this year’s staff could be the return of Justin Steele, who is rehabbing following elbow surgery. He always seems to be in the mix for the ERA title when healthy. I really like the upside of Horton and Cabrera, the stability of Boyd and the fact that Taillon and Imanaga can keep them in games.”

It appears that the lack of starting pitching depth is a concern for Bowden, as he only lists six starting pitchers on the roster. The team has Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon in the rotation. The only listed depth option is Justin Steele, who is still some ways away from returning to the mound. Chicago was best in baseball in starter WHIP (1.14) and BB/9 (2.26) in 2025, so they have great expectations going into 2026. It will be intriguing to see how the team’s starting pitching looks as the season begins.

The post Chicago Cubs rank 12th in The Athletic’s starting pitcher rankings ahead of 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago White Sox open their season on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Right-hander and 2025 All-Star Shane Smith will take the mound against Brewers All-Star right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.

More News: Chicago White Sox make bold roster decision on prospect

Opening against the Brewers, the White Sox officially set their Opening Day roster, while placing some key personnel on the injured list.

The Chicago White Sox placed a handful of players on the injured list

A few players, like catcher Kyle Teel, were already going to begin the season on the injured list. Teel injured his hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Teel did provide an update on his injury, saying he could be back “soon after” the home opener. Infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin will also begin the year on the injured list with a right elbow sprain. Baldwin was limited to eight games (.286 average, .762 OPS).

Right-handers Prelander Berroa, Drew Thorpe, and Mike Vasil were all placed on the 15-day injured list as they recover from Tommy John surgery. Vasil left his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers after feeling elbow discomfort, while Thorpe progresses slowly.

The White Sox designate two interesting players for assignment

Out of minor league options, catcher Korey Lee and infielder Curtis Mead were designated for assignment. The White Sox brought in veteran catcher Reese McGuire on a one-year contract to back up catcher Edgar Quero, leading to Lee’s DFA.

Lee performed great showing this spring — batting .289 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBI. Lee will likely get picked up by a team. A few teams, such as the Colorado Rockies, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Kansas City Royals, could use someone like Lee.

Mead was in the running to be the White Sox’s third baseman and a backup to infielder Munetaka Murakami at first base. Sadly, Mead didn’t perform well enough this spring to win a job and stay on the roster. Mead batted .233 with two home runs and seven strikeouts in 10 games.

After these moves, the White Sox’s 26-man roster will include: 13 pitchers, 2 catchers, 5 infielders, and 6 outfielders. The White Sox have 38 players on the 40-man roster.

pic.twitter.com/631l8Ths3y

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 25, 2026

The post Chicago White Sox finalize roster ahead of Opening Day vs. Brewers appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are gearing up for the 2026 regular season to begin. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the franchise after one of its biggest offseasons in recent memory. They have a lot of expectations as they prepare for Thursday’s Opening Day. Where does one major outlet have the Cubs ranked?

The Chicago Cubs rank in the top five in The Athletic’s MLB power rankings

The Athletic released its preseason power rankings before Opening Day begins. The rankings are selected by a group of The Athletic’s baseball writers from local and national levels to create the power rankings. The Cubs were able to be in the top five, as they were tied with the New York Mets for fourth place in MLB. Johnny Flores Jr wrote a snippet of why the Cubs are ranked so highly in these power rankings:

“Chicago had as close to a ‘Plan A’ offseason as you can get. Pursue a superstar free agent and sign them to a multi-year deal? Check. Trade prospect depth to land a starter with top-of-the-rotation potential and multiple years of club control? Check. Reconfigure the bullpen so that manager Craig Counsell has multiple ‘out-getters’ to deploy behind closer Daniel Palencia? Also check. Those developments, plus a multiyear   extension for president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, have given the Cubs a level of promise and security it has not had in sometime. A season after an NLDS appearance, the Cubs appear primed for their first consecutive postseason berths since 2015-18.”

The only teams ahead of them are:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (Average ranking 1.0)
2. New York Yankees (3.5)
3.  Seattle Mariners (3.5)
4. New York Mets (5.3)

Chicago also has an average positioning of 5.3, which shows they are significant threats heading into the season for the World Series. With the depth in their starting rotation as well as a strong lineup, it is difficult to contain expectations for what they can do this year. It will be intriguing to see if Chicago can climb the power rankings as the season progresses.

The post Chicago Cubs rank inside top 5 in The Athletic’s preseason rankings appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are, maybe, not as secure in the starting pitching department as many thought they would be this winter.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Can Alex Bregman live up to expectations?

The names are there and there’s still an overflow of arms for the rotation, but just about every proposed starter has looked vulnerable this spring and depth has suddenly become a concern. Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera, and Shota Imanaga have been beaten up in Cactus League play and that makes one wonder about backups.

Colin Rea, Ben Brown, and Javier Assad will be around, but none project as high-end starters over the long haul.

But could the Cubs have another Cade Horton surprise this season?

The next Cade Horton surprise?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Insider predicts big things for two young Cubs in 2026

Last year, top pitching prospect Horton came up from Triple-A in May, after Imanaga’s injury, and ended up blowing people away with a dominant post-All-Star break run.

This year, current top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins is being predicted by some to be the surprise pitching star of the season.

The 24-year-old Wiggins came to spring training this year as a non-roster invitee and turned some heads, despite getting touched up a bit in his limited play.

“There’s a lot of good signs with Jaxon, there are a lot of good things happening,” manager Craig Counsell told media. “The finishing touches can happen really fast is how I would describe it. But they can also take a while. That’s Jaxon’s job right now, just make himself a little bit more complete pitcher. It’s certainly very close.”

Big league expectations for Wiggins

Michael Brauner of Sports Illustrated fully anticipates the 6-foot-6 Wiggins getting the major league call-up at some point this season:

“He was never going to break camp with the team, but he certainly could be on a similar trajectory as Cade Horton last year, starting the season in Iowa.

Making an impact on the coaching staff, Wiggins established himself as a name to watch and once Ballesteros officially graduates he will become the top prospect in the organization. Jed Hoyer has spoken often about how much pitching depth is needed, and the 24-year-old is the next one up.

It would be a significant surprise to not see Wiggins’ big league debut in 2026.”

Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic echoes the enthusiasm, although he holds back in predicting a likely big league debut in 2026 for the pitcher he describes as having “one of the best fastballs in the minors.”

Per Sharma:

“The fastball is in the upper 90s and has the type of vertical rise that is impossible to ignore. He also has a strong curveball, a quickly developing changeup and a slider. So what are the next steps?

…He has a walk rate well above 10 percent in each of his pro seasons. That has to change. That he walked just 5.9 percent of batters this spring was something that was taken note of. Now bring that into the season.”

Wiggins is, arguably, the last homegrown high-end starting pitching prospect in the Cubs farm system, at least for now. Fast-tracking his development and bringing him up to the majors this coming season will probably be a last resort for the Cubs– and a sign that the rotation is in deep distress.

The post Could Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins be the next rookie surprise? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs finally got their man when they signed three-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman this past offseason.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Insider predicts big things for two young Cubs in 2026

The cost was pretty high ($175 million over 5 years) to land the veteran they failed to acquire in a bid before last season. The team also had to move Matt Shaw, one of their top young assets, from third base to a utility role to accommodate Bregman. But the Cubs don’t seem to be second guessing themselves in grabbing at the star.

The question, though, is whether Bregman can live up to the team’s (and the fans’) lofty expectations.

Big expectations of Alex Bregman

More News: The Chicago Cubs bullpen is all set, but will it be enough?

In terms of the lineup, the soon-to-be 32-year-old is expected to fill the offensive spot left behind by right fielder Kyle Tucker, who moved on to a monster free agent deal with the Dodgers.

He’s also expected to assume a big leadership role in the clubhouse. With so many core veteran elements of the team possibly leaving via free agency after this season (Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, etc.), Bregman was signed, in part, to be a cornerstone to a somewhat restructured foundation.

This spring, however, the third baseman hasn’t had all that much time to bond with his teammates due to his involvement in the World Baseball Classic. He’s been limited to just 9 games of Cactus League play.

Jed Hoyer talks expectations and Bregman

In a recent Q&A with Jon Greenberg of The Athletic, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer talked about the expectations for Bregman and a little about the difficulty in making up for lost spring time with his new teammates.

“I think that’s the fun part of expectations. You want fans excited for the season. You want them to have high expectations. And we have that. I do think Alex raises that,” Hoyer said. “I think he wants that as well. But, you know, he’s been gone a lot, so I think he hasn’t really been able to get into the flow here. He’s a really good hitter. He’s going to do all the things that we like in our hitters in terms of his swing decisions, he puts the ball in play, plays really steady defense. And he provides, you know, a real sense of gravitas, I would say, within the clubhouse. So I think those things are all positive, and we’re just excited to see the season.”

For what it’s worth, Bregman tore things up in the little spring training play he had, hitting .524 with 4 home runs and 5 RBIs in 21 at bats. He’s also saying all the right things.

“The work has exceeded expectations,” the veteran told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s a cohesive group, super-intelligent, and the work ethic has been outstanding. Every single day the preparation has been eye-opening, and it’s exciting to be part of a group like this.”

Nobody has to worry about Bregman being Bregman this season and beyond. He’s an established presence in the league at this point. The concern will be with expectations and whether too much is anticipated from one player. Everyone will find out what’s what soon enough.

The post Chicago Cubs: Can Alex Bregman live up to expectations? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are expected to be in the mix of the contenders in 2026. The front office was aggressive in making additions as they added Edward Cabrera, Alex Bregman, and Phil Maton, to name a few players. That was after making the postseason last season. The expectations are through the roof for Cubs fans, but where does one outlet believe the team stands in the division?

The Chicago Cubs are the clear favorites in the NL Central

CBS Sports released its MLB standings predictions ahead of the 2026 season, beginning on Wednesday. The National League Central saw all five analysts choosing the Cubs to win the NL Central title. One of the analysts, Julian McWilliams, wrote the following on why they chose the Cubs:

“The Cubs should be the class of the division after a strong offseason that included the addition of Alex Bregman. He brings a winning pedigree, having reached the postseason every year since debuting in 2016. Their return to October last year should provide the boost needed for a sustained regular-season run.”

This seemingly is a two-team race, despite having three teams last season make the postseason. Out of the five analysts, the only difference was one choosing the Pittsburgh Pirates to finish in third place, while the remaining four had the Cincinnati Reds finish third. Even with the injuries to Tyler Austin and Seiya Suzuki, the lineup should be one of the best in MLB.

Chicago has strong pitching and the depth to survive the 162-game gauntlet. With the Brewers taking a perceived step back with the trade of Freddy Peralta, it is difficult to see the division being much of a race. It will be intriguing to see how Chicago looks as the season rolls along.

The post Chicago Cubs get outstanding prediction from CBS Sports ahead of 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

On Monday night news broke that the Chicago Cubs and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong were finalizing a long-term contract extension. Now, just under 24 hours later, that deal is finalized.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the two sides have agreed on a six-year, $115 million contract extension. The deal starts in 2027 and does not include a club option,which is rare these days. In the end, the two sides were able to hammer out a deal to keep the star center fielder in Chicago for the long term.

That’s not only a win for the Cubs and Crow-Armstrong but for the fan base as well.

Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and the Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a six-year, $115 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. The deal starts in 2027 and does not include a club option, allowing Crow-Armstrong to hit free agency before his age-31 season.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 24, 2026

As Passan notes, no club option is rare:

“This is by far the biggest guarantee for a player with five years of club control that doesn’t include an option. Cubs were still fine with it. They get a high-floor player with superstar ceiling,” Passan said in a follow up tweet.

Crow-Armstrong will turn 24 on Wednesday ahead of Opening Day for the Cubs. He’s considered a key piece to the team’s core and will now be here for the long haul as the Cubs continue to build out this roster.

Last season, Crow-Armstrong hit .247/.287/.481 with 31 home runs and 95 RBI’s. While he struggled in the second half of the season, his defense was still elite which helped the Cubs in their push to the playoffs.

The post Chicago Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong finalize contract extension appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are prepping for the start of the MLB season on Thursday, hosting the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field. Coming off a season in which they won the Wild Card round but then fell short in the divisional round, the Cubs are looking to make a run at the NL Central.

But before the season begins, the Cubs are attempting to lock up a core player.

On Monday, Jeff Passan reported that the Cubs and outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong are close to a long-term extension. We don’t have the official numbers on the deal just yet but it’s great news that the Cubs are locking up a core player. Crow-Armstrong being here for the long-term is great news as it shows the Cubs are serious about spending.

However, one MLB insider is looking at another future deal in order for them to prove that they can spend like a big market team.

Ken Rosenthal points to Nico Hoerner for Cubs to prove they can spend like a big market

The Cubs still have a big decision to make on another core player — Nico Hoerner. The infielder is quietly one of the best second basemen in all of baseball year after year. He’s a core piece in the infield that the Cubs can continue to build around. With Hoerner’s contract running up at the end of the 2026 season, the Cubs need to get something done here.

While appearing on “Foul Territory” Ken Rosenthal was asked if this extension signifies maybe the Cubs are going to spend more. In his answer, he pointed to Hoerner’s situation for them to prove it.

“I don’t know that this signals a commitment by the Cubs as much as the Bregman deal did. The next test for them will be Nico Hoerner,” Rosenthal said. “Hoerner is a free agent after this season. He is another palyer who has great value in part because of his defense. He is a guy that they consider, the players, the coaches, everyone within the organization to be really part of their fabric. So do they re-sign Nico Hoerner? The Cubs, still to me have some work to do to prove they can spend like a big market team. . . Nico Hoerner, that will be a better test.”

Cubs fans have been clamoring for the team to spend like a big market team for years. The additions of Bregman and now the extension of Crow-Armstrong were steps forward.

Now, they need to go lock up another key piece of their core.

The post Insider believes Chicago Cubs have ‘more work to do’ to prove they can spend as big market appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs’ Opening Day roster is all set. For the most part, the spring played out exactly as expected, except for the WBC knee injury of Seiya Suzuki which shouldn’t be too much of an early setback.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Former Counsell charge named as possible surprise roster addition

But, after making some big offseason moves, big things are expected of this 2026 Cubs team and the pressure is on.

There are a number of possible breakout stars and team MVP candidates on this roster. It could be argued that Chicago’s success this coming season hinges on some heroes stepping up to next-level achievement.

Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic has boldly predicted two such heroes for the coming season, both 20-something assets who are also key to the team’s success for years to come

A Cy Young year for Cade Horton?

More News: Chicago Cubs get interesting lineup ranking from former exec

Sharma is predicting big things for Cade Horton, who’s coming off an eye-catching rookie season.

Horton wasn’t even supposed to be on the big league Cubs’ roster last year, but an injury to Shota Imanaga in May forced him up from Iowa. The kid responded, big time. After a solid start to his majors career, he caught fire after the All-Star break, going 8-1 and posting an amazing 1.03 ERA in twelve starts. In that stretch of time, he was, arguably, the best pitcher in all of baseball and came in second place in Rookie of the Year voting because of it.

The 24-year-old Horton’s late-spring training performances this year would seem to indicate that he’ll start 2026 right were he left off in 2025 before a rib injury cost him his final games of the year.

Per Sharma:

“Craig Counsell is trying to tamp down expectations for the young righty. He knows matching, let alone topping, last season’s success will be a challenge. He’s warned against it…

Horton had a 2.67 ERA over 118 innings last year, finishing runner-up in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He was incredibly efficient, almost forced to with a tight pitch count. The one area he can improve is strikeout rate, which was a mere 20.6 percent last summer. Yet, over his last nine starts, that number jumped to 26 percent while his already strong walk rate dropped to 4.7 percent.

If Horton can stay even close to those peripherals and add 60 innings to his total, he’s a likely Cy Young candidate.”

Miguel Amaya, All-Star?

