Coming off a win in their home opener, the Chicago White Sox look to win two in a row against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Anthony Kay will try to get his first win in five years while pitching for the Chicago White Sox

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The Chicago White Sox made a 40-man roster move Sunday, March 22 bringing back a familiar face behind the plate. Chicago signed veteran catcher Reese McGuire to a one-year, $1.2 million deal. He will join Edgar Quero and Korey Lee as healthy options at the position, as they are going to be starting the year without Kyle Teel as he recovers from a hamstring injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic.

Chicago White Sox reunite with catcher Reese McGuire on a 1 year deal

McGuire, age 31, recently exercised his ability to opt out of his minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, and was granted his release. The Sox didn’t waste time scooping him up. It’s not a flashy move, but it’s a depth play until Teel gets healthy.

McGuire gives the Sox a glove-first, left-handed bat with real major league experience. He hit nine homers in limited action with the Cubs last season and owns a respectable track record defensively, throwing out over 27% of would-be base stealers in his career. He previously had a brief stint with the organization in 2022, before being traded to the Boston Red Sox for Jake Diekman.

In the bigger picture, this is a good move for the White Sox. It may not generate headlines, but it addresses a temporary depth issue while keeping the organization from rushing a key young piece back onto the field. With three healthy catchers now on the 40-man roster, Chicago has the flexibility to mix and match behind the plate, manage workloads, and prioritize defense while Teel continues his recovery.

For a team still trying to establish consistency, especially during the early part of the season, having capable depth matters. If McGuire can provide solid defense and occasional offensive production, this signing could quietly pay off. More importantly, it allows the White Sox to be patient with Teel, which could prove far more valuable over the course of the season than any short-term gain.

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The Chicago Cubs made two moves impacting their 40-man roster ahead of Friday’s tender deadline. Of the four arbitration-eligible players, Justin Steele, Javier Assad, Reese McGuire, and Eli Morgan, only McGuire and Morgan were affected. Both were non-tendered, freeing up their roster spots and making them free agents.

Chicago Cubs 40-man roster drops to 30 after Reese McGuire and Eli Morgan were non-tendered

With Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly, and Moisés Ballesteros already on the 40-man roster, carrying a fourth catcher in McGuire wasn’t practical, despite the positive contributions he made in 2025 when injuries opened the door for playing time. Morgan, meanwhile, found himself in the opposite situation. Injuries to the pitcher limited his availability throughout the season, ultimately leading to his non-tender.

Following these moves, the Cubs 40-man roster now stands at 30, with just 16 of them being pitchers. Rebuilding the pitching staff, particularly the bullpen, will be necessary this winter. Adding another corner infielder also could be on the horizon, as Justin Turner became a free agent.

With the roster trimmed and key decisions made, the Cubs now face significant work ahead. They currently sit at just 30 players on the 40-man roster, with three internal additions already occurring in INF Pedro Ramirez, INF/OF James Triantos, and LHP Riley Martin, making external additions almost certain. Chicago is expected to explore a mix of free-agent signings, trade opportunities, and potential Rule 5 selections to rebuild depth and reliability.

With clear roster space and pressing needs, the Cubs’ offseason is set to be active. How they address their pitching depth, especially in the bullpen, which was a major strength of theirs in 2025, will play a big role in shaping their competitiveness heading into the 2026 season.

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MLB’s first major offseason date, the tender deadline, is fast approaching. For the Chicago Cubs, no drama is expected, as they have just four arbitration-eligible players this winter. Barring a surprise, the front office is likely to handle the deadline with minimal movement and a straightforward set of decisions.

No Chicago Cubs drama is expected at the tender deadline

November 21 is the deadline for teams to tender contracts to players for the 2026 season. The decision typically impacts arbitration-eligible players the most, since their salaries are higher than those of pre-arbitration players. Anyone who is non-tendered becomes a free agent immediately afterward.

This year, catcher Reese McGuire and pitchers Justin Steele, Eli Morgan, and Javier Assad are the only Cubs players eligible for arbitration. According to MLB Trade Rumors, McGuire is projected to earn $1.9 million in 2026, Steele $6.55 million, Morgan $1.1 million, and Assad $1.9 million. All four figures fall well within a reasonable range, making it unlikely that anyone will be non-tendered as a payroll causality.

Of the group, McGuire is the most likely to be non-tendered. Chicago already has Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly, and Moises Ballesteros on the 40-man roster, so keeping McGuire, who cannot be optioned to the minors, offers little roster flexibility.

