The Chicago Cubs are set up in a way that allows them to be involved in all of the last-minute conversations before the start of spring training on Super Bowl Sunday.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer doesn’t have an unlimited budget, but he’s managed the payroll to the point where he can keep talking with agent Scott Boras about Alex Bregman, the unsigned All-Star third baseman who may view Wrigley Field as a very comfortable landing spot.
The Cubs also have enough young talent and financial flexibility to make a compelling trade offer for just about any player. Should the San Diego Padres need to move a talented, high-salary player like Dylan Cease amid their messy ownership fight, it would make sense to at least check in with the Cubs, because this team can be nimble.
The Ricketts family and Crane Kenney’s business operations department set the baseball budget each year — and then they give Hoyer’s front office total autonomy over all of the baseball decisions.
As frustrating as this patient, disciplined approach can be at times — not just for Cubs fans, but even those who work for the team — it does allow the Cubs to pounce.
Key battles
Third base: This appears to be Matt Shaw’s job to lose — unless the Cubs close a deal with Bregman. Shaw is only 23 years old with just 35 games of Triple-A experience. But the Cubs saw enough at the University of Maryland and in the Cape Cod League to make Shaw the No. 13 pick in the 2023 draft, putting him on the fast track.
The Cubs hired Craig Counsell, in part, for his ability to develop young players at the major-league level. There is some organizational balance and logic to creating more runway for Shaw after giving up another first-round pick (Cam Smith) and a qualified third baseman (Isaac Paredes) in the Kyle Tucker trade with the Houston Astros.
If Shaw isn’t ready at the start of the season, the remaining options don’t offer that much upside. Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján and Nicky Lopez could be nice role players, but they can’t match Bregman’s excellent resume.
No. 5 starter: Given the prevalence of pitching injuries in the modern game, this decision could essentially be made for the Cubs at some point in Arizona. But if Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd are healthy, their rotation spots should be locked up. Counsell, however, always prefers to give his starters extra rest when possible, which creates spots for a six-man rotation.
In 2024, Javier Assad posted a 3.73 ERA over 29 starts, including 124 strikeouts. (Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)
Things could look different by the time the Cubs leave Mesa, but Javier Assad has earned an opportunity to stay in the rotation with his impressive body of work. The Cubs also gave Colin Rea $5 million guaranteed after seeing how he helped stabilize the Milwaukee Brewers’ rotation last season.
Counsell will say he simply wants “out-getters,” shrugging off any other labels. Hoyer is also obsessed with depth and constantly worried about injuries. Whatever happens, the Cubs should be well-prepared.
Bullpen: After waiving his no-trade clause with the Astros, Ryan Pressly is expected to get the bulk of the save chances at the beginning of the season. The rest of the bullpen could feature Porter Hodge, Ryan Brasier, Tyson Miller, Nate Pearson, Caleb Thielbar and Eli Morgan, though this area of the roster is always volatile.
Should Rea be utilized as a swingman? Can Julian Merryweather be counted on to stay healthy? Will a no-name reliever blow everyone away? Again, everything hinges on who’s healthy, contract statuses, minor-league options, all factors in building a deep, versatile pitching staff for 162 games, not just Opening Day.
Three questions to answer by the end of camp
1. When will Nico Hoerner be fully ready to go?
The Gold Glove second baseman underwent flexor tendon surgery in October, addressing the discomfort he felt in his right forearm during a significant portion of last season. The long-term prognosis is that Hoerner should be fine, a major contributor to a playoff-caliber team. But with the Cubs opening their season on March 18 in Japan against the Los Angeles Dodgers, there won’t be as much time to ramp up or room for a setback.
2. What role makes the most sense for Ben Brown?
Assuming he’s healthy, Brown could likely step right in and almost immediately become a key part of the Cubs’ high-leverage bullpen group. His fastball sits around 96-97 mph overall and probably ticks up a bit if he’s a straight reliever. He’s also got one of the best “Death” balls in baseball, according to some, a newer term for a gyro slider. But he’s also shown he can impress in a starting capacity. It’s a brief stint, but even with just two pitches, Brown posted a 3.23 ERA in eight starts (39 innings) with a 28.3 percent strikeout rate and a 9.2 percent walk rate. Those are impressive numbers that — if extrapolated over a full season — would be incredibly valuable.
Ben Brown showed he can be both a starter and a reliever, making his role in 2025 of interest. (David Banks / USA Today)
3. Who can take a step forward and push the youth movement?
There are three young position players — Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch and Miguel Amaya — who are certain to be on the Opening Day roster, plus Shaw, who has an inside track. Can Crow-Armstrong come close to matching the 123 wRC+ he delivered in his final 215 plate appearances last season? What about Amaya and the 124 wRC+ he posted in his final 173 plate appearances? What if Busch drops his strikeout rate and his slug jumps after he was stifled amid Wrigley Field’s brutal conditions for left-handed hitters last year? And could Shaw not skip a beat after dominating the minors? If even one of these developments occurs, the offense will take a leap. More than one? Then suddenly they’re looking at a very potent lineup.
Key dates
First formal workout for pitchers and catchers: Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 9)
Full squad report date: Feb. 14
First spring game: Feb 20 vs. Dodgers at Camelback Ranch
Opening Day: March 18 vs. Dodgers in Tokyo
Wrigley Field opener: April 4 vs. Padres
(Photo of Shota Imanaga at Spring Training: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