The 27-year-old catcher seemed on the verge of a breakout in late 2024. Injuries early into the 2025 season, however, stopped his progress. Amaya finished last season with only 28 games played, but he looked like the real deal in all of them.

This spring he looks strong and healthy, hitting .308 with 2 home runs in 26 at bats over 10 games.

For the longest time, Amaya was considered the premier catching prospect in the Cubs’ system and 2026 could be the year he finally realizes his full potential in the majors.

Per Sharma:

“Many are overlooking Amaya after an injury-plagued 2025, along with Carson Kelly putting up a career year. He’ll continue to split time with Kelly, but Counsell won’t be afraid to lean on one or the other depending on who is playing best.

If Amaya can get off to a hot start with the bat — don’t expect a match of Kelly’s April last season — perhaps he’ll get some attention league-wide. The Cubs are expected to be one of the best teams in the NL, so if Amaya, who has appeared healthy and strong at the plate this spring, hits a hot stretch, the All-Star Game shouldn’t be a stretch.”

Having an entire year of Horton’s dominance and a breakthrough full season from Amaya would go a long way in guaranteeing the Cubs’ success in 2026. Soon enough, the actual season will begin and everyone will see what’s what.

The post Chicago Cubs: Insider predicts big things for two young Cubs in 2026 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a pretty deep roster in the starting rotation and throughout the lineup. This level of depth is good to have.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Former Counsell charge named as possible surprise roster addition

However, with bona fide big leaguers getting relegated to the minors, the Cubs should look to trade these players to get some value back.

Right-hander Javier Assad |

Despite Javier Assad doing well — a 1.35 ERA and eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings — the Cubs didn’t have a place on the 26-man roster for him. A swing-man (both a starter and reliever), the Cubs already have right-hander Colin Rea to fill that role.

Rea had a 3.10 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 20.1 innings. Right-hander Ben Brown will also make the Opening Day roster, offering Counsell another swing-man option. 

Assad also had no place in the starting rotation. Left-handers Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, and right-handers Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon will be the starting five to begin the season.

Assad will likely get work in the Iowa Cubs rotation to keep him ready to start in case of an injury.

Assad is now out of minor league options, and barring injury, won’t be up anytime soon. A bona fide big league arm, the Cubs could get value back in a trade for him.

Outfielder Kevin Alcantara |

Kevin Alcantara is the Cubs’ fourth-ranked prospect, but he also doesn’t have a spot on the big league roster. A primary centerfielder, Alcantara can play the corner outfield spots as well.

Rightfielder Seiya Suzuki’s knee injury created an opening to make the team, but veteran outfielder Michael Conforto secured the last spot. Alcantara did have a good spring, batting .275 with two doubles, a home run and four RBI in 13 games.

Alcantara’s future as the Cubs’ everyday centerfielder is out, with Pete Crow-Armstrong’s reported extension. Right field and leftfield could open up next year for Alcantara to play, with leftfielder Ian Happ and Suzuki entering their walk years.

A promising young outfielder, Alcantara could also bring back value in a trade to further deepen the Cubs’ roster.

The post Two Chicago Cubs who should be traded appeared first on ChiCitySports.

MLB’s Opening Day is this week and on Monday, the Chicago Cubs made a flurry of moves to cut their roster down ahead of the start of the season. While the injury news to Seiya Suzuki and Ben Brown making the roster stole the headlines, one move went under the radar.

The MLB transactions page shows that the Cubs have officially optioned outfielder Kevin Alcantara to Triple-A Iowa. He joins Javier Assad who was also optioned down to Iowa earlier in the day.

Why the Chicago Cubs optioned Kevin Alcantara

The 23-year-old Alcantara had a solid shot at making the Opening Day roster but the concern was lack of playing time. Michael Conforto made the team and with the report of the Cubs looking to add another infielder, it left Alcantara as the odd man out.

The good news? Down in Iowa he can start every day and get key playing time this season. From there, he can join the big league club with a call up at some point.

Last season Alcantara hit .266/.349/.470 in Iowa, disappointing numbers. However, he did play better as the season went on and entered Spring Training as a guy who could breakout for the Cubs. Maybe more time down in the minors can help him get his confidence back moving forward.

The post Chicago Cubs option top outfield prospect to Iowa appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs’ roster is all set for Opening Day this Thursday. After an interesting offseason, which saw the team restock a depleted bullpen and add big names in third baseman Alex Bregman and starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, there are big expectations.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Insider predicts big things for two young Cubs in 2026

Anything less than the NL Central Division title and a deep playoff run will be considered a failure after the team’s winter moves.

The biggest x-factor, though, may be the bullpen.

The bullpen as the Cubs’ x-factor

More News: Chicago Cubs: Former Counsell charge named as possible surprise roster addition

Chicago’s 2026 pen features four new faces in free agents Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey, who will make up the breadbasket of the relief corps, along with the re-signed Caleb Thielbar. All are coming into the season with a solid history of success behind them.

The only unknown in the mid-section of the Cubs’ bullpen is Harvey, who has a significant history of injury. So far this spring, however, Harvey has been healthy and strong, throwing 96-97 mph with a 1.80 ERA and 5 strikeouts in 5 innings.

The 26-year-old Ben Brown fought his way on to the Opening Day roster this spring and will take a long relief/swingman role alongside veteran Colin Rea, who was an unsung pitching hero in 2025.

Then, there’s Daniel Palencia, the closer.

Will Palencia’s WBC dominance carry over?

Palencia had a surprisingly dominant run after being called up from Triple-A last April, but then suffered through a prodigious fall from grace over the last part of the season.

This spring, though, Palencia has been monstrous. His dominance in the WBC as the closer for Team Venezuela will go down as borderline legendary. Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic believes that this is the harbinger of good tidings for the coming season

Per Sharma:

“It’s time to go all-in on the Daniel Palencia hype train. Yes, it’s dangerous to assume that a reliever can do it again after just one season of success (see: Porter Hodge from 2024 to 2025). Yet, Palencia came into camp even more determined after a breakout 2025 and looked the part physically. Then he dominated as the closer for the World Baseball Classic champions, Team Venezuela.

Palencia allowed no runs or hits and struck out nine in five innings while walking just one batter and hitting another. He was perfect in his three save opportunities, and his two-pitch mix was dialed in. The Cubs will certainly trade for a reliever. Maybe even a dominant one. Still, Palencia will leave no doubt as to who is finishing games.”

The big question when it comes to every bullpen is whether it’ll hold over the course of a 162-game season and into the playoffs. Last year, the Cubs used 26 different relief pitchers during the regular season, with their season-ending bullpen looking almost nothing like their Opening Day bullpen.

That’s likely to happen again this season, despite there being more of an established veteran vibe in the bullpen right now. Injuries happen, arms go flat, changes need to be made. That’s just the nature of baseball.

Do the Cubs have the bullpen horses to win this 2026 race? That’s the question. If/when someone falters from the bullpen right now, Chicago will have names such as Javier Assad, Jordan Wicks, Porter Hodge, and Gavin Hollowell to move in. It’s also pretty much a guarantee that some arms from the outside will be brought in over the course of the season.

Right now, at least on paper, the bullpen looks more secure this Opening Day than last. But this IS baseball…

The post The Chicago Cubs bullpen is all set, but will it be enough? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are getting ready for the 2026 season, but there is still work happening before Opening Day. Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been one of the top players in the majors the last few seasons and continues to improve on both sides of the field.

With a lockout likely happening following this season, the Cubs are ready to lock him up for a long-term deal.

Let’s take a closer look at what is known at this point and what it means for Chicago.

The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a massive extension for Pete Crow-Armstrong

Crow-Armstrong has quickly been able to dominate in the majors as he enters his fourth season in the bigs. ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting that the Cubs and Crow-Armstrong are finalizing a massive extension. The details of the contract are not known as of this writing, but it is expected to be a long-term deal. With the lockout looming after this season, Chicago is making sure they have Crow-Armstrong under contract for a long time.

This certainly is not coming out of left field as Chicago was attempting to sign a deal last offseason. However, the deal is certainly going to be more than the reported $66 million extension they offered in 2025. Crow-Armstrong had a breakout season by finishing ninth in the NL MVP voting and winning the NL Gold Glove in center field. At the plate, he posted a .247/.287/.481 slash line with 31 homers, 95 RBI, and 35 stolen bases.

It is clear the Cubs view him as the centerpiece of the franchise and a budding superstar. Now, it will be intriguing to see what the contract actually looks like and how long the 21-year-old signs for. Being a pre-arbitration player, he could simply have his arbitration bought out, but don’t be surprised to see a lengthy deal as well.

The post REPORT: Pete Crow-Armstrong finalizing a massive extension with the Chicago Cubs appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are looking to have a special 2026 season with the roster they curated. This team is in a position to be a major contender, and the World Series aspirations are not far-fetched. After trading for Edward Cabrera and signing Alex Bregman, there is a great feeling at Wrigleyville. One outlet posted its power rankings, and let’s take a look at where Chicago landed.

The Chicago Cubs are fifth in Bleacher Report’s power rankings heading into the 2026 season

The Cubs are ready to get the regular season going as they are one of the top teams in baseball. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter created a power ranking for all 30 teams heading into 2026 Opening Day. Reuter placed the Cubs in fifth place on the list and second for National League teams. Below is the snippet he wrote explaining what they have done:

“The Cubs looked like the best team in baseball at times during the first half last season, but they coasted to a 35-31 record after the All-Star break and fell in the NLDS. New addition Alex Bregman will immediately become a driving voice in the clubhouse and a key bat to replace Kyle Tucker in the lineup. A rebuilt bullpen with four newcomers will be an X-factor after last year’s group came together as a strength.”

To understand what these power rankings mean, below is the top 10 teams from the Bleacher Report power rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. New York Mets
4. Seattle Mariners
5. Chicago Cubs
6. New York Yankees
7. Boston Red Sox
8. Philadelphia Phillies
9. Detroit Tigers
10. Baltimore Orioles

Chicago is stepping up with their bullpen additions, something that is undervalued by the traditional fan. The Cubs have to overcome the back-to-back World Series Champion Dodgers in order to make the World Series themselves. They took a step in the right direction last year, but are in a position to do even better in 2026. It will be interesting to see how the Cubs do in 2026 and if they climb the power rankings.

The post Chicago Cubs crack top 5 in Bleacher Report’s recent power rankings appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell made the news official on where outfielder Seiya Suzuki and right-hander Javier Assad will begin the season.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Suzuki will miss Opener, Conforto to make roster

According to Counsell, via Marquee Sports Network, Suzuki will start the season on the injured list (knee), and Assad got optioned to Triple-A. Suzuki injured his knee while sliding into second base playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

In four World Baseball Classic games, Suzuki hit two home runs, drove in five RBI, and walked six times. In 6.2 innings (three games), the 28-year-old Assad had a 1.35 ERA and eight strikeouts. Assad had a 4.50 ERA in two games with Mexico during the World Baseball Classic. 

Seiya Suzuki will start the season on the IL, and Javier Assad was optioned to Triple-A, Craig Counsell announced today. pic.twitter.com/JTfCan9RQd

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 23, 2026

Other Chicago Cubs need to step up in Seiya Suzuki’s absence

Suzuki is one of the Cubs’ main power hitters — smashing 32 home runs last season — which leaves a void that others need to fill. First baseman Michael Busch (34) and centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (31) were the only other 30+ home run hitters last season.

Busch and Crow-Armstrong will provide decent pop, but others will need to step up. Shortstop Dansby Swanson hit 24 home runs last season and hit nine combined between April and May. The Gold Glover also has two home runs and nine RBI this spring.

Third baseman Alex Bregman will also need to provide some pop — hitting 18 home runs last season and two this spring. Bregman had 11 home runs between April and May last year. Like Swanson, Bregman also has two home runs.

Sadly, the Chicago Cubs didn’t have a place for Javier Assad

Despite him doing well, the Cubs didn’t have a place on the 26-man roster for Assad. A swing-man (both a starter and reliever), the Cubs already have right-hander Colin Rea to fill that role. Rea had a 3.10 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.

Assad also had no place in the starting rotation. Left-handers Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, and right-handers Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon will be the starting five to begin the season. Right-hander Ben Brown will also make the Opening Day roster, offering Counsell another swing-man option. 

Assad will likely get work in the Iowa Cubs rotation to keep him ready to start in case of an injury.

The post Chicago Cubs manager provides status update for two key players appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs, for the longest time, appeared to be all set when it came to position players. The thought was that, maybe, just one bench spot (and two at the most) would be up for grabs in the spring.

More News: Chicago Cubs get interesting lineup ranking from former exec

But baseball is baseball and things happen.

In the Cubs’ case, Seiya Suzuki injured his knee in a steal attempt during the World Baseball Classic, suffering a minor sprain of the right posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) that would keep him off the Opening Day roster.

Prior to that, Tyler Austin, acquired to be the backup first baseman behind Michael Busch and a right-handed bat off the bench, suffered a knee injury that would require surgery and, maybe, the loss of at least half the season.

Uncertainty for the Opening Day roster

More News: Chicago Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong contract extension talk heats up

That prior certainty regarding the Opening Day roster is not quite there right now.

Patrick Mooney of the Athletic recently spotlighted the team’s possible desire to add an extra infielder to the team, either by waiver acquisition or promotion from within:

“With Suzuki sidelined, Matt Shaw could become a more prominent option in right field, limiting the scope of his super-utility role and emphasizing the need for a versatile infielder off the bench.”

Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib, meanwhile, offered up a possible fill for the Cubs’ needs right now:

“As it stands, Matt Shaw is the only backup infielder that the Cubs have on their roster. With Shaw expected to start in right field while Seiya Suzuki is on the IL, it would make sense for the Cubs to add to their infield depth before Thursday.

If the Cubs can’t find a veteran on the waiver wire, perhaps Owen Miller slides onto the roster as the final piece of the bench. He was a bench piece for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023 and 2024 and has experience playing all over the infield. Miller would also add some speed to the Cubs’ bench, ranking in the 99th percentile in sprint speed last season.”

Internal options

The Cubs have internal options when it comes to backup infielders. Miller, given his past ties to manager Craig Counsell, could be considered a favorite for the gig. The Cubs also have Scott Kingery and some minor league options. Unless they see a need for a long-term bench player, they probably won’t spend too much time looking for still-available free agents or combing the waiver wire.

If veteran pickup Michael Conforto sticks with the roster after Suzuki returns, Shaw could be moved back to full-time infield duty and there suddenly wouldn’t be such a big need for another infielder.

The 29-year-old Miller has played with the Guardians, Brewers, and Rockies over the course of his major league career with playing time at all four infield spots, plus all three outfield positions. He was picked up in early February on a minor league deal.

The post Chicago Cubs: Former Counsell charge named as possible surprise roster addition appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs ended last season, publicly declaring their goal to focus on pitching in the offseason. They lived up to their words with a deep investment in restocking a depleted bullpen via four solid free agent acquisitions. Then, they bolstered the starting rotation with a high-profile trade with the Miami Marlins for emerging powerhouse pitcher Edward Cabrera.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong contract extension talk heats up

On the offense side, the Cubs also managed to make some big news, although there was a big subtraction that went along with an addition.

They picked up free agent Alex Bregman, a three-time All-Star third baseman, as a lineup replacement for right fielder Kyle Tucker, who would eventually sign a monster deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tucker was a linchpin for an overwhelming Cubs offense over the first three months of last season, but then fell apart completely and languished in a career-worst extended slump for the rest of the year. Bregman, meanwhile, is probably a level lower with the bat than Tucker, but offers a more consistent defense and is the kind of positive clubhouse presence Tucker couldn’t be.

Everything else in the Cubs’ lineup is the same as late last year. As a result, the team’s focus will be on revisiting the highs from last season’s offense while avoiding the team-wide hitting slumps that plagued the offense over the second half of 2025.