Meanwhile, Steele and Assad are all but certain to be tendered contracts. There might be an argument to part ways with Morgan, whose 2025 season was derailed by injury, but given the significant turnover in the bullpen, it would be prudent for the Cubs to keep him on the roster.

Related: Cubs Pete Crow-Armstrong makes massive 2026 decision

With only four arbitration-eligible players and minimal tough decisions to make, the Cubs are poised for a quiet tender deadline. Non-tendering McGuire seems likely, while Steele, Assad, and Morgan are expected to return, providing stability and continuity as the team heads into the 2026 season. Overall, fans shouldn’t expect drama, just some routine roster management.

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The Chicago Cubs have some work to do this offseason if they want to build off of a successful 2025 campaign that saw them win their first playoff games since 2017.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Dylan Cease free agent interest confirmed, per reports

And while it became painfully clear in the playoffs that pitching would have to be a focus for the front office, there’s also plenty else to work on.

For instance, the Cubs have to decide whether they’re going to put up a financial fight to keep free agent right fielder Kyle Tucker. If they don’t, they’ll have to find a way to fill the massive hole left behind.

But nobody seems to be giving much thought to changing anything when it comes to the catching position.

Looking at the pure numbers, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to be concerned.

Combined, the Cubs catching corp as a whole posted 30 home runs and 99 RBIs while playing all-around solid defensively. Carson Kelly, himself, accounted for 17 of those home runs and 50 of those RBIs.

A downturn coming at catcher?

More News: Report: Chicago Cubs removed themselves from Shohei Ohtani pursuit

But Kelly, who signed with the Cubs last offseason for a two-year, $11.5 million deal, had a prodigious dip in offensive productivity in the second half of the season. Although he still had a career year with the bat, he was definitely showing a regression to his modest career-average expectations by season’s end. 2026 may see full regression.

The 26-year-old Miguel Amaya has long been regarded as the Cubs’ catcher of the future, but injuries have become a fixture in his career. Last season, he was limited to just 28 games. Backup Reese McGuire, meanwhile, is “just” a backup, despite doing well in place of the injured Amaya.

So, would the Cubs be wise to pick up another starting-level catcher, in proactive anticipation of needing one in 2026?

Chicago Cubs advised to target AL East catcher

Chris Landers of Fansided believes that Chicago would be smart to kick the tires on the Baltimore Orioles’ catcher/DH Adley Rutschman.

Per Landers:

“The Cubs have the luxury of being just about locked in at every position on the diamond — except, that is, for catcher, where Carson Kelly started off strong before disappearing down the stretch this season. It’s a spot crying out for an upgrade this offseason, and while the free-agent market is thin on impact names (outside a declining JT Realmuto), the trade market features one heck of a buy-low opportunity in Rutschman.

OK, so “low” figures to still be pretty steep in this case; Rutschman is under team control for two more years, and the Baltimore Orioles don’t figure to be overly eager to dump him for pennies on the dollar. Still, the two-time All-Star will likely never be cheaper to acquire and to extend than he is this winter, and it seems like Baltimore is at least open to moving on if the price is right.”

The realities of Adley Rutschman

The 27-year-old Rutschman had a dip in productivity last season, posting a .220 batting average and .673 OPS with just 9 home runs. Prior to 2025, though, the switch-hitter delivered 20 home runs and 19 home runs in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He’s also considered a strong defensive player and a smart pitch caller.

Rutschman has two more years of team control, earning about the same $5.5 million salary as Kelly right now.

Would the Cubs be willing to move on from what was a strength in 2025, even if the writing on the wall seems to indicate that the catching crew is due for a downturn? Would the Orioles’ asking price be too steep? Could the Cubs be convinced of Rutschman’s health and durability? Would the goal in acquiring Rutschman be the acquisition of DH insurance rather than a starting catcher as Seiya Suzuki likely moves back to right field?

Add these questions to the many more facing the Cubs this offseason.

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The Chicago Cubs have had to endure a lot of bad news over the last week or so.

Closer Daniel Palencia was recently placed on the 15-day IL with a shoulder strain after a disastrous outing in Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals. There are doubts over whether he’ll be able to return this season at all.

Meanwhile, Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong remain hobbled by injury, presiding over an offense that has once again flat-lined.

But, among the few good-news Cubs morsels out there, pitcher Cade Horton is, arguably, the most feel-good.

The rise of Cade Horton

The 24-year-old rookie has logged a 2.78 ERA and a 9-4 record since his May call-up, but has been especially dominant over the last two months or so. The Cubs’ 2022 first-round draft pick has been lights out since his first start in July, working his way to a 1.23 ERA in his 11 starts since then and earning regard as the Cubs’ ace over the second half of the season.

His excellence on the mound has opened eyes and is now, rightfully, earning him Rookie of the Year recognition, even among a stacked 2025 rookie class.

Rookie of the Year?

In a recent piece for The Athletic, MLB analyst and former major league executive, Jim Bowden, places Horton in the top 3 when it comes to Rookie of the Year honors.

Per Bowden:

“Horton, 24, began the season in Triple A and made his major-league debut in May. It took him a little while to hit his stride in the big leagues, but since late July, he’s been the Cubs’ best starter. He has allowed just four earned runs total in his last nine starts, going 6-1 with a 0.77 ERA in 47 innings, allowing just 24 hits with 44 strikeouts and 14 walks.

His success is thanks to his elite secondary stuff that includes his sweeper (.178 BAA), his curveball (.167 BAA) and his changeup (.111 BAA). His breaking stuff is so good it ranks him in the 85th percentile in the sport. Horton hasn’t racked up a ton of strikeouts, but he’s limited walks and hard contact and induced a lot of groundballs. He’s quickly become the ace of the Cubs’ rotation.”

Bowden’s placement of Horton at no. 3, behind Drake Baldwin and Nolan McLean, for ROY consideration can be debated. What can’t be debated, though, is the young right-hander’s impact on a Cubs pitching staff that has been rocked and hobbled by injury over the course of the season.

The Chicago Cubs’ 2025 revelation

“It’s no surprise when he takes the ball for us and he’s able to do what he does,” Cubs catcher Reese McGuire told media after Horton’s most recent shutout performance. “His confidence, with how young he is and being in this league, getting the experience, he’s impressing a lot of people here.”

“There’s just an attack mentality with quality pitches,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s fun to watch, man. It’s been a really, really impressive start to a Major League career. He’s doing a heck of a job.”

Despite the string of impressive performances, however, there are some causes for concern.

Horton has never thrown more than 88.1 innings in a single season in his baseball career. He’s also had a history of injury, undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021 while in college and having last season in Iowa shut down in late May with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder. This season, between the minors and the majors, he’s already logged 132.2 innings, with the playoffs and the rest of the regular season still to go.

Because of that, Counsell has put a loose pitch count on Horton to preserve his arm. That strategy led to Horton being pulled in the fifth inning of his last start, even though he was working on a no-hitter at the time.

Horton was fine with the decision and actually welcomes the pitch count as motivation to work more efficiently.

“It’s almost like it is a challenge,” Horton told reporters.

Whether he takes the Rookie of the Year award or not, Horton has impressed. He’s not only excelled on the mound, but he’s showcased poise and maturity well beyond his years.

“I feel like I’m supposed to go out there and do that. That’s my job,” Horton told media after his last masterful outing against the Atlanta Braves. “But also, at the end of the day, it is really cool that I’ve put up those numbers. But I’ve got a start in six days and face the same lineup, so [it’s], ‘Go out there and do it again.’ It’s just never really getting complacent.”

Horton will take the mound Tuesday night against the Braves in Atlanta.

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The Chicago Cubs had one of “those” kinds of wins Saturday night at Angel Stadium in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. It was a nice, comfy, comfortable 12-1 victory where the result was never really in doubt.

This kind of win couldn’t have come at a better time. In recent weeks, it seems that the team has had to struggle and strain to eke out every single “W.” This last one, though, was, well, really, really pleasant…and it may be the catalyst for even better days to come.

Built into Saturday’s rout was a heaping helping of heroics from several different players. There was also some historic significance to those heroics.

Kyle Tucker makes Cubs history

The biggest story of the evening was Kyle Tucker’s 2-home run, 5-RBI, 3-for-5 performance at the plate. Since coming alive from a dire, extended slump on Friday night, the right-fielder is 4-for-9 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs.

With the two homers hit on Saturday– his first multi-homer game for the Cubs– Tucker is now a 20-20 man (at least 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases) for the third time in his career. Him and Pete Crow-Armstrong now make up the first 20-20 tandem in Cubs history.

The four-time All-Star told reporters after Saturday’s game that he was “fine” after a run of frustrations that saw him work through a hairline fracture in his hand and then deal with the ordeal of a brutal slump that lasted nearly two full month.