A conservative ranking for the Cubs’ lineup

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd and rotation get shocking poor assessment

Jim Bowden of The Athletic spotlighted the highs and the question marks of Chicago’s lineup by giving the team a mid-ish no. 7 ranking in his recent list of the MLB lineups, one spot behind the New York Mets and one spot ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Per Bowden:

“The Cubs lost right fielder Kyle Tucker to the Dodgers, but pivoted perfectly by landing third baseman Alex Bregman. In addition to his strong bat, Bregman gives the Cubs a significant clubhouse presence who is willing to help other players and should be a positive influence on this deep lineup.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is working to be more consistent this year after seeing his second-half performance fall off considerably following a very strong first half. Even with the second-half struggles, however, he was worth 6.0 bWAR thanks to his power, speed and excellent center-field defense…

The Cubs will try to win the division with pitching, elite defense and this well-balanced offense.”

Primed for a letdown?

The Cubs are staring down the fact that a lot of their offensive assets had career years last season (PCA, Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner) and the question will be whether last season was the tip of an iceberg for them or a prelude to a comedown.

It’ll also be interesting to see how rookie Moises Ballesteros does over the course of an entire season. In minimal at bats last year, he certainly looked like the real deal.

Time will tell what the Cubs’ offense looks like this coming season, but there’s a lot to be excited about as well as some things that spark concern.

The post Chicago Cubs get interesting lineup ranking from former exec appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are projected to have one of their better seasons since that famous 2016 season. After making the postseason as one of the NL Wild Card teams, they are hungrier than ever. The front office has put a lot of resources into this Cubs team, and they are expected to win a lot of games. What is one MLB writer predicting will happen for the team this season?

The Chicago Cubs are predicted to win the NL Central for the first time since 2020

In a prediction piece for the entire league, MLB’s Will Leitch broke down each division. For the NL Central, he had the Cubs winning the division for the first time since 2020. Below are the standings Leitch predicted:

1. Chicago Cubs
2. Pittsburgh Pirates (NL Wild Card)
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. St. Louis Cardinals
5. Cincinnati Reds

The Cubs have not won a division in a full season since 2017. They are in the best position possible to do so with the additions of third baseman Alex Bregman and starting pitcher Edward Cabrera. With the Brewers trading away Freddy Peralta this offseason, there is a major difference in talent entering the year.

The surprise of the Pirates could be intriguing, but there are a lot of things that need to happen in order for this to happen. Chicago feels like the frontrunner to run away with the division crown. With a weaker remainder of the division on paper, this could mean a run at the best record in the National League. Of course, that would include a bye in the NL Wild Card Round.

This also includes star players for Chicago staying healthy. However, this is not a far-fetched prediction for the Cubs entering the regular season. The postseason prediction is not as joyful, though, as he has them losing to the New York Mets in the NLDS. It will be interesting to see how well they can perform throughout the 2026 season.

The post MLB writer predicts the Chicago Cubs will win the NL Central in 2026 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of excitement heading into the 2026 season. They were aggressive in the offseason of getting quality talent, but others seemed to have develop into better players on the roster. Relievers are one of the more volatile positions in the bigs, but one relief pitcher has a lot of eyes on him to continue improving. Let’s take a deeper dive into which Cubs player made one outlet’s All-Breakout team.

Chicago Cubs closer Daniel Palencia named to Bleacher Report’s All-Breakout team

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report wrote an article discussing his All-Breakout team for the 2026 season. He would name one Cubs player and it would be the only reliever for the team. Closer Daniel Palencia would make the cut and below is what Reuter said of why:

“Daniel Palencia was the relief pitcher pick for our 2025 All-Breakout Team that was chosen at the end of the season, so it’s fair to say the hard-throwing reliever has already broken through. However, he is still capable of another step forward, with the elite stuff to emerge as one of baseball’s true lockdown closers during the upcoming season. He flourished in the pressure cooker of the World Baseball Classic, closing out the championship game against Team USA with a 1-2-3 ninth inning. A 40-save season and All-Star selection could be the next step in 2026.”

Palencia looked sharp in his opportunities last season as well. He was 1-6 with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.139 WHIP in 52.2 innings. He looked sharp with 22 saves and a 133 ERA+, which was the best of his young career. Chicago showed a lot of confidence in him to continue as the closer, as there were a lot of quality back-end relief options in free agency this offseason. It will be intriguing to see what the young closer can continue developing into as he gains more experience and confidence.

The post Bleacher Report names this Chicago Cubs player to their All-Breakout team appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a busy week ahead of them.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Assad leaves game with apparent finger injury, Taillon continues to struggle

The Cubs roster stands at 38 on Sunday, meaning the team will need to shed a total of seven players from their major league roster before opening day.

Chicago will open its season at Wrigley Field on Thursday against the Washington Nationals.

On Sunday, the Cubs made a significant roster move as they figure out how to put their major league puzzle together to start the season.

Per the Cubs, right-handed pitchers Collin Snider and Corbin Martin were returned to minor league camp. Infielder Jonathan Long was returned to minor league camp.

Today's roster moves presented by @NuveenInv: pic.twitter.com/Hp9pez3SKu

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 22, 2026

Chicago Cubs send three to minor league camp

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd and rotation get shocking poor assessment

Snider, 30, appeared in eight games during spring training. He earned a 1-0 record, with an ERA of 4.50 in 8.0 innings pitched. He allowed four earned runs, six hits, and struck out 11 batters.

Martin appeared in eight games and earned an ERA of 7.04. He allowed seven hits and six earned runs in 7.2 innings pitched. He walked five batters and struck out 10 batters.

First baseman Long appeared in nine games. He had 21 at-bats, earning seven hits and scoring five runs. He batted .333/.444/.476 in spring training with one home run.

The Cubs are 12-16 in spring training this season. They had a 3-0 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning of Sunday’s game.

Following Sunday’s contest, Chicago will finish its spring training by playing a two-game series against the New York Yankees on Monday and Tuesday.

Then the real season starts, and the Cubs will have a much smaller roster than the one that took on the Brewers on Sunday.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

The post Chicago Cubs shed 2 pitchers, 1 infielder from major league roster appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have some exciting young talent throughout their pipeline to help supplement the veteran players on the roster. The goal is to have quality prospects that either can elevate to the majors or be used in trades. The Cubs have some young prospects who can be impactful for the 2026 season. Let’s take a look at who one outlet considers to be the organization’s top prospect heading into the 2026 season.

Bleacher Report considers designated hitter Moises Ballesteros the Chicago Cubs’ top prospect

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter curated a list of the top 100 prospects heading into the 2026 season. Every outlet seemingly has its own prospect rankings, but Reuter tells us the criteria for his prospect rankings and what he looks for. With the rankings he factors in three things: future potential, present tools, and eligibility. The Cubs have two names on this top 100 list, but we’re focused on the top player. At the 34th spot, Chicago’s designated hitter Moises Ballesteros is on the list as the team’s top prospect. Below is a snippet where Reuter mentions Ballesteros:

“Moises Ballesteros has a clear path to the regular DH job for the Cubs this year, and he earned it by hitting .333/.435/.564 with four extra-base hits in 14 games as a September call-up. He profiles as an offense-only version of Alejandro Kirk, with a bit more playable power.”

Ballesteros has already been informed he will begin the season in the majors, likely as an everyday designated hitter. This is the highest propsect ranking he finds himself on as below are his rankings from other websites:

• Baseball America: 36
• MLB: 55
• Baseball Prospectus: 80

Balllesteros had an excellent Spring Training as he finished 11 of 33 with a .965 OPS, two home runs, eight RBI, and four runs scored. He will be one of three left-handed hitters in the projected lineup, so he creates balance as well. It will be interesting to see how Ballesteros is able to handle MLB pitching on an everyday basis.

The post Bleacher Report considers this Chicago Cubs player their top prospect for 2026 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Two unsurprising news bits have come out regarding the Chicago Cubs Opening Day roster. The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney reports that Seiya Suzuki, dealing with the PCL injury, will not be ready for Opening Day and that veteran outfielder Michael Conforto will make the roster. Suzuki has not yet been placed on the IL, but Mooney believes he will be.

Seiya Suzuki, who’s dealing with a right knee injury, will not be ready for Opening Day, Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. The club has not yet decided whether Suzuki will start the season on the injured list, but it appears to be trending in that direction.

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 21, 2026

The Cubs are planning to add Michael Conforto to their Opening Day roster.

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 21, 2026

Conforto in, Seiya out.

Despite the optimism from manager Craig Counsell last week, it seemed highly unlikely Suzuki would be ready for Opening Day. Counsell mentioned that Suzuki’s knee was swollen and that he was still hobbling a bit. This was with less than two weeks to go before the start of the season. The hope is that there are no setbacks, that Suzuki’s knee heals, and that he’s not gone longer than a 10-day IL stint, assuming he is placed on the IL. They will have until Wednesday to make that decision.

Conforto making the roster also felt like a safe bet. The 33-year old veteran slugger, coming off a rough year in Los Angeles (.199/.305/.333), was signed to a Minor League deal and is looking to bounce back. He’s two years removed from a 20 home run, .759 OPS season with the Giants in 2024. Conforto is not expected to have a huge role, but he gives the Cubs an experienced lefty bat with some pop and the ability to draw walks.  It’s worth noting that Conforto’s BB% was in the 84th percentile last year.

Even if Suzuki was healthy, Conforto had a solid shot to make the team out of camp. He can play right on days Matt Shaw is not out there, or pinch hit when needed. Time will tell if he has anything left in the tank and how long he sticks around. The rest of the roster will be coming together in the coming days.

The post Chicago Cubs: Suzuki will miss Opener, Conforto to make roster appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have some intriguing decisions to make over the next week for their 26-man Opening Day roster. There are some questions about the final few roster spots, but the team made the decision on one of them. With one of the players with a lot of upside set to begin the year with the Cubs, this lineup will be even better. Let’s take a closer look at who will be beginning the season with Chicago.

Moises Ballesteros makes the Chicago Cubs’ Opening Day roster

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic is reporting that Cubs manager Craig Counsell has told Moises Ballesteros that he will be on the Opening Day roster. This should not come as a surprise as many expected this to be the case. Ballesteros has had an outstanding Spring Training at the plate, posting a .355/.394/.613 slash line with two homers, eight RBI, and four runs over 11 games played. He is known for his ability to be an outstnading hitter, and he proved just that this spring.

Ballesteros is expected to be the starting designated hitter for Chicago to begin the season. He has played catcher and first base as well in his professional career, so expect him to get some games there. He played a bit last season in the majors and played very little in the field. Ballesteros would play just six innings at catcher and four innings at first base over the course of 20 games. He has a massive bat that keeps him in the lineup as he posted a .868 OPS with two homers, 11 RBI, and 12 runs scored.

Ballesteros also adds a lefty bat in the middle of the projected lineup for Chicago. With Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong both also being left-handed hitters, this creates more balance in the lineup. It will be intriguing to see how he does as an everyday option in the majors.

The post Moises Ballesteros officially on 2026 Chicago Cubs Opening Day roster appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs realize the value of center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and seem to be acting accordingly. By all accounts, they are very willing to make a real effort to extend the soon to be 24-year-old.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Assad leaves game with apparent finger injury, Taillon continues to struggle

MLB insider Jon Heyman recently touched on that in a NY Post article talking about possible MLB extensions.

According to the veteran baseball writer, the Cubs are willing to be significantly more generous with a current offer than they were with the extension deal they tossed PCA’s way prior to the 2025 season.

Per Heyman:

“The Cubs offered $66M last spring and are believed willing to go significantly higher for their star CF. But there’s no indication anything’s close.”

Of course they are. They have to be.

Crow-Armstrong hit 31 home runs, drove in 95 runs, and stole 35 bases last season, while playing Gold Glove defense. Before earning his first All-Star game nod, he was already the talk of baseball and a clear emerging superstar with the charisma and high-end ability to support that assessment.

Even with a particularly brutal dip over the second half of the season, the baseball world is still bullish on PCA. Superstar money is right around the corner.

How much would a PCA extension cost?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd and rotation get shocking poor assessment

But how much could the young star get in a Cubs extension? Estimates vary, but none are below the $130 million mark.

Aldo Soto of Sports Mockery projects that the deal could reach as high as $240 million over 11 years, something which would keep Crow-Armstrong a Cub through the 2036 season.

Per Soto:

“$130 million guaranteed through 2032 (incentives increase annual value). So, that initial seven-year, $130 million extension would buy out his arbitration years and two free agent years, 2031 and 2032, respectively. Then, you can include escalators for the next four years of the contract where at the minimum Crow-Armstrong is in the $30 million range, incentivizing him to stay with the Cubs and not go into free agency. In turn, the Cubs could add a couple different team options to secure Crow-Armstrong beyond the four years after the initial guaranteed extension expires. Add in three option years and make the total max value near $400 million over 14 or 15 years.”

Cubs are staring down big budget/roster decision

That’s a lot to ask of a Cubs team that generally shies away from contracts that big over that many years. It’s an especially tough proposition when one considers the decisions that need to be made at the end of the coming season.

Chicago will have several core members of their roster either eligible for free agency or staring down options for next season. Important names such as Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Carson Kelly could be gone after 2026. Few, if any of the above, will be extended before the end of the 2026 campaign or re-signed as free agents after that. The team will have a lot of budget and roster decisions to make very soon, just as a pending labor dispute challenges the 2027 season.

But Crow-Armstrong is a special player demanding of special consideration. It seems likely that the Cubs will move to lock him in before working on the other issues.

The young talent has gone on record numerous times about his desire to stay in Chicago and remain a Cub.

“I’ve made it clear I want to be here for as long as they want me,” Crow-Armstrong said in a recent Chicago Magazine profile piece. “I want what’s best for the team.

“I play the game because I like beating other people. The money will be life-changing regardless. I would like to get a fair deal so I don’t f**k the market up. I want to look out for the other center fielders who have to go through the same process. Which is why I’m glad [Cubs management] and my agents are figuring out how to do this.”

The post Chicago Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong contract extension talk heats up appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are moving through their last week of spring training, fine tuning some things, and hoping for the best as they head into a 2026 season where big results are expected. Things, however, haven’t gone exactly as expected.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd and rotation get shocking poor assessment

The Cubs’ run of bad luck may have continued on Friday night in a split squad 6-2 loss to the Athletics at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Arizona.

Javier Assad pulled from game

More News: Chicago Cubs: Counsell hints at worries over Daniel Palencia WBC usage

Starter/swingman Javier Assad had to be pulled from the game by manager Craig Counsell in the bottom of the eighth inning, 50 pitches into a relief appearance, with an apparent finger injury. Video replays subsequently showed that injury to likely be a blister-related issue.

Assad, who recently turned 28, had been having a very good spring, along with a very solid run in the World Baseball Classic as part of Team Mexico. His work this offseason seemed to bolster the case for him making the Opening Day roster, despite chatter that being one of the few Cubs pitchers with minor league options could have him opening the year at Triple-A Iowa.

As of this writing, there’s been no update on the injury or on what, exactly, it was, although it pretty clearly shows it to be a blister. The timing of this setback, though, will have big implications on whether Assad breaks spring training with the big league Cubs or finds himself starting the regular season in the minors.

This latest bit of bad news shows one more crack in the foundation of what many saw as a pretty deep and solid starting rotation. While Assad wasn’t expected to make the starting five, he was expected to be a valuable swingman and one of the key backups in case of injury or poor performance.

Taillon’s struggles continue

One of the biggest rotation concerns this spring is Jameson Taillon, who has been getting bashed around during Cactus League play to an alarming extent. The veteran starter, who will be eligible for free agency at the end of this coming season, started Friday’s game with the Athletics and delivered another disappointing outing. Despite four initial shutout innings, 2 home runs in the fifth accounted for 3 earned runs in those 4 innings pitched (although his 6 strikeouts were a nice sidebar). The 34-year-old ends the spring with a 0-4 record and a 17.55 ERA in 5 games and 13.1 innings pitched.

Needless to say, this is not the lead-in to 2026 that Taillon or the Cubs wanted.

An Assad injury just complicated issues further as it possibly takes one of the key backup options off the table for an undisclosed period of time.

As of right now, the Cubs 5-man rotation still seems to be locked in with Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, Shota Imanaga, and Taillon. Colin Rea and Assad stand as swingmen who can step in as starters. Justin Steele, meanwhile, is due back around May-June after season ending elbow surgery last April.

The post Chicago Cubs: Assad leaves game with apparent finger injury, Taillon continues to struggle appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of excitement and expectations heading into the 2026 season. While they have some important players on the roster, there is one current free agent who could help the team this season. One outlet is suggesting that general manager Jed Hoyer and the rest of the front office could improve the team with this signing. With less than a week before Opening Day, let’s take a look at who it is and why the Cubs should be interested.

Bleacher Report suggests Jon Berti should sign with the Chicago Cubs

Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston wrote an article where he discussed why the Cubs should sign free agent utilityman Jon Berti. He cites the Seiya Suzuki injury as a way to give him playing time to begin the season, starting games. With the team only having Matt Shaw as a utility player off the bench, this move would also give manager Craig Counsell another option to plug him anywhere that is needed.

Berti had an outstanding performance for Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He played four games in the tournament and went 6 for 16 (.375) with one home run, one RBI, and three runs scored. His 1.132 OPS ranked third on Team Italy for players with at least three games played. Berti’s bat is a major reason why he remains a free agent as last season with the Cubs, he would finish with a .492 OPS over 100 at-bats with zero homers and two RBI.

However, there is a report by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi that shows there is a lot of interest in Berti following the WBC:

“Ten teams have checked in, given Berti’s bat and versatility. He intends to sign with a contender that needs him to play multiple positions.”

This signals Chicago as they would have an opening immediately at right field if Suzuki is out with an injury. They have familiarity with him as well, which should help in this situation. It will be interesting to see if the front office and Berti can agree on a deal to bring him back before the season begins.

The post Chicago Cubs urged to sign WBC star after Seiya Suzuki injury appeared first on ChiCitySports.

It’s hard to find a Cubs fan who does not love former World Series champion and ERA title-winning pitcher Kyle Hendricks. Fan voters inducted Hendricks into the Hall of Pretty Good this week, just months after he retired. A popular fan-created podcast and social media outlet, the Hall of Pretty Good honors baseball players who had exceptional careers, but were not quite Cooperstown-worthy.

Hendricks earned near-immortality in baseball with 94% of the 36,100 votes.

THE PROFESSOR IS IN

Kyle Hendricks received 94% of over 36,100 votes and is now officially inducted into the Hall of Pretty Good. pic.twitter.com/LsPzcoMuY2

— MLB Hall of Pretty Good (@hallofgoodpod) March 19, 2026

Hendricks is perfect for this honor.

If there is anyone who defines what it means to have an honor like this, it’s Hendricks. In 1,745 innings from 2014 to 2025, he posted a 3.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.97 FIP, 1,373 strikeouts, and 407 walks. Add on a 3.12 postseason ERA in 57.2 innings. His career-defining moment was his 7.1 inning gem against the Dodgers in the 2016 pennant clincher at Wrigley Field. For a guy drafted in the eighth round out of Dartmouth who relied on location and changing speeds, that’s a really nice decade-long run of pitching in the Majors.

On top of being a good pitcher, he’s a beloved person by fans and former teammates alike. As a player he was calm as a cucumber on the mound, and well spoken off of it. One would not know by his tone or demeanor if he was pitching a game in April or Game 7 of the World Series, which he started in 2016.

Even with his accomplishments, he always flew under the radar. His pitching style was never flashy, nor was he a big personality. Back in 2016 he pitched to an MLB-best 2.13 ERA in 190 innings, greatly exceeding expectations, but was part of a rotation with big names like Jon Lester, John Lackey, and the rising star Jake Arrieta. He went from a solid back-end starter to “The Professor” very quickly in Chicago, without getting the same fanfare as the big All-Star names nationally.

Future honors for Hendricks.

Although Hendricks is unlikely to reach the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Chicago Cubs will almost certainly enshrine him in their team Hall of Fame. His postseason accomplishments alone make a strong case, especially alongside his 3.68 ERA and 97 wins as a Cub. He currently ranks ninth in games started in franchise history, as well as 22nd in both innings pitched and wins.

In the end, it’s cool to see Hendricks get some love from the baseball community. He was and will always be one of the more underrated pitchers of the 2010s.

The post Former Cub Kyle Hendricks voted into the “Hall of Pretty Good” appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of talent throughout its roster heading into the 2026 season. They are expected to do well this season, and one player in particular is in the spotlight. This outfield has some of the top talent in the majors, but where do they rank specifically in terms of MLB left fielders? Let’s take a look at comparing the position to the rest of the league.

Bleacher Report ranks Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ 10th at the position

The Cubs have one of the top left fielders in MLB with Ian Happ manning the position. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter curated a list ranking all 30 starting left fielders entering the 2026 season. The Cubs have one of the better left fielders, as Happ was placed ninth. Below is what Reuter wrote about Happ:

“Happ has won four straight NL Gold Glove Awards in left field, and he has averaged 36 doubles, 22 home runs and 80 RBI while posting a 119 OPS+ during that same stretch. The longest tenured Cubs player is one of baseball’s best two-way outfielders, and he is entering the final season of a three-year, $61 million extension.”

Happ is entering a contract season, so he is extra motivated to have a strong season. Happ has been the best defender in left field with four consecutive gold gloves at the position. Last season at the plate was one of the best of his career as well. He would play 153 games and post a .762 OPS with 23 homers, 79 RBI, 87 runs scored, and six steals on nine attempts. Below are the order of the left fielders ranked ahead of Happ:

1. Juan Soto
2. Roman Anthony
3. Cody Bellinger
4. Jackson Chourio
5. Wyatt Langford
6. Riley Greene
7. James Wood
8. Kyle Stowers

By the end of the 2026 season, Happ can easily climb his way to the top five of the rankings with some offensive consistency. He is not the only corner outfielder on the roster who is top-10 at their position. It will be intriguing to see how high he will climb on this list by the end of the year.

The post The Chicago Cubs Ian Happ considered a top-10 left fielder entering this season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs took a gamble in signing oft-injured starter Matthew Boyd prior to the 2025 season on a 2-year, $29 million contract.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Counsell hints at worries over Daniel Palencia WBC usage

The veteran lefty was coming off Tommy John surgery in mid-2023 and had just gotten back into the swing of things at the very end of the 2024 season. Plagued by an assortment of injuries, he hadn’t thrown over 100 innings in a season since 2019.

But the Cubs’ bet paid off. Boyd was brilliant last season, posting 14-8 record with a 3.21 ERA over 179.2 innings. With ace Justin Steele sustaining a season-ending elbow injury after just four starts, Boyd stepped in to become the Cubs’ ace the rest of the way.

The experts and analysts, however, are not very high on Boyd heading into the 2026 season and have almost unanimously predicted a prodigious fall from grace for the starter.

Boyd blasted with poor ranking

More News: Two Chicago Cubs named to star-studded All-Under-25 team, another gets honorable mention

In a collaborative piece for The Athletic ranking the top 50 starters in baseball, Andy McCullough, Will Sammon and Sahadev Sharma placed Boyd nearly at the bottom of the list. They actually him him tied for 49th.

Per The Athletic:

“Boyd made his first All-Star team in 2025, rewarding the Cubs for their faith in giving him a two-year, $29 million contract after an intriguing eight-start campaign with Cleveland in 2024. ‘Good for a solid, back-end arm,’ one executive said. But many of our panelists were pessimistic about Boyd putting together a repeat. ‘Very good 2025,’ one scout said, ‘but that was his first healthy year since 2020.’”

According to their tier system for the rankings, Boyd falls into the area of a fourth or fifth starter.

The Cubs plan on Boyd being their Opening Day starter and implied ace.

Overall, the Cubs starters rate poorly on this list, with the highest placed Cub being Cade Horton as a tie for no. 40 of the top 50. Newcomer Edward Cabrera comes in at 48, one spot below Boyd. Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon are unranked.

This assessment falls in line with MLB projections systems, which don’t view Chicago’s starting pitching in much of a positive light.

Cubs rotation “deep in meh and unexcitement”

Dan Szymborski, the developer of the computer-based ZiPS projection system, blasted the rotation as one “deep in meh and unexcitement.”

Per Szymborski:

“ZiPS sees the Cubs as having a very deep rotation that’s also very deep in unexcitement. There’s certainly some upside here, especially in Edward Cabrera, but ZiPS largely views the team as having a whole lot of broadly average starting pitching options. The good news here is that if Justin Steele has any setbacks, ZiPS likes the team’s replacement options. Even with especially bad luck in the injury department, the computer thinks Javier Assad will be adequate — it has him with an ERA considerably lower than his FIP, though some of that is thanks to the stellar Cubs defense — and that Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks would both be far more acceptable as starters if called into duty than they’ve shown so far. Heck, if Colin Rea or even Connor Noland were forced into starting some games, that wouldn’t be an apocalyptic scenario for the Cubs.”

None of this guarantees the Cubs starters a great, big fail this season. It does raise some concerns, though, that maybe the rotation is not as rock-solid as fans would like to believe. As always, time will tell.

The post Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd and rotation get shocking poor assessment appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell turned some heads earlier in the spring when he flat-out told reporters that Daniel Palencia would be the team’s closer.

More News: Two Chicago Cubs named to star-studded All-Under-25 team, another gets honorable mention

It’s not the kind of talk one usually hears from Counsell, who usually keeps his cards close to his chest when it comes to roster moves and defaults to a “we’re just trying to win games/get outs” response when pressed.

This time, though, he went bold with his declaration. And there’s definitely a case to be made for that.

Palencia’s up and down 2025

More News: Chicago Cubs: Counsell talks to team, addresses huge issue ahead of 2026 run

Last season, Palencia shocked and awed as a mid-April call-up from Iowa, eventually winning the closer spot. Through the end of July, the hard-throwing righty had posted an impressive 1.40 ERA and was carrying himself with the swagger of an established veteran.

Then, came the struggles.

Over the final two months of the regular season, Palencia delivered a 7.07 ERA in 17 appearances and suffered through an IL stint after the first week of September.

It was a noteworthy fall from grace that put the young arm’s closer status in serious doubt for 2027.

Well, Palencia’s shutdown showing in the World Baseball Classic [WBC] as a member of the champion Team Venezuela has reinforced Counsell’s early spring declaration. In five high-leverage outings, the 26-year-old struck out 9, allowed no runs and no hits. He also closed the show in the championship game versus Team USA.

But, with the great WBC performance, there also come concerns.

Counsell concerned with Palencia’s WBC usage

Counsell recently hinted at, maybe, a discomfort at how his closer was used in the tournament.

“The usage is more than anybody would like at this time of year,” Counsell told media on Wednesday. “But the moment was also a moment that you want someone to experience. So if it was going to be usage that we weren’t comfortable with, we wanted to make sure it was in the moment that every player should get to experience.”

Arm health is a concern at this stage of the spring and Palencia was taxed at a mid-Summer level during the three-week spectacle.

Still, Counsell definitely sees a trade off when it comes to Palencia. The WBC experience was a shot of pure confidence into the body of a young man who could’ve entered into the spring with a few doubts after last season’s late collapse.

“It’s really a confidence thing,” Counsell said. “You’re in a really big moment, you know how you react to those moments. That’s the biggest thing when you’ve had success on the mound in a moment like that. It gives you a lot of confidence that you call on, probably when the bad stuff happens more than anything.”

Right now, Palencia is riding high. His self-belief has to be shooting through the roof, although he never really seemed to be lacking in confidence all that much before.

Hopefully, for the Cubs, this WBC experience has cemented the young pitcher’s status as a legit major league closer and that he’ll deliver a full season with the same fire he had on Team Venezuela.

The post Chicago Cubs: Counsell hints at worries over Daniel Palencia WBC usage appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs enter the 2026 season with a unique roster makeup. There are a number of veterans on the team (Dansby Swanson, Ian Happ, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, etc.), but there are also a lot of young, 20-something stars (Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Cade Horton, and Daniel Palencia, among others).

More News: Chicago Cubs: Counsell talks to team, addresses huge issue ahead of 2026 run

With so many veterans possibly leaving the team for free agency at the end of the 2026 campaign, it’s reassuring that there are also so many young players still with them over the long haul.

The Athletic recently acknowledged two of the Cubs’ young stars– Crow-Armstrong and Horton– as especially valuable assets by naming them to their MLB All-Under-25 Team.

Pete Crow-Armstrong gets his props

More News: Chicago Cubs: This under-the-radar prospect could end up doing big things in 2026

Pete Crow-Armstrong, who was an honorable mention in the publication’s All-Under-25 Team last year, was named the top young center fielder on this year’s list.

Per Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic:

“Crow-Armstrong was another honorable mention on last year’s All-Under-25 Team; at that point, he carried a meager .652 OPS in the majors. He changed the narrative in 2025. Through Aug. 1, Crow-Armstrong batted .273/.309/.560 (.869 OPS) with 27 homers and 29 steals, then faded down the stretch. He won his first Gold Glove and finished ninth in NL MVP voting. Swing-and-miss remains an issue, but the power-defense combination in center field is immensely valuable.”

The struggles of “PCA” are well-documented, but so is his tremendous upside, which makes him a dream multi-tool star with the competitive drive to match.

The soon-to-be 24-year-old, who came to the Cubs in a 2021 trade involving Javier Baez, has been very open about the stress and strain of maintaining his progress in the rough, tough world of major league baseball. Last season’s second-half dip saw him displaying clear frustration. But it’s his openness, honesty, and competitive drive that could see him through his growing pains.

Cade Horton rewarded for breakthrough 2025

The Athletic also named Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton to their All-Under-25 squad.

The 24-year-old was not even slated for the major league team in 2025, but was pulled up from Triple-A when starter Shota Imanaga went on the IL with a hamstring injury.

Although Horton performed well enough in his first tour of big league duty, he REALLY took off after the All-Star break.

The Cubs’ 2022 no. 1 draft pick dominated over the second half of the season, delivering an 8-1 record and posting an amazing 1.03 ERA in twelve starts after the All-Star break. Over that run, he was, arguably, the best pitcher in all of baseball. A late September rib fracture, however, put him on the shelf and prevented him from pitching in the postseason. The final season tally saw Horton finish the year with an 11-4 record and a 2.67 ERA, plus a second place finish in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Per Nesbitt:

“Despite missing the 2025 postseason with a cracked rib, Horton was vital for the Cubs as a rookie, posting a 2.67 ERA over 118 innings and stabilizing the rotation in the second half. Horton ran a modest strikeout rate (20.4 percent), but his plus command and the elite defense behind him made hunting early contact an effective approach.”

Both Crow-Armstrong and Horton stand to be big parts of the Cubs’ 2026 team and, in many ways, play pivotal roles in the team’s success.

22-year-old Rookie DH/catcher Moises Ballesteros, another big piece to Chicago’s 2026 puzzle, also received an honorable mention by the sports news outlet.

The post Two Chicago Cubs named to star-studded All-Under-25 team, another gets honorable mention appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have the team in place to make a big push to a championship. On the flip side of that big opportunity, though, is the reality that much of this current roster will not be back to make a second run at a title.

More News: Chicago Cubs: This under-the-radar prospect could end up doing big things in 2026

A good portion of this team’s roster– including several core members– will either be eligible for free agency at the end of the coming season or staring down options for 2027. Atop the list of possible outgoing Cubs is Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, and Carson Kelly.

Anyone facing that kind of uncertainty could be forgiven for suffering through at least a bit of distraction. But with a real possibility of making some waves this offseason, manager Craig Counsell has the task of keeping his guys’ eyes on the prize.