“I don’t know how tomorrow’s going to go,” Tucker said, with his usual deadpan delivery. “You try and do your best at it. But at the same time, the guys on the other team get paid pretty well to do their job as well. You just try and take stuff pitch-by-pitch, one at-bat and game-by-game.”

Cade Horton’s historic excellence

Overshadowed by the story of Tucker’s revival was Cade Horton’s continued excellence on the mound.

The rookie starter threw 6 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits while striking out 7. The performance, amid concerns of a possible blister issue, lowered Horton’s ERA to 2.88. It also made some history.

The 24-year-old now holds the Cubs record for the fewest earned runs (2) over a 7-start span, topping Cubs World Series heroes Jon Lester (3) and Jake Arrieta (3). He’s also delivered the most scoreless starts of 5+ innings in all of baseball since July 1.

How good has Horton been?

In his 9 starts since July 1, he’s notched a minuscule 1.11 ERA.

In Saturday’s outing, he showcased his go get ‘em control by throwing the first 21 pitches of the game for strikes.

“His efficiency and how many outs he’s getting in these outings … I didn’t expect this when we decided to do this,” manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the game. “He’s been incredible with it. It’s helped us out a ton and it’s helped our bullpen out a ton.”

“I think that’s just kind of the way I pitch,” Horton told media Saturday night. “It’s get ahead, stay ahead. Just continuing to stay on the attack and letting the result be what it is…I’ll be able to sleep good tonight, but tomorrow, it’s back to work.”

Chicago Cubs heroics all-around

Also able to sleep well that night was backup catcher Reese McGuire who hit his first-ever grand slam and delivered a career-tying high 5 RBIs.

Then, there was Ben Brown, who came in relief of Horton and allowed 1 earned run in 3 innings to take the save.

First baseman Michael Busch also came out of his own slump with a 2-for-5 game, hitting a double and driving in a run.

All in all, Saturday’s battering of the Angels was just what the doctor ordered for the well-being of a Cubs team hoping to create momentum heading into the postseason.

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The Chicago Cubs welcomed the Colorado Rockies to town for a three-game series that hopefully won’t see the Cubs be the team that hands the Rockies their tenth win of the season. The Cubs captured game one of the series, winning by a score of 3-1 and seeing Jamison Taillon get his fourth win of the year.

Today’s game against the Rockies will be the Cub’s third game without catcher Miguel Amaya, who left Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds with an oblique injury after attempting a throw down to second base. The Cubs decided to lift Amaya from the game after he said he felt discomfort and placed him on the injured list following the game.

Since going to the IL and being further evaluated, the Cubs received some terrible news regarding the prognosis of Amaya’s injury.

The Chicago Cubs will be without Miguel Amaya for an extended period

The Cubs received some terrible news regarding Amaya’s oblique strain with Bruce Levine reporting that Amaya will be out for 4-6 weeks due to his oblique strain. Levine also states that the Cubs will not be calling up Moisés Ballesteros.

“Cubs C Miguel Amaya out 4-6 weeks with oblique strain.Moises Ballesteros not the option right now.”

Cubs C Miguel Amaya out 4-6 weeks with oblique strain.Moises Ballesteros not the option right now.

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) May 27, 2025

Ballesteros already saw time with the Cubs this season, appearing in five games where he hit .188. The Cubs could call Ballesteros back up if he shows some improvement behind the plate and be better equipped to handle a big-league pitching staff.

Options for the Cubs at catcher

The Cub’s current options for behind the dish will be Carson Kelly, who should see the bulk of the catching duties, and Reese McGuire, whose contract was recently selected from Iowa and who made a great first impression in his first game with the Cubs.

Outside of Kelly and McGuire, the Cubs are thin on options since Ballesteros has been ruled out. Other than Ballesteros the Cubs have veteran big league catcher Carlos Pérez and minor league catch Caleb Knight, both are not on the 40-man roster.

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The Chicago Cubs are the fourth MLB team that Reese McGuire has played for in his career. However, the 30 year old will remember his Cubs debut the most as a two home run game not only etched his name into the franchise’s record books, but the team had a massive come from behind victory as well.

Reese McGuire hit two home runs during his Chicago Cubs debut

With Miguel Amaya on the injured list with an oblique injury, the Cubs selected McGuire’s contract on the morning of May 25. McGuire reported to the clubhouse like any other normal day, but was a late addition to the lineup due to Carson Kelly being sick, and he then went on to have the game of his life.

In McGuire’s first at-bat, he hit a home run off of Reds starter Nick Lodolo. Later on, in the eighth inning, McGuire went deep again, this time off of Taylor Rogers. His long ball helped towards a come from behind victory as Chicago erased a five run deficit by scoring eight unanswered runs.