“We certainly feel very confident in our team going forward, but it’s going to look different in ‘27 than this,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told MLB.com. “There is going to be change. Craig has talked to the players about trying to embrace that.”

Counsell addresses 2026 elephant in the room

More News: Chicago Cubs: Daniel Palencia’s message to PCA ahead of WBC Final– “I’m coming after you”

And Counsell has, indeed, already addressed the gigantic elephant in the room called ‘uncertainty.’

“[Boston Celtics head coach] Joe Mazzulla, who is one of my favorite coaches, said, ‘I go to bed questionable and wake up probable.’ None of us are guaranteed anything, and that’s really a great way to put it,” Counsell told media. “Like, why am I worried about what’s going to happen? I have to make sure I wake up the next day, so let’s just worry about what’s going on right now.

“The whole point of this is to be where your feet are, so I don’t think you worry about it. Everybody thinks about what’s next for them; that’s a natural thought for people to do. But when you have an opportunity like we have, it’s also easier to be where your feet are every day, be present, enjoy it and cherish it. That’s what we’ve talked about our goal being every single day: to enjoy what you have right in front of you.”

Focusing on the here and now

That focus on the here and now will be crucial to a successful 2026. It just takes a small handful of distracted or overly-strained players to ruin a vibe and bring a team down.

There’s hope that at least two or three of these possibly outgoing Cubs could be retained. Ideally, second baseman Nico Hoerner would be one of them. It would also be nice to see at least one of the corner outfielders– Happ or Suzuki– extended, just because of how hard it would be to sign two starter-level corner outfielders in one free agent class. People would also probably not balk at the Cubs doing everything they can to hold on to Boyd.

Ultimately, though, business is business and the Cubs will make the decisions that go best with their business plan. Hopefully, those decisions are made after a very successful 2026.

The post Chicago Cubs: Counsell talks to team, addresses huge issue ahead of 2026 run appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After several days, the diagnosis for Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki is in. Per Bruce Levine, Seiya suffered a strained PCL on the slide into second in Japan’s WBC game against Venezuela. He had an MRI done on Monday after returning to Cubs camp. It has not yet been determined whether he will go on the IL, but manager Craig Counsell seems fairly optimistic.

Suzuki update -strained PCL. Unsure of IL right now

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) March 17, 2026

Counsell on Suzuki’s injury.

Immediately after Levine’s report, Counsell spoke to the media to give a full update. While he confirmed the strained PCL, Counsell mentioned that he will stick with baseball activities and not be shut down. He called the PCL strain “minor in nature,” and they will treat it over the next week, then determine whether he needs to go on the IL.

Seiya Suzuki has a minor PCL strain, per Craig Counsell.

Seiya will not be shut down, and will continue baseball activities as he can tolerate them. pic.twitter.com/T2Slsv9a9v

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 17, 2026

Counsell also confirmed that he is still limping slightly, likely due to swelling, but it’s been improving since he first returned on Monday. By next early week, we will know whether he will be moved to the IL.

This all seems like great news, all things considered. There was fear that it could be much worse. While a torn ACL did not seem likely, a more severe ligament sprain or a bone bruise could have kept him out longer. With that said, Suzuki and the Cubs are not out of the woods yet, as it has not been determined whether he will go on the IL. He could very well still, but not being immediately shut down is very good to hear.

If he’s on the IL for a shorter period, they need depth to manage. Never ideal, but not devastating if for a few weeks.

The post Chicago Cubs: Seiya Suzuki suffers “minor” strained PCL appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs went through a lot of effort to restock a bullpen this offseason that was seriously depleted. To do this, the team went on an uncharacteristic spending spree this past winter.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Daniel Palencia’s message to PCA ahead of WBC Final– “I’m coming after you”

The Cubs would sign four free agent relievers for the rebuild (Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey). They also opted to re-sign lefty Caleb Thielbar. Those five join closer Daniel Palencia and swingmen Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Ben Brown to make up the new Cubs bullpen.

One can forgive the apparent overflow in relief options. The bullpen is probably the most unstable part of any major league team. Simply put, relievers get hot and cold and they also get injured. A team’s Opening Day bullpen is almost never the same bullpen even at the All-Star break. Last season, the Cubs used 25 pitchers out of the pen.

So, when 25-year-old prospect Jack Neely was sent down to Triple-A in the first cuts this spring training, it didn’t really mean that much to his long term chances of pitching in the majors.

This year’s Daniel Palencia?

Next More: Chicago Cubs manager makes right field decision following Suzuki injury

Actually, some feel that the 6-foot-8 righty could make a big splash this year in Chicago, possibly even becoming the Daniel Palencia of 2026 with an in-season call-up that grabs everyone’s attention.

Neely came to the Cubs in the 2024 trade deadline deal with the Yankees for Mark Leiter Jr. He hasn’t put up great numbers in the Cubs’ system, but he HAS proven himself to be a strikeout machine. Last season, between South Bend and Iowa, he notched 43 strikeouts in 33.1 innings. In 2023, as part of the Yankees system, he struck out a whopping 100 batters in 66.1 innings. In a 2024 cup of coffee with the big league Cubs, he struck out 7 in 6 innings.

The biggest issue affecting him has always been control. But some feel that he may have turned a corner in that area. This spring with the Cubs, he did walk 2 in 4 shutout innings, but he generally looked more in control of his stuff.

Overlooked

Rich Eberwein of Cubbies Crib feels that Neely is an overlooked prospect who demands attention:

“Neely has the potential to be a bullpen weapon and a contributor in high-leverage situations. We know he will not begin the year in the majors, but he should be one of the first arms to get the call if/when someone goes down with an injury. Walks have been the main thorn in Neely’s side in the past and it remains to be seen if he has worked past that issue. But Daniel Palencia struggled with the same thing before he emerged as a legitimate closer last year, so Neely is a guy that I’m keeping a close eye on early in the season.”

It’s likely that Neely will get a call or two from the Cubs this season. There’s no denying that he has a high upside and that he profiles as a shutdown closer-type. The question, as is always the case when it comes to prospects, is if he can live up to his potential.

The post Chicago Cubs: This under-the-radar prospect could end up doing big things in 2026 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Former Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber has found a new home with the Philadelphia Phillies, coming off another very impressive season. Schwarber is playing in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA, he’s hoping to help them win the tournament after they punched their ticket to the title game.

During Monday’s day off, Schwarber caught up with the media to talk about the tournament so far. Coming off a huge win over the Dominican Republic, the USA is still soaking in what was an emotional game.

In the process, Schwarber was asked about the greatest sports moment in US history. His answer? Well, it wasn’t the 2016 Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.

Kyle Schwarber names the greatest sports moment

Schwarber was asked the question by Tricia Whitaker and he had an answer that made both of them very happy.

“The Indiana Hoosiers winning a national championship,” Schwarber said. “So that was pretty awesome. It was ecstatic, it was electric, I was surprised by how many Indiana fans there were even for a home game in Miami. But it was so much fun. I mean Miami had a great defense. But Indiana just did what they did, stayed to the game plan and walked away. I never thought I’d see it in my life. But I’m glad that I did.”

Whitaker is also an Indiana alumnus so she sort of teed him up for that question. While it is a great moment, Schwarber was also a part of the 2016 Cubs team who broke a 108-year curse.

The post Kyle Schwarber reveals his greatest moment in US sports history appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs took a gut shot on Saturday when Seiya Suzuki limped off the field in Japan’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal loss to Venezuela after a failed steal attempt at second base.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Could Ben Brown be taking Jameson Taillon’s spot?

Initially pulled from the game due to right knee discomfort, the Japanese star has returned to Cubs’ camp in Mesa, Arizona to be evaluated by team doctors.

Suzuki, who had a career power year in 2025 with 32 home runs and 103 RBIs, was slated to be the Cubs’ every day right fielder, replacing the outgoing Kyle Tucker. In January, Chicago traded top prospect Owen Caissie to the Miami Marlins for starter Edward Cabrera, cinching Suzuki’s spot at the position.

Now, things are a bit up in the air, at least until there’s some confirmation as to the seriousness of the injury.

Counsell’s Plan B for injured Suzuki

More News: Could the Chicago Cubs revisit a rumored trade deadline target from last season?

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, meanwhile, is reporting that manager Craig Counsell has a Plan B, at least for now:

“In the meantime, Counsell confirmed that Matt Shaw would be in line to take over as the club’s primary right fielder if Suzuki is sidelined for an extended period. Shaw, a Gold Glove finalist as a rookie third baseman last year, is adapting well to the new super-utility role that will shift him between the infield and outfield.”

It would be fantastical thinking, though, to assume that the sophomore Shaw, who has limited outfield experience and just started seriously taking up the position this spring, could be this team’s every day right fielder.

The Cubs still have veteran Michael Conforto, Dylan Carlson, and Chas McCormick in camp. Justin Dean had just been sent to Triple-A, but he could be brought back. They also have prospect Kevin Alcantara. All five of these options are natural outfielders and could play an adequate fill-in role for a short stretch of time.

But if Suzuki is lost for a lengthier period?

Moves that might need to be made

That would be a major concern and it could have Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer on the phone looking for a trade. Some kind of platoon situation could also be cooked up to get maximum production from the available outfielders, who were all thought to be competing for the fourth outfielder spot on the 26-man roster.

The 31-year-old Suzuki is in the last year of his 5-year, $85 million contract with Chicago and will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season. The Cubs will be staring down the choice of re-signing both Suzuki and the similarly free agency-eligible corner outfielder Ian Happ (along with pitchers Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, and second baseman Nico Hoerner).

An injury that keeps him out of commission for an extended period of time could likely nudge the Cubs further from the possibility of bringing him back.

Before any action is taken, however, the Cubs and Suzuki need a clear idea of what’s going on with the knee.

The post Chicago Cubs manager makes right field decision following Suzuki injury appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Italy has changed its plans for who will start the Semifinal game against Venezuela. According to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base, manager Francisco Cervelli will start right-hander Aaron Nola over right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect receives high praise from Will Venable

Nola has pitched five innings this World Baseball Classic, struck out five. Italy and Cervelli feel that the Philadelphia Phillies All-Star right-hander gives them the best chance to advance to the finals.

Cambio de planes en Italia: Aaron Nola será el abridor contra Venezuela, no Michael Lorenzen.

Es un movimiento meramente estratégico por parte de Francisco Cervelli. https://t.co/tPRNMqVyt4

— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) March 16, 2026

Italy has been perfect in the World Baseball Classic

Despite being an underdog in the World Baseball Classic, Italy is a perfect 5-0. Italy showed it could hang with teams like the United States, beating them 8-6 on March 10. Lorenzen went 4.2 innings, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out two without allowing a run.

If Lorenzen had to pitch in the game against Venezuela, left-hander Sam Aldegheri would be an option to start. Aldegheri struggled in his last appearance against Puerto Rico, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing two earned runs and a home run while walking two.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has done well in the World Baseball Classic

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has done well filling in for Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton, who got hit on his hand during an at-bat against Brazil. In five games, Crow-Armstrong is hitting .294, has hit two home runs, and driven in six RBI.

The United States will send New York Mets right-hander Nolan McClean to the mound. McClean struggled in his one outing against Italy, allowing three earned runs, two walks, and two home runs in four innings.

The post WBC: Italy makes last-minute swap to who’s starting against Venezuela appeared first on ChiCitySports.

A season ago, the Chicago Cubs came out of the gates strong. Despite dropping a pair of regular season games in Toyko against the Los Angeles Dodgers, two games below .500 is the deepest hole they found their record in all season as they kicked off April with a five game winning streak, thanks to a sweep of the Athletics and winning the first two out of three against the San Diego Padres.

The Cubs hot start to the season helped them grab an early lead in the National League Central. They held first place for 93 days and in mid-June held a 6.5 game lead in the division. Unfortunately a pair of double digit winning streaks by their division rival, the Milwaukee Brewers, aided them in eventually chipping away and catching Chicago.

Looking ahead to 2026, a similar hot start to the season would be extremely beneficial. Here we break down why.

The Chicago Cubs can’t afford a slow start to the 2026 season

To kick of the 2026 campaign, the Cubs have drawn a pretty easy first six games. While at home, they will face the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels. After that things get a little tougher with series on the road against the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays, but by the end of the month Chicago has a gauntlet stretch of games.

From April 13-29, 13 of 16 games games will be played against playoff teams from a season ago. All those opponents, the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres are expected to be in the mix again. Notably, the three games not against post season teams from a season ago are against the New York Mets, who just missed out on October baseball a season ago.

The post Why the Cubs can’t afford a slow start to the 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs appeared to have things pretty much hashed out when it came to their starting rotation. The offseason acquisition of emerging powerhouse Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins seemed to fill the last spot of a rotation that was already pretty packed before the trade.

More News: Could the Chicago Cubs revisit a rumored trade deadline target from last season?

But things can change in a heartbeat in baseball– both for the better and for the worse.

Some of that “worst” is coming from Jameson Taillon. The veteran starter, who was so clutch last season for the Cubs down the stretch and through the playoffs, has been getting absolutely shellacked this spring. In Sunday’s 14-8 loss to the Dodgers, the 34-year-old gave up 10 runs on 8 hits, with 4 walks, over 3.2 innings, bringing his Cactus League ERA to a whopping 22.18. Perhaps more importantly, his velocity is down significantly, as is the movement on his pitches.

But with the bad news, there’s also some good news.

Brown’s rise paired with Taillon’s fall

More News: Chicago Cubs: Ballesteros getting rave reviews and some Rookie of the Year chatter

The 26-year-old Ben Brown has been looking like he’s finally turned a corner in his development.

The Cubs have always eyed the tall righty as a potential rotation piece, but, despite flashes of brilliance, his performances have been too inconsistent to really consider him in that role. That may be changing.

Coming into the third year of his young major league career, Brown has added a sinker to his repertoire and is also sporting a fortified mindset.

“I feel like I’m in a much better spot than I was last year,” Brown told the Chicago Tribune. “The resilience and the ability to pitch in different situations is something that I need to add to my repertoire and to be confident in. And that doesn’t mean I can’t stop dreaming of what my career could be like, but for right now, what can my day look like? That’s the focus…Wherever I am right now is where I have to be and be my best because I didn’t really do a good job of that last year.”

Being focused on the present and on growing as a pitcher has yielded solid results this spring. In 10.2 innings of spring training play, Brown has a 3.38 ERA and 15 strikeouts against only 3 walks.

Swapping of roles?

So, the rise of Brown and the apparent fall of Taillon have to bring up the possibility that Chicago might be forced into making a major decision soon. Could they consider a swapping of roles, with Brown taking a spot in the rotation and Taillon moving to long relief duties in the bullpen?

Taillon, set to become a free agent at the end of next season, has been an important starting pitching asset for the Cubs over the last three years, but they can’t go too long with him every fifth day if he’s just not up to the task.

The team has been clear that they hope for Brown to become the rotation stud his raw ability always suggested he could be. But will 2026 be that year where he establishes himself in that regard?

The Cubs have a deep enough starting pitching pool to absorb the loss of a guy like Taillon. If Brown’s not the man to fill the job, there’s Javier Assad, who’s done very well this spring, as well as the reliable Colin Rea. Then, of course, ace Justin Steele is moving towards his comeback, which is projected to happen in May or June. A little bit down the road, top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins will also be knocking on the door.

For now, though, the Cubs will surely give Taillon every possible chance to figure things out and get back on track. If he can’t, though, there are options.

The post Chicago Cubs: Could Ben Brown be taking Jameson Taillon’s spot? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs pulled the trigger on the big trade that had been rumored for the better part of a year when they acquired emerging powerhouse starter Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins. By all accounts, the Cubs had been eyeballing the young arm since the end of the 2024 season and were finally willing to part with the prospects to secure the deal.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Ballesteros getting rave reviews and some Rookie of the Year chatter

If one recalls last season, though, there was considerable debate over whether the Cubs should move to acquire Cabrera or the more proven Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara, who was coming back from Tommy John surgery. The debate became more fierce as the trade deadline neared.

Ultimately, the Cubs didn’t move on either pitcher. Now, some feel that the Cubs could have both by the time the 2026 trade deadline passes.

Cubs, back in the Sandy Alcantara hunt?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw rolling with punches, killing it this spring

Chicago was recently mentioned by Mike Axisa of CBS Sports as a possible landing spot for Alcantara at the trade deadline.

Per Axisa:

“The Marlins moved two veteran-ish starters this offseason (Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers) but hung on to Alcantara, who was a prime trade candidate last winter and again at last year’s trade deadline.

He instead remains in Miami. How long will that last? I don’t think it will be too much longer given his $17 million salary this year and $21 million club option next year. Interested teams will give up more to get two postseason of Alcantara rather than one, making a trade this summer more likely.”

On the surface, this Alcantara-to-the-Cubs scenario wouldn’t seem to make a lot of sense. The Cubs already have a deep rotation with too many starters for too few spots. Returning ace Justin Steele, who’s expected back in May or June, will make the starting corps even more crowded.

But what about 2027?

A holdover for 2027

Matthew Boyd, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga could all be gone via free agency at the end of this 2026 season. At that point, the Cubs’ surplus of starters could turn into a deficit.

Alcantara has potential ace-level stuff and would be working under a $21 million club option in 2027 before becoming eligible for free agency at the end of that season. He’d fit nicely into a new-look Cubs rotation around guys like Steele, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, and, possibly, top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins.

As for what to do with the 30-year-old righty in 2026? That’s not a problem. You find a place for someone as talented as Alcantara and it’s not difficult to see him wedged somewhere into the rotation as the Cubs push for a deep postseason run. A team can’t have too many quality arms.

Although his 2025 numbers didn’t look good (11-12, 5.36 ERA), he did finish closer to his old self with a 3.33 ERA in 13 starts after the All-Star break.

There will be a market for Alcantara, especially if he’s still available at the trade deadline. So, the Cubs will have competition if they decide to make a play for him. But finding a way to bring him aboard is an idea certainly worth exploring.

The post Could the Chicago Cubs revisit a rumored trade deadline target from last season? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs don’t typically target young prospects like Moises Ballesteros. The analytics-loving Cubs staff usually goes after the thoroughbred multi-tool athletes who, visually, stand out as blue chip prospects.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw rolling with punches, killing it this spring

Ballesteros was short and squat. He didn’t fit the bill of a blue-chipper by Cubs’ standards and, by all accounts, his defensive game was all but nonexistent.

Yet, the Cubs signed the kid from Venezuela anyway, snatching him up as an international free agent just about two months after his 17th birthday, forking over a $1.2 million signing bonus. And they did it all because they recognized that this kid could really hit.

Ballesteros’ impressive run

More News: Chicago Cubs ace Justin Steele takes next step to full comeback

Ballesteros would prove the team’s faith in him warranted. Despite being the youngest prospect at almost every level he reached in the organization, he never failed to impress with the bat. His advanced hitting prowess would carry him to Cubs Minor League Player of the Year recognition in 2023 and 2024.

In his first major league run last season, he hit .298 in 66 plate appearances split up over three separate call-ups, with an especially impressive .333 average over 39 at bats in September He’s now slotted in to be the team’s full-time DH in 2026.

This spring, the talk regarding Ballesteros has centered around his still-developing defensive game as a catcher because, apparently, everybody just assumes now that he’ll hit (and he HAS, hitting .333 in 27 Cactus League at bats so far after a late arrival due to Visa issues).

Catching is getting rave reviews

The assessments of Ballesteros, the catcher, have been positive.

“From a pitch-calling standpoint, I love the way he thinks,” Cubs pitcher Ben Brown told media. “I love the way he goes about hitters. He’s a great hitter himself. He has great plate discipline. What he can do offensively is really special, so I think he brings that into his catching.

“I think everyone, top to bottom, in all honesty, we truly believe that Bally can stick back there. There’s no doubt. He loves to learn. He’s such a good teammate. He’s such a light in the clubhouse. He’s a joy to be around.”

New Cubs starter Edward Cabrera also praised him for his work behind the plate.

“I was shocked,” Cabrera told reporters, via interpreter, following a game caught by Ballesteros, where the young catcher flipped three balls to strikes via ABS challenge. “Having a catcher who sees the zone that well gives me a lot of confidence, especially in tight counts. He did a great job guiding me through those innings.”

Bat first, everything else is a bonus

The reality when it comes to Ballesteros, though, is that he’ll make the major league roster almost entirely on the weight of his bat. Everything that he can give defensively, would be just a bonus.

“He’s been an exceptional hitter,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters late last season. “That’s the best development for Moisés, really, is that he’s come up to the big leagues and shown everybody what a natural hitter he is, (while being) put in the fire against some tough, tough competition. The rest is a bonus.”

Even as an all-bat prospect, expectations are high heading into this season. There’s even been some Rookie of the Year chatter.

Right now, defensively, he stands to be the Cubs’ third catcher, behind Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya and he’ll also be in the mix as a backup to first baseman Michael Busch. But the team would be ecstatic if he could work his way into becoming an Alejandro Kirk-like asset behind the plate. Early thoughts appear to be that he has the unconventional athleticism and work ethic to develop in that direction. He is, after all, only 22.

For now, he’ll be given the bat and asked to produce come Opening Day. Defensive nuance can wait.

The post Chicago Cubs: Ballesteros getting rave reviews and some Rookie of the Year chatter appeared first on ChiCitySports.

One of the more intriguing players this season for the Chicago Cubs is outfielder Seiya Suzuki. He is expected to be an everyday starter in the outfield and is coming off a strong 2025 season. However, he popped up in the news as he left the 2026 World Baseball Classic Quarterfinals early. Let’s take a closer look at what we know at this point and what it means going forward.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki exits WBC Quarterfinals early

In the bottom of the first inning for Team Japan, Suzuki would get on base. He would attempt to steal second base, but would be called out following a review. However, something more significant happened as Suzuki would rub his right knee while sitting on the dirt after the play. Team Japan’s trainer would come out and help him off the field, which Suzuki would visibly limp off the field.

He would not go out to the field for the top of the second inning, instead being replaced by Shota Morishita in center field. As of this writing, there has not been an official diagnosis regarding the injury. If Team Japan loses, they are eliminated, and Suzuki would return to the Cubs’ Spring Training facility.

Suzuki is in an interesting position heading into the 2026 season, as he is in the final year of his contract. Suzuki had been on fire at the plate during the World Baseball Classic, as he is 3 for 9 with two home runs and five RBI. He has also been seeing the baseball well with six walks and only one strikeout. This is not the first injury to take place during the WBC as Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel suffered a right hamstring strain for Team Italy earlier this week.

It will be intriguing to see what the severity of Suzuki’s injury is and how it will affect the start of the 2026 season.

The post Seiya Suzuki exits WBC Quarterfinals vs Venezuela early with apparent injury appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The 2026 Chicago Cubs have a lot of excitement heading into the season with talent all over the diamond. However, great teams have players who come out of nowhere and are impactful throughout the season. Predicting who that player will be is always a fun exercise. Let’s take a closer look at who ESPN believes this will be.

ESPN considers Jaxon Wiggins as the Chicago Cubs’ breakout player for 2026

The Cubs have some exciting young players throughout the depth chart, so there are a lot of potential there. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel wrote an article predicting the breakout player for each team, and for the Cubs, he selected pitcher Jaxon Wiggins. Below is what he wrote:

“Wiggins has steadily progressed over the past few years, adding more feel and new pitches to his repertoire, and I have him 50-50 to be a starter or reliever. If he can stick as a starter, there’s frontline upside from his plus raw stuff.”

Wiggins is one of the more intriguing pitchers in the Cubs system. He is considered the 10th-ranked prospect in the organization and quickly climbed the ranks. In just two professional season, he would wind up in Triple-A Iowa. Over the course of three levels in 2025, he pitched in 19 games (18 starts) and was 3-4 with a 2.19 ERA and a .161 opposing batting average in 78.0 innings.

Wiggins has four different pitches (fastball, curveball, slider, changeup) and has an elite fastball. With the ability to get swings and misses, the team can expect that to continue in the big leagues. Whether as a spot starter in a loaded Cubs starting pitching staff or slotted as a bullpen arm, Wiggins should be in a position to be a legitimate arm that surprises a lot of people heading into the 2026 season.

The post This is the 2026 Chicago Cubs breakout player, per ESPN appeared first on ChiCitySports.

With all of the Chicago Cubs starting pitchers back in camp, they’ll go through the final stretch of ramp-up before the season starts. Matthew Boyd was just named the Opening Day starter, with the rest of the rotation order to be set. One of the biggest question marks heading into the season is Shōta Imanaga. He will be in the rotation, likely somewhere between the 3-5 spot. The question is, can he rebound from late last year, and does he have a short leash?

Concerns remain in Spring Training as he’s given up four homers in 8.1 innings in Cactus League play. While giving up home runs in Spring is normally not a point of emphasis, given Arizona’s hitter-friendly environment and the fact that pitchers are just working back, it’s a particular concern for Imanaga. The flyball-heavy pitcher’s struggles late last season and in the postseason raised worries about a bad trend.

Imanaga could have a shorter leash.

It’s important to note that a short leash occurs if Imanaga struggles, though he might not. He’s shown he can pitch in this league, even with the flyballs and home runs. There was going to be some regression from 2024’s 2.91 ERA season, with 27 homers surrendered and a 45.5% flyball rate, but his command allowed him to be effective over his first 45 career starts (2.98 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 244 K vs. 45 BB). Flyballs will always be a part of his game; it’s limiting the damage. Getting the whiff rate back up will be important.

However, if there are early struggles, safety valves are available. Craig Counsell was not afraid to pull Imanaga from the rotation in October when he struggled. That was when they were short on starters and opted for bullpen games, too. The current Cubs staff can go in several directions, including pivoting to Colin Rea or Javier Assad. Neither is a dominant pitcher, and going a full season with them as starters isn’t ideal, but Rea was big last year in keeping the Cubs in games while others were down.

Not to mention the return of Justin Steele, hopefully in May or June. That creates more flexibility and a bit less pressure on the rotation, assuming everything is going well with Boyd, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon. A bonus for Imanaga is that the games at Wrigley Field before Steele’s return will likely have more favorable pitching conditions.

Imanaga’s 2026 outlook.

With a deep pitching staff that can hopefully stay effective and healthy, it takes some pressure off Imanaga. It’s really good for the Cubs if he can pitch closer to 2024, but he does not make or break the rotation. At this point in a fully healthy Cubs rotation, he’s probably the 4 or 5 starter.

He might be making $22 million in 2026, but it’s for one year. The Cubs are not obligated to make him a staple in the rotation long-term. If he needs to be moved to the pen because of struggles, and a rotation can be filled, they could do it. Hopefully, Imanaga can rebound. Even if he’s not 2024-level good, as long as he can be a solid mid-lower rotation pitcher, the Cubs will take it.

The post Chicago Cubs: Will Shōta Imanaga have a short leash in 2026? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Team USA punched their tickets to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic after beating Canada 5-3 on Friday night. They will now face off against the Dominican Republic on Sunday night.

A big reason why they are in this position is due to the play of Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

He’s been in and out of the lineup for Team USA but when he gets the start from Mark DeRosa, he’s delivered. And you could argue he’s been the best position player for Team USA. Crow-Armstrong proved that once again on Friday night in the win over Canada.

Pete Crow-Armstrong’s hot start at World Baseball Classic

On Friday, Crow-Armstrong got the start in center field once again for Team USA over Byron Buxton. He finished the game 2-of-4 with 1 RBI and played really good defense in the outfield. That brings his numbers up to an impressive pace this World Baseball Classic.

PCA has been COOKING so far in the #WorldBaseballClassic

.357 AVG || .438 OBP || .857 SLG

2 HR
6 RBI
4 R
2 SO pic.twitter.com/jZjqaztmgX

— DodgersMuse (@LADodgersMuse) March 14, 2026

This performance comes after Crow-Armstrong was a significant part of the team’s performance against Italy. Despite a loss, Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs to help the run differential tiebreaker. He showed off his power which the Cubs are hoping he has again this season.

With a huge game against the Dominican Republic coming up, it will be interesting to see if DeRosa goes with Crow-Armstrong as the starter in center field. Or if he goes back to Buxton. It’s hard to imagine the latter in this situation.

The post Pete Crow-Armstrong center point of Team USA’s success at World Baseball Classic appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw had every reason to walk into spring training bitter and discontent. The young talent, who fought his way to the starting third base gig over the course of a tough rookie season, had been outright replaced by incoming free agent Alex Bregman. He was now being asked to play a utility role off the bench.

More News: Chicago Cubs ace Justin Steele takes next step to full comeback

Instead of taking it as a blow, however, the Cubs’ 2023 no. 1 draft pick accepted the new role as a challenge and has excelled.

Tasked with playing corner outfield, center field, and most recently first base– in addition to his more comfortable third base and second base spots– the 24-year-old has adapted well, while accepting that there’s still plenty more to learn.

Through all the pressure of learning new positions on the fly, Shaw has also seemingly taken a step forward with his offense. In 35 Cactus League plate appearances, he’s hitting .333 with 1 home run, 2 RBIs, 4 stolen bases, and an OBP of .400.

Passing every test

More News: Chicago Cubs encouraged to sign still-available free agent slugger

“We’re giving him a difficult spring training experience here,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told media. “We’re moving him around a lot. You’re going to see him at first base. I respect what he’s doing this spring, it hasn’t been easy for sure. But I’d rather make it hard right now and then go into the season with at least some experience at all these things.”

Last Wednesday, Shaw played his first game ever at first base and, while clearly still learning the ropes, seemed up to the task.

“Honestly, it’s been a lot of fun,” Shaw said, referring to being moved around the field. “It feels like Little League, playing a bunch of different positions and moving around. I’ve really enjoyed it.”

This humbling experience has just reinforced the team’s opinion of Shaw as a player and as someone with a high ceiling as an every day player.

“He’s not someone that you need to worry about being professional or motivated or driven or working on his game,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner told media. “He’s a very driven young player. You look at how many great players at some point earlier in their career were bouncing around between positions, it’s just the reality of being a part of a really strong roster…he’s going to be a very valuable part of our team this year.”

Getting Shaw where he needs to be

The Cubs will try to strike a balance this season between fielding the best, most experienced team possible and getting Shaw the at bats and playing time he needs to continue his development. He’s still, for all intents and purposes, the team’s chief insurance policy when it comes to injury and, also, when it comes to possibly replacing Hoerner, who will become a free agent at the end of this coming season.

As a chief backup to at least six position player spots, he should get plenty of playing time and get plenty of opportunity to prove his worth.

The post Chicago Cubs: Matt Shaw rolling with punches, killing it this spring appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs figure to have a deep and well-rounded starting rotation as they head into a 2026 season where expectations are high. They’d really like for Justin Steele to be a part of the team’s success. Actually, some think that the lefty might help push the team to that success.

More News: Chicago Cubs encouraged to sign still-available free agent slugger

Steele went down with an elbow injury last season after just four starts, forcing the Cubs to scramble and find an emergency rotation replacement or two. Subsequent elbow surgery (ulnar collateral ligament revision repair) put him on the shelf for the rest of the year.

Hopes were high, though, that the Cubs’ ace could make a full recovery and be a big part of a 2026 squad aiming for a deep postseason run. The 30-year-old has been Chicago’s most reliable and effective starter through the last four seasons, posting a 3.18 ERA over 82 starts in that span of time. A full comeback would be a huge boost to the team’s chances for success.