Since 1901, just three Cubs players have hit two home runs during their Cubs debut

Mcguire’s two home runs debut put him in some elite company as he became just the third Cubs player since 1901 to have such a game. The other two players are Jim Marshall, who accomplished the feat in 1958, and Earl Webb, who did it in 1927.

Reese McGuire made Cubs history in his Cubs debut pic.twitter.com/879uxlVV1P

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) May 25, 2025

McGuire’s Cubs debut was undeniably memorable, both for his personal milestone and the team’s dramatic comeback. It also is a good reminder that anything can happen in baseball and on any given day, a new face can deliver a historic moment and shift the momentum of an entire game.

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The Chicago Cubs have run into some troubles at catcher during their weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. On Sunday, the Cubs sent Miguel Amaya to the 10-day injured list as he deals with an oblique injury that caused him to exit in the fifth inning of Saturday night’s 6-4 loss to the Reds.

The Cubs chose to call up Reese McGuire (over Moises Ballesteros) from Triple-A to replace Amaya on the roster. Carson Kelly replaced Amaya on Saturday night, but he will not be available for Chicago on Sunday.

Chicago Cubs turn to Reese McGuire

Per the Cubs, the team made a last-minute lineup change due to an illness. Kelly has been scratched from the lineup, and McGuire will make the start in his debut in the majors as a member of Chicago.

Lineup change:

-Carson Kelly has been scratched due to illness.

-Reese McGuire enters the lineup as catcher. https://t.co/LK0TJFwXKv

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 25, 2025

McGuire has a career .252 batting average with 16 home runs. He’s batting .280/.360/.467 with an OPS of .827 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 75 at-bats in Iowa this year.

Kelly’s sudden illness is unfortunate for a shorthanded club at catcher. Kelly is batting .301/.425/.612 with an OPS of 1.037 through 103 at-bats in 2025. He has nine home runs and nine RBI.

Chicago will have to hope nothing happens to McGuire during their contest on Sunday against the Reds, or the Cubs will have a big problem needing help with an emergency catcher.

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

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The Chicago Cubs didn’t have an easy solution at catcher after the team placed Miguel Amaya on the injured list due to an oblique injury. Amaya exited in the fifth inning of the Cubs’ 6-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night in front of 40,409 fans at Great American Ball Park.

Amaya has been a key part of the lineup. He’s batting .280/.302/.382 with an OPS of .685 with four home runs and 25 RBI in his 93 at-bats this season. The 26-year-old has appeared in 27 games.

The Chicago Cubs are bringing up Reese McGuire

Per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs placed Amaya on the 10-day injured list and are bringing up catcher Reese McGuire from Iowa.

“Cubs put Miguel Amaya on 10-day IL, select C Reese McGuire from Triple-A,” Lee posted on X.

Cubs put Miguel Amaya on 10-day IL, select C Reese McGuire from Triple-A.

— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) May 25, 2025

The Cubs made a controversial decision on Sunday, bringing up a 30-year-old catcher who will make his first appearance with the Cubs against the Reds. The lefty-batter but right-handed thrower has played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox.

McGuire has a career .252 batting average with 16 home runs. He’s batting .280/.360/.467 with an OPS of .827 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 75 at-bats in Triple-A this year.

Many Chicago Cubs fans wanted Moises Ballesteros

Chicago is opting for McGuire’s defense over rookie Moises Ballesteros’ offense. Many fans on social media wanted the Cubs to bring up Ballesteros, who earned three hits and three RBI in 16 at-bats when he was called up on May 13 before being sent down after Chicago’s 8-7 loss to the Miami Marlins on Monday.

“Moises, man. Guy comes up and hits the ball 90+ MPH in half his ABs. I know his catching is questionable, but it just feels like we are depriving him,” wrote a fan.

“Definitely the right call at this point. Fans will scream they want Mo, but he needs to be able to call a good game for the pitching staff and get his defense on point,” posted a fan who agreed with the decision.

“Cubs just see Moises as a DH. It seems they don’t think he can be a major league catcher. When Ricketts shows to be a cheapskate with Tucker and lets him walk Susuki goes back to right field and Moises is the DH,” argued a fan.

“Ballesteros??,” asked another.

“Dang I was really hoping we’d see Mo baller fill the open spot,” wrote a poster.

“It should of been Mo Baller. He deserved a shot to catch in the Big Leagues,” commented another.

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

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