Justin Steele faces live batters

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd speaks on Opening Day gig as contract uncertainty looms

On Friday, Steele took another big step in the direction of a return. For the first time since he was given medical clearance to resume pitching activities, he faced live batters.

With several teammates in attendance, the southpaw threw 19 pitches to Michael Busch and Jonathon Long, notching three strikeouts and provoking some uncomfortable swings.

It was a small sample size of pitches, which was to be expected, but everything went well and, reportedly, he already looks to have some of his old mojo back.

“Looks like Justin,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy told reporters with a smile. “There’s days where he has really good cut to the fastball and gets weak contact. And there’s days where it has a little more carry, where you get more swing and miss. I thought today, you kind of saw a little bit of both.”

“I think it went as well as he could have wanted it and hoped for it to go,” Hottovy added. “Now it’s just continuing to build off every outing, every live BP and making sure we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”

“Another box to check,” Steele told media after the outing. “Felt good today, that’s the main thing — I was throwing strikes, putting the fastball where I wanted to for the most part. Just excited about it.

“I’ve worked really hard to come back as fast as I could and as strong as I could. It was really cool to see all my teammates and coaches come out to watch.”

Nice, relaxed return

Steele, who had full Tommy John surgery back in 2017, says that the recovery process this time around is going much smoother, thanks in great part to knowing what to expect and how to handle his limitations.

It also helps that there’s no rush to get him back on the mound.

With the Cubs rotation sporting five capable starters (Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga) as well as several solid backups (Javier Assad, Colin Rea, Ben Brown), Steele can take his time and make sure that he’s truly at 100% before getting back into the thick of things. Right now, the target remains May-June for his return

The Cubs will eventually have to figure out what to do with the surplus of starters when their ace comes back, but that’s certainly a good problem to have.

For now, the Cubs move forward and Steele keeps working to get back.

The post Chicago Cubs ace Justin Steele takes next step to full comeback appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are one of the more complete teams heading into the 2026 season. With a talented roster and a promising season getting ready to begin, there is a lot of excitement for the franchise. However, the team is not perfect as there are some weaknesses as well. Let’s take a closer look at the team’s biggest weakness heading into the regular season.

The Chicago Cubs need to avoid having major fall-offs this season

The Cubs are a few weeks away from beginning the season, but they need to avoid their biggest issue coming from last year. Sports Illustrated’s Karl Rasmussen recently wrote an article discussing every team’s Achilles heel heading into the 2026 season. For the Cubs, he would mention how they have players who struggled later in the season. Below is the full explanation he gave:

“Last season, several members of the Cubs’ offense had sensational first halves, but cooled off toward the end of the year. Pete Crow-Armstrong had a .847 OPS in his first 95 games, but struggled late to the tune of a .634 OPS. Seiya Suzuki’s OPS dropped over 175 points in the second half, and Michael Busch also saw a big dip in production down the stretch. Keeping the team fresh should be a priority.”

Chicago is hoping that the team is able to get their offense improved with more experience heading into this season. They added a veteran in third baseman Alex Bregman during the offseason, who has hit better after the All-Star break throughout his career. With last season’s Cubs team going from a .771 OPS before the All-Star break to a .720 after it, the team needs to figure out how to stay hot at the plate throughout the full 162-game season.

Last year’s team was able to rely on the pitching and defense to make the playoffs in the last months of the season. The bats need to make sure they are staying hot to be World Series contenders.

The post This is the Chicago Cubs Achilles heel heading into the 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are looking to be a World Series contender in 2026. They have some outstanding talent throughout their roster, but there are some significant players who need to step up in order to do so. Let’s take a closer look at one player who could be the difference between Chicago’s season being a success or a failure.

Jeff Passan puts the 2026 Chicago Cubs season on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s shoulders

ESPN’s Jeff Passan posted his 2026 season preview, and when discussing the Cubs, he mentioned center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong being the player the season hinges on. Below is what Passan wrote about the outfielder heading into his age-24 season:

“Of all the players on the Cubs — and there are a lot of good ones — Crow-Armstrong is the most capable of carrying a team. Regardless of how he’s hitting, his defense in center field and speed on the basepaths are elite. When he’s hitting, though, as he did in the first half last season and in Team USA’s WBC game against Italy, he’s one of the 10 or 15 best players in the game. Yes, he doesn’t walk enough. Yes, he strikes out too much. Those two qualities tend to be sticky. But if PCA can walk a little more and strike out a little less, suddenly you’re looking at a true do-everything player. And when everyone on a team is good, greatness, or even potential greatness, tends to stand out.”

Crow-Armstrong is going to be a significant factor this season after showcasing his abilities last season. He was able to be the NL Gold Glove winner at center fielder and ninth in the NL MVP voting. Crow-Armstrong posted a .768 OPS with 31 homers, 95 RBI, 91 runs scored, and 35 steals on 43 attempts over 157 games. As a result, his presence in the lineup and in the field will be significant to winning games for Chicago. It will be intriguing to see how Crow-Armstrong plays in the 2026 season and if he can improve on his 2025 campaign.

The post The 2026 Chicago Cubs season hinges on this player, per ESPN insider appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs acquired Tyler Austin this past offseason for the explicit purpose of being the designated right-handed-hitting relief for first baseman Michael Busch. Before the spring even got into full swing, however, Austin went down with a knee injury requiring surgery and months of recovery.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd speaks on Opening Day gig as contract uncertainty looms

The bad news has sent the Cubs scrambling for a backup at first base.

Catcher Miguel Amaya has been getting some reps there. Matt Shaw recently made his career debut at first. There’s been talk of rookie DH and backup catcher Moises Ballesteros getting some playing time at the position. Even veteran non-roster spring training invitee Michael Conforto has been mentioned as a possible first base backup. Jonathon Long, the Cubs’ top first base prospect, is also a possibility, but the feeling seems to be that Chicago would prefer to see him back in Triple-A Iowa where he can develop further as an every day player.

Realistically, the Cubs don’t absolutely need a high-end backup to Busch. The team seems ok with letting him see more left-handed pitching. But injuries do happen and even a fully locked-in Busch would benefit from the occasional day off.

A last-minute roster addition?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Rival scout labels Cubs rookie a future “RBI machine”

Chris Landers of Fansided recently speculated that the Cubs could find the ideal first base backup in the form of veteran Wilmer Flores, who remains a free agent and is reportedly dead set on holding out for a major league contract.

The 34-year-old veteran was mostly used as a DH last year with the San Francisco Giants, but also played 208 innings at first base and 9 innings at third. He hit .241 with 16 home runs in 419 at bats in 2015.

Per Landers:

“Speaking of righty bench bats: The Cubs figure to be back in the market for one, after offseason acquisition Tyler Austin — penciled in as the righty counterpart to Michael Busch at first base and/or Moises Ballesteros at DH — underwent knee surgery that will keep him out until at least the summer. Chicago can try to just get by until then, but they could also look at Flores, who intends to continue his career after six seasons in San Francisco.

Flores is a limited player at this point in his career, but one thing he’s always been able to do is crush left-handed pitching. If Chicago needs someone to fill the Justin Turner role on the cheap until Austin returns, Jed Hoyer could do a lot worse.”

Does it make sense?

The 13-year major league veteran could be a viable roster option who might come at a very reasonable price. Last season, Flores made $3.5 million and he stands to make less than that this coming year if/when he’s picked up by somebody. The general feeling is that he’s too good of a hitter to not be signed eventually.

Adding Flores could push utility man Shaw back to more familiar positions. It could also eliminate the need for a fourth outfielder as Shaw could get some time in that spot, especially with Flores being able to play some third base in a pinch.

If brought in this late, he probably wouldn’t be able to start the reason with the rest of the team. But maybe a May Cubs debut for Flores could be in the cards.

It’s certainly something worth considering ahead of big 2026.

The post Chicago Cubs encouraged to sign still-available free agent slugger appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs took a gamble on Matthew Boyd prior to the 2025 season, signing the oft-injured lefty to a two-year, $29 million deal– and the bet definitely paid off.

More News: Chicago Cubs named one of the teams under the most pressure in 2026

The Cubs front office made their move based on just about two months of 2024 data following his Tommy John surgery in 2023 and other assorted physical setbacks dating back to 2020. The veteran starter came into the 2025 season without having pitched more than 100 innings since 2019.

Prior to last season, Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy talked about the general expectations of Boyd in 2025– they’d be happy with just 120 innings of solid baseball from him.

Well, Boyd far exceeded those expectations and posted a 3.21 ERA in 179.2 innings pitched over 31 starts and performed his way into becoming the rotation’s ace.

He was rewarded for that stellar season by getting the Opening Day starter nod from manager Craig Counsell.

“You earn these things,” Counsell told reporters. “And Matthew has earned this with how he’s pitched last year and since coming back from an injury. He had a great season last year. He’s a very important player for us, and we’re excited to give him the ball on Opening Day.”

Boyd speaks on Opening Day gig

More News: Chicago Cubs: Opening Day starter assignment spotlights rotation questions

Boyd, meanwhile, keeps being Boyd. Touched by the gesture of getting the 2026 opener gig, the honor weighs more heavily on him as his roots are steeped in Cubs lore, passed to him by his beloved late grandfather who was a hardcore Cubs fan.

“You don’t know if the opportunity is ever going to present itself again,” Boyd said of the Opening Day designation. “So it’s an honor. I mean, 162 games is a long season. It’s really cool to be out there to start it out.”

“Opening Day is special,” Boyd added, “but Opening Day at Wrigley is really something that is truly special. And I understand how much it means to Chicago fans.”

From the end of the line to a new beginning

For a guy who was virtually on the way out of major league baseball or, at the very least, in extreme doubt over his physical ability to pitch again, the gig has to be especially satisfying. What could have been the end of the line ended up being the start of a new beginning.

“If I don’t believe it, who else will?” Boyd said of his mindset prior to the start of last season. “I knew my best was ahead of me. What I didn’t know is if I’d get the opportunity to show it.”

Now, what’s ahead for Boyd is a 2026 where the Cubs are expected to win the NL Central Division and make a deep playoff run. There’s also a crucial career decision awaiting him. Boyd and the Cubs have mutual options at the end of the season and that could mean that the 35-year-old might be pitching elsewhere next year.

For now, though, Opening Day– and then a long, grueling season– await.

The post Chicago Cubs: Matthew Boyd speaks on Opening Day gig as contract uncertainty looms appeared first on ChiCitySports.

When the Chicago Cubs signed third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency, trade rumors immediately began swirling around Nico Hoerner due to the fact that Hoerner is slated to hit free agency next offseason.

The idea made sense. Sign Bregman, trade Hoerner for a monster package and shift Matt Shaw over to second base. But is it possible the Cubs could make a different move entirely?

While jettisoning Hoerner definitely makes the most sense from a financial perspective, it would obviously inhibit Chicago’s chances of winning a World Series this year. So maybe trading Shaw is actually the right play?

A former top prospect, Shaw brings a ton of potential and a whole lot of versatility to the table, so he definitely has value.

On that note, Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib has suggested an intriguing potential destination for Shaw: the Atlanta Braves.

Could the Chicago Cubs trade Matt Shaw to the Atlanta Braves?

The Braves just watched as Jurickson Profar was hit with his second PED suspension, resulting in the All-Star utility man being banned for the entire 2026 campaign. This obviously puts Atlanta in a difficult spot with the season opener just two weeks away, but perhaps the Cubs could have the antidote.

“If the Braves, like the Cubs, believe that Shaw is capable of handling the outfield, he could be an intriguing platoon partner for Mike Yastrzemski in left field,” Campbell wrote. “Shaw could also see time as the Braves’ designated hitter, considering their current option is a non-roster invite in Dominic Smith.”

A former first-round pick, Shaw made his big-league debut in 2025 and slashed .226/.295/.394 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI over 437 plate appearances, but it’s important to note that he posted a .915 OPS in the minor leagues. So clearly, Shaw has a high ceiling.

Even after a disappointing showing in his first major-league season, Shaw still has plenty of trade value, and with the Braves being desperate, they might be willing to surrender a nice return to Chicago in exchange for the 24-year-old.

“To be clear, a Shaw trade with the Braves should be viewed as unlikely, but it speaks to the type of creativity that would be involved if the Cubs were to move their former first-rounder. Especially if it was to a team rich in pitching prospects,” Campbell added.

Of course, this still wouldn’t solve the Cubs’ emerging financial problem when it comes to Hoerner, and considering they would likely be getting prospects in return, it likely wouldn’t do much to move the needle for them in 2026, either.

The post Cubs connected to new trade possibility following jarring suspension appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs, on Thursday, named Matthew Boyd their Opening Day starter. It was the safe, reasonable choice to make considering Boyd’s 2025.

More News: Chicago Cubs named one of the teams under the most pressure in 2026

The veteran lefty came to the Cubs as a bit of a free agent gamble last season, coming off a long history of injury and Tommy John surgery in mid-2023. Originally targeted for 110-120 innings as a back-end-of rotation starter, Boyd exceeded all expectations and performed his way into being the ace of the staff with a 3.21 ERA in 179.2 innings over 31 starts.

So, yes, Boyd was the logical choice for Opening Day.

That designation, though, probably paints a clearer picture for the rest of the rotation order.

Boyd on Opening Day, and then what?

More News: Chicago Cubs: Rival scout labels Cubs rookie a future “RBI machine”

The Cubs would probably want a power right-hander coming after the more nuanced lefty. That means probably Cade Horton, but it could also mean newcomer Edward Cabrera. Then, maybe, another nuanced lefty in Shota Imanaga. After that, either Horton or Cabrera, whoever didn’t land the no. 2 spot in the rotation. That would leave Jameson Taillon as the no. 5 starter.

A probable rotation might look like this (although, obviously, the order could easily be all scrambled up behind Boyd):

Matthew Boyd
Cade Horton
Shota Imanaga
Edward Cabrera
Jameson Taillon

Things get a bit more complicated, however, when Justin Steele returns after being on the shelf, recovering from elbow surgery last April. Upon his comeback (expected before mid-season), someone will have to be booted from their rotation spot. Who gets the boot will be determined, obviously, by who has been the least effective at the time of Steele’s return.

One also has to consider the fact that the Cubs have a pair of very capable swingmen in Javier Assad and Colin Rea, with Ben Brown also having starter potential. Assad has been having a killer spring so far and Rea performed admirably in the rotation last season, making up for the injury-related absences of Steele, Imanaga, and Taillon.

A Plan B, Plan C?

Some have theorized that Chicago could possibly go with a 6-man rotation for at least part of the season, given their depth and the need/desire to preserve arms for what they hope to be a deep postseason run.

They could also piggyback starters for a stretch of time, maybe pairing two for a single game, utilizing all of their nine potential starters to deliver multi-inning outings and save wear and tear on a staff that does have considerable injury and durability concerns. Although this strategy might end up taxing the bullpen disproportionately, essentially forcing a small handful of dedicated relievers to cover almost all relief innings.

Whatever the Cubs decide, the elephant in the room will always be the staff’s health and durability concerns. Boyd, Horton, and Cabrera have significant history of injury. Taillon and Imanaga spent a good amount of time on the IL last year. And Steele, of course, is coming back from major elbow surgery.

An ace in the hole may be top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins, who some are hoping could be the Cade Horton of 2026, moving up from the minors to win a spot in the Cubs rotation. There’s also hope that lefty Jordan Wicks can get healthy and finally put it all together for a good major league run.

For now, all the Cubs can do is lay down their pieces and play them. Soon enough, everyone will know whether a Plan B or C is necessary.

The post Chicago Cubs: Opening Day starter assignment spotlights rotation questions appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of expectations heading into the 2026 season. After a season of going 83-79 and making the postseason, the team has expectations of winning the NL Central and beyond. With Opening Day getting closer, the team has officially announced who will be getting the start when the games begin to count. Let’s take a closer look at who it will be and what this means for the starting rotation.

The Chicago Cubs announced Matthew Boyd as the 2026 Opening Day starting pitcher

The Cubs have officially announced who will be the starting pitcher when the team hosts the Washington Nationals two weeks from today. Veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd has been announced to get the ball in the team’s first game of the season. This will be the first time he pitches for the Cubs on Opening Day and the fifth consecutive different Opening Day starting pitcher.

Boyd had a solid 2025 season with the Cubs as the veteran went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 179.2 innings over 31 starts. He made one appearance for Team USA out of the bullpen during this year’s World Baseball Classic and allowed three runs in 2.1 innings of work. Boyd is expected to leave the Team USA camp today ahead of the quarterfinals to prepare for Opening Day.

With the team trading for Edward Cabrera this offseason, there were a few options that manager Craig Counsell could have went to begin the season. However, this will be Boyd’s third career Opening Day start, pitching in 2020 and 2021 for the Detroit Tigers. He is expected to get another start or two in Spring Training to stretch himself out a bit more following the World Baseball Classic. It will be intriguing to see how Boyd pitches this season, as he can be a valuable player for Chicago this year.

The post Chicago Cubs announce 2026 Opening Day starting pitcher appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs will be feeling pressure this season. Unlike the situation heading into last season, where the team was expected to contend, the expectations this year are that they will win, at the very least, the NL Central Division.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Rival scout labels Cubs rookie a future “RBI machine”

Although they lost right fielder Kyle Tucker via free agency, they added three-time All-Star free agent Alex Bregman and traded for emerging powerhouse starter Edward Cabrera. They also restocked a depleted bullpen with four free agent relievers (Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey).

With so many key additions and a returning core of talent from last season, the general feeling is that anything short of a division title and a deep playoff run will be seen as a major disappointment.

Cubs under pressure

More News: Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ putting on a brave face ahead of free agency uncertainty

Karl Rasmussen of Sports Illustrated recently acknowledged that pressure by naming the Cubs one of the teams under the most pressure this coming season. While he placed them outside the “World Series or Bust” category, he did put them high atop the “Postseason Run Required” list.

Per Rasmussen:

“The Cubs are in a good spot as they look to win the NL Central for the first time since 2020. Chicago acquired Alex Bregman in the offseason and should be favorites to win the division, especially after the Brewers parted ways with Peralta. The Cubs made it back to the postseason last year, snapping a four-year drought, and fans will be expecting the team to be playing into October again this season.”

Expectations are running high this spring and everyone feels it, from the front office to the coaching to the players themselves, as well as the fans. Actually, the word “expectations” has been a running theme throughout spring training.

“Everybody in this industry wants expectations,” manager Craig Counsell told The Athletic. “You work hard to get expectations. You work really hard to build a roster that has expectations, you work really hard to get on a team that has expectations. That’s what we want. We’re truly excited we have expectations. It’s not easy to get them.”

Causes for concern

And while there are numerous reasons for optimism, there are also some glaring causes for concern.

Several Cubs had career years in 2025, such as Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, and Nico Hoerner. There’s no guarantee that they’ll replicate their successes this season.

There are legitimate durability and health concerns in their deep starting rotation. Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, and Edward Cabrera have a history of injury, while Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga spent considerable time on the IL last year. Returning ace Justin Steele, meanwhile, will be coming back from elbow surgery.

Then, there’s the bullpen, which is always a wildcard on almost every team. Closer Daniel Palencia had 80% of a great season last year as he came up from Triple-A Iowa to win the bullpen shutdown spot. But he faded late in the year, delivering two months of subpar performances which suggested that, maybe, the young arm was bending under the pressure.

On paper, the Cubs would appear to be a better team than they were at this time last season. But that’s certainly no guarantee of equal or greater success.

The pressure will definitely be on.

The post Chicago Cubs named one of the teams under the most pressure in 2026 appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs will gain a familiar face in camp, with left-hander Matthew Boyd returning.

More News: Chicago Cubs Matt Shaw expands his versatility this spring

According to New York Post columnist Jon Heyman, Boyd will return to get stretched out as a starter since he didn’t get enough innings in the World Baseball Classic. The 2025 All-Star pitched 2.1 innings, allowing five hits, no walks, and three earned runs.

Boyd made two starts in spring training before joining Team USA, with a 1.93 ERA and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings. New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes is in the same situation as Boyd and could also return to camp.

Matthew Boyd is expected to return to Cubs camp to be stretched out as starter for season since he wouldn’t get enough innings as a Team USA reliever. Clay Holmes is in a similar spot and may go back to Mets camp. Twins ace Joe Ryan is a candidate to take one USA roster spot.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 12, 2026

Matthew Boyd needs to focus on the season ahead for the Chicago Cubs

Boyd, 35, will likely be counted on to be the Cubs’ ace heading into this season, or the No. 2. The Cubs haven’t announced a starter for Opening Day, and Boyd is one of the candidates for the job. Right-handers Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera are also options for manager Craig Counsell.

Boyd had a breakout campaign in 2025 — 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 21 starts — after having Tommy John surgery in late 2023. The surgery cost Boyd most of the 2024 season, but it led to him signing his contract (two years, $29 million) with the Cubs.

The Cubs have a strong top three in the rotation of Boyd, Horton, and Cabrera. The Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds as the Cubs main rivals for the National League Central. So, hopefully, having a formidable starting rotation paired with a strong offense could help win the Central.

The Cubs will take on the Washington Nationals on March 26. Right-hander Cade Cavalli will be the Nationals Opening Day starter.

The post Chicago Cubs All-Star expected to return to camp from the WBC appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have all nine positions in the field figured out except the bench.

More News: Chicago Cubs‘ Nico Hoerner has lofty goal for the 2026 season

Infielder Matt Shaw is a prime candidate to make the Cubs bench as a super-utility player, and is adding playing first base to his repertoire. Manager Craig Counsell said he knows the Cubs are giving Shaw a “kind of a difficult Spring Training experience”, asking him to play first base.

“Look, we’re giving him kind of a difficult Spring Training experience here,” Counsell said to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. “I respect what he’s doing this spring. It hasn’t been easy, for sure. But, I’d rather make it hard right now and then go into the season with at least some experience at all these things.”

Matt Shaw is embracing the idea of playing first base for the Chicago Cubs, despite never playing there

In Shaw’s entire professional baseball career, college career, and short time in the major leagues, he has never played first base. Primarily a middle infielder, playing 124 games at third base last year, Shaw is excited for the opportunity to get more at-bats by playing first base.

“Definitely, I want to get as many at-bats as I possibly can,” Shaw said. “If that means playing a lot of different positions, then I think it kind of just is what it is. If I can continue to get better at those positions, then I think I’ll be in a good place to, No. 1, get a lot of at-bats, and No. 2, give guys days off if they need it to keep our team healthy going into October.”

The Cubs’ former first-round pick (13th overall) in 2023 feels he’s covering the nuances of playing first well.

“There’s small nuances that I’m learning,” Shaw said. “But overall I feel like I covered all the basics pretty well. It’s small things that I’m learning. Obviously, it’s Day 1 ever at first, but overall I feel really, really good.”

Matt Shaw could be a decent choice to back up Michael Busch if he needs a day off

The Cubs’ primary first baseman last season and going into this season is Michael Busch. Busch had a breakout campaign in 2025, batting .261 with an OPS of .866 and 34 home runs in 155 games. Busch played 151 games at first base and had a value of two defensive runs saved.

The Cubs’ turning to Shaw to maybe play first base is because Tyler Austin will be out for months with a knee injury. Prospect Moises Ballesteros is also a likely candidate to back up Busch. But Ballesteros has high upside, and will need everyday at-bats at Triple-A.

Shaw adding first base to his repertoire will help his chances of getting playing time in 2026. However, he will need to prove he can handle playing a position he’s never played.

The post Chicago Cubs Matt Shaw expands his versatility this spring appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs top prospect Moises Ballesteros came into Mesa late, held up with visa issues from his native Venezuela for 10 crucial early spring training days. It was an especially tough development since the team wanted to have him focus on his catching this spring and work on building a rapport with the pitchers.

More News: Chicago Cubs’ Alex Bregman stuns with linguistic feat at WBC presser

The 22-year-old is expected to make the Opening Day roster as a bat-first DH, but becoming a viable backup to catchers Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya would be huge for a Cubs team that prioritizes depth and roster flexibility.

By all accounts, he’s caught up to speed and is actually exceeding expectations, especially at catcher, where he’s surprised some observers who had previously envisioned him as a below-average receiver. New Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera recently praised him for his keen eye behind the plate and his ability to help guide him through his outing.

Ballesteros is also not disappointing with the bat, hitting .294 after just 18 plate appearances with 6 RBIs in his abbreviated spring.

All in all, people are excited about what the Cubs’ 2023 and 2024 Minor League Player of the Year can do in a full season after posting a .298 batting average in 66 plate appearances with the major league team last season.

Rival scout raves about Ballesteros upside

More News: Chicago Cubs surprise roster projection has one unexpected name

In a recent interview with the Mully & Haugh Show on 104.3 The Score, Cubs beat reporter Bruce Levine shared a rival scout’s glowing assessment of the squat, 5-foot-8 unlikely top prospect.

“I was talking to a scout who has watched him since he came into major league baseball,” Levine asserted. “He said…don’t worry about his weight as much as look at him as the baseball athlete he is at this weight. Make sure that the dietary part is good, but don’t ask this guy to lose 20 or 25 pounds, you might lose the pop in his bat if you do that…He’s a believer in Ballesteros and, like me, he believes he’s going to be a middle of the order hitter very soon. He said anywhere from fourth to sixth is where Counsell is going to hit him most of the time. He just believes he’s going to be an RBI machine.”

Another Alejandro Kirk?

The unnamed scout also went on to praise Ballesteros as an overall player, comparing him to Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays, who is similarly 5-foot-8 and is actually listed as 50 lbs. heavier.

“It was good to hear from someone outside the organization who thinks not only is he going to be an outstanding hitter, but that he’s going to be a better catcher,” Levine said. “And he brought up Kirk as the idea from the Toronto Blue Jays…Not the greatest body in the world, but he’s turned out to be an outstanding catcher even at a big size.”

For now, the plan with Ballesteros seems to be to DH him against mostly right-handed pitching and slot him in as the team’s emergency catcher. He can also play some first base and might see some time there as a backup to Michael Busch.

But, make no mistake about it, Ballesteros will be with the Cubs for his bat and everyone’s waiting to see how well he does there.

The post Chicago Cubs: Rival scout labels Cubs rookie a future “RBI machine” appeared first on ChiCitySports.

With just over two weeks until the start of the 2026 MLB season, Spring Training is wrapping up and teams are getting a more clear idea of their lineup and pitching rotation.

For the Chicago Cubs, they haven’t announced their opening day starter. But it feels like it will be Cade Horton. They do know who they will be facing when they take the field on March 26th.

The Washington Nationals announced that Cade Cavalli will get the start for the team when they face the Cubs at Wrigley Field. It was made official on Wednesday after a report from Ryan Shenker surfacing earlier in the week.

Cade Cavalli gets rewarded with Opening Day start vs. Chicago Cubs

Cavalli was drafted by the Nationals 22nd overall in 2020 and made his debut in August of 2022. He was then shut down for the rest of that season with right shoulder inflammation.

Cavalli made his return in August of 2025 and now he gets his chance for a big time start.

The post Chicago Cubs opening day opposing pitcher revealed appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner is one of the most underrated players in baseball and doesn’t work outside of his skill set to be great.

“I was really proud of last year throughout,” Hoerner said to Jordan Bastain of MLB.com earlier this spring. “During the season, I felt like I improved, while just being a good version of myself and embracing the things I do well.”

More News: Chicago Cubs breathe a sigh of relief after the Reds’ latest injury

Hoerner is an all-around player and came into this spring training hoping to build off his slugging from the second half.

“I slugged more in the second half,” Hoerner said. “But it didn’t come from swinging harder or doing stuff that’s outside of my skillset as it is. I just felt like I had a better understanding of how I was moving, and I’m excited to build on that.”

In seven seasons with the Cubs, Hoerner has a career slugging percentage of .384 and has 36 career home runs. Hoerner has shown to be more of a doubles (128), triples (15), and steals (131) player than a home run hitter.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell noticed Nico Hoerner’s desire to be better

In three seasons as Hoerner’s manager, Craig Counsell has taken notice of Hoerner coming into spring training with new goals. Hoerner told Counsell this spring, “I want to hit for more power.”

“Just in the three years that I’ve been here,” Counsell said, “I’ve seen him come into spring with some different goals. And now I think he sits in a place where he understands himself better and how to achieve those goals. Instead of just saying, ‘I want to hit for more power,’ it’s more understanding how his body works around that goal.”

If Nico Hoerner can hit more than 10 home runs, that would be a win for the Cubs

Hoerner has hit seven home runs in back-to-back seasons and has two seasons (2020 and 2021) with zero home runs. The Cubs’ former first-round pick’s (24th overall) career high is 10 in 2022.

Already hitting over 30 doubles in a season (35 in 2024), developing more home run potential would benefit the Cubs. The Cubs ranked sixth in Major League Baseball in home runs in 2025 (223). Hoerner hitting at least 15 home runs next season would be a win for the Cubs.

The post Chicago Cubs‘ Nico Hoerner has lofty goal for the 2026 season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are coming off a season in which the team made the postseason and was very competitive. While they were able to do well, they lost right fielder Kyle Tucker as a free agent during the offseason. There are some exciting people in the organization who can get recognized at the end of the season for their contributions. Let’s take a closer look at one person who is a candidate to win one of the end-of-season awards.

MLB says that Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell is a candidate for the NL Manager of the Year

MLB’s Will Leitch wrote an article discussing contenders in each division for end-of-season awards. One member of the Cubs was named as the National League Central candidate as Craig Counsell was listed as the candidate for NL Manager of the Year. Below is what Leitch wrote regarding his prediction;

“Would you believe that Counsell has never won one of these? The Cubs are the clear favorite in the division, but they have not, in fact, won the NL Central in a full season since 2017. This has to be the year for them, and him, right?”

Counsell completed his first season with Chicago last season and was 83-79. The Cubs were able to secure one of the NL Wild Card spots as well, but the team is in a position to be even better in 2026. With the offseason additions of third baseman Alex Bregman and starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, Chicago is able to be a legitimate threat to win the NL Central

The division is going to be intriguing as the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds also made the postseason last season. However, Counsell has a chance to use his managerial experience without the pressure of a new job that he had in 2025. It will be intriguing to see if his 2025 concerns are evaporated in this upcoming season.

The post The Chicago Cubs have a prime candidate for this end of season award appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs won’t have an easy time winning the National League Central, but things became easier with Cincinnati Reds right-hander Hunter Greene getting injured.

More News: Chicago Cubs roster cuts include MLB top pitching prospect

According to USA Today Baseball columnist Bob Nightengale, Greene will have arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday to remove bone chips and loose bodies in his right elbow. The surgery will keep the former first-round pick (second overall) out until July.

The former All-Star (2024) made one start this spring — allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk — before getting shut down.

The Chicago Cubs can breathe a sigh of relief that Hunter Greene is out until July

The Cubs not having to face Greene will work in their favor, as the right-hander owned the Cubs’ in 2025. In two starts, Greene was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and struck out 11 in 13.0 innings. Greene also limited Cubs hitters to a .091 batting average (44 at-bats) and a .376 OPS.

The Reds will be one of the Cubs’ main rivals competing for the National League Central Division in 2026. The Milwaukee Brewers will try to retain the title. The Pittsburgh Pirates could also offer some competition after spending some money to build on their roster.

Not having Greene will hurt the Reds’ rotation and overall roster, but it should help the Cubs steal a few wins against them. The Cubs play the Reds four times (May 4 to May 7) before July.

The post Chicago Cubs breathe a sigh of relief after the Reds’ latest injury appeared first on ChiCitySports.