The Cubs are in agreement with first baseman Tyler Austin on a one-year, $1.25 million deal, sources confirmed. When completed, it will be the Cubs’ first major-league position-player signing of the offseason. Austin, 34, returns to MLB after spending the last six seasons playing for Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan. He recorded a .945 OPS in 403 NPB games, according to Baseball Reference. A former Yankees prospect, Austin was drafted out of high school in the 13th round in 2010, and he debuted in 2016. He last appeared in a major-league game in 2019, when he played for three different teams, including the Brewers, who were managed by now-Cubs manager Craig Counsell. Though the Cubs’ focus this offseason has centered on pitching, they’ve also prioritized improving their bench. Austin provides a right-handed bat to pair with first baseman Michael Busch, a left-handed hitter. Austin also has experience in the outfield. It’s become increasingly common in recent years for players to revive their MLB careers by playing overseas, especially in NPB and South Korea’s KBO. The Cubs’ emphasis on talent evaluation and acquisition in Asia has not only led to the signings of Japanese-born players like Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga, but also American-born players like Mike Tauchman, who spent 2022 in the KBO, and now Austin. With the Cubs, Austin is set to reunite with Imanaga, a longtime BayStars teammate.

The first point the Cubs try to make when recruiting a minor-league free agent pitcher is, though he may not be signing a major-league contract this offseason, the Cubs can help set him up for a more lucrative deal next year. Former Cubs reliever Brad Keller’s story has become an integral part of that pitch. Minor-league free agency doesn’t create much fanfare this time of year, with far flashier deals claiming the spotlight. But the Cubs’ approach to bullpen construction necessitates some wins in that category, in the vein of Keller’s breakout 2025 season. With that performance as a springboard, Keller has reportedly agreed with the Phillies on a two-year contract worth $22 million. The Cubs remained in contact with Keller and his agents at Excel Sports Management for much of his free agent process, according to sources. And though there was mutual interest in a potential reunion, Keller’s market progressed past the Cubs’ financial comfort zone. Though it may not be much consolation to Cubs fans itching for their team to leverage its large-market status in free agency, Keller will continue to have an impact on the Cubs’ offseason. Now that his next contract is solidified, the Cubs have an impressive financial swing to point to in their minor-league free agent pitch. The Cubs have surveyed all levels of the free agent reliever market this offseason. But a majority of their additions are expected to come through smaller deals – major-league contracts in the $1 million to $5 million range, minor-league signings, small trades, and waiver claims throughout the year. “I’d rather spend our resources on areas of less volatility, honestly,” Hoyer said during winter meetings last week. “But at the same time, bullpens are really important. We’re not against [multiyear deals for relievers], but I do prefer the approach that we normally take.” The Cubs have signed one reliever, right-hander Phil Maton, to a two-year contract, worth $14.5 million. But they have plenty more spots to fill. Their major-league bullpen additions since – left-handers Caleb Thielbar ($4.5 million with a 2027 mutual option) and Hoby Milner ($3.75 million) – have inked one-year deals. The Cubs officially announced Caleb Thielbar’s re-signing this afternoon. Source confirmed the one-year deal is worth $4.5 M guaranteed and includes a 2027 mutual option, as @PJ_Mooney first reported. https://t.co/bD67DrGB4r— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) December 17, 2025 In order for the Cubs’ usual approach to work, they’re going to need some pleasant surprises from minor-league signings as well. When the Cubs targeted Keller as a minor-league free agent last offseason, he’d posted an ERA over 5.00 in three of his last four major-league seasons. A series of arm injuries from 2020 through 2023, including thoracic outlet syndrome, limited his playing time. And after undergoing surgery to address the condition, Keller bounced between the majors and Triple-A, with the White Sox and Red Sox in 2024. Keller was, however, showing signs of delivery adjustment and untapped potential. “Brad was probably tired of me [last] offseason," then-special assistant Tyler Zombro quipped to the Sun-Times in early October. “When I took this job, if Brad wasn't going to get a major league deal, I was like, we have to have Brad Keller.” Zombro, who was heavily involved in the pitcher acquisition process even before the Cubs promoted him to vice president of pitching this offseason, highlighted Keller’s velocity potential, but also the supination that helped him manipulate the ball, and the action on his four-seam fastball. “He's pitched a lot in his career, but he's still young – which is something I think is fascinating,” Zombro said. “He has the history, but he's still moldable, which is hard to find.” By the time Keller joined the Cubs in spring training, he’d taken another leap. His average fastball velocity shot up from 93.8 in 2024 to 97.2 last season. The Cubs also helped him tweak his slider and further developed his sweeper. But even Zombro didn’t foresee the level of success Keller would have in a high-leverage role. Keller had been a starter for most of his career. His relief experience was mostly in multi-inning stints. So, in a new role after making the domestic opening day roster, he went through a series of firsts: entering a game with runners on base, consistently pitching back-to-back days. “Really happy with how I've been able to bounce back, especially after two in a row, or even three out of four, four out of five, like, things like that – to be so resilient in that sense,” Keller said in late June. “... Just because there’s a lot of unknown when it comes to that.” Keller was the Cubs’ setup man by mid-season. And by the end of the year, manager Craig Counsell was frequently calling on him in the ninth inning. Keller recorded 25 holds and three saves, while racking up a team-leading 68 appearances. He held playoff opponents hitless in four out of five games, and still recorded a hold in the one exception against the Padres. “It’s a fun group in here,” Keller said after the Cubs were eliminated in Game 5 of the NLDS. “This was the most fun I've ever had playing baseball. And it sucks that it's over. We really felt like we had some bigger goals and bigger dreams.” Keller and the Cubs will now be pursuing those dreams separately. Keller is joining a club that’s become a perennial playoff contender in large part because of its willingness to be aggressive on the free agent market. And the Cubs, after ending a four-year-postseason drought, are looking to extend that success with what has so far been a more conservative financial approach.

 The Chicago Cubs retained a key reliever on Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year contract with Caleb Thielbar.

The Cubs are set to bring back a key component to their bullpen success last year. They are in agreement with left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar on a one-year deal, a source confirmed Tuesday. The terms of the contract, which is pending a physical, were not immediately clear. Source confirms the Cubs and left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar are in agreement on a one-year deal, pending a physical. @JesseRogersESPN and @JeffPassan were on it first.— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) December 16, 2025 Thielbar, 38, recorded a 2.64 ERA for the Cubs last season, his best since 2020 by that measure. The veteran southpaw, who spent the other eight years of his major-league career with the Twins, was one of manager Craig Counsell’s most trusted high-leverage arms for much of the season. He recorded 25 holds and one save in that role. And when the Cubs moved to a closer-by-committee approach late in the year, Thielbar was part of that matchup-centered equation. The Cubs bullpen saw plenty of turnover and evolving roles over the course of the season, but it finished with a top-5 ERA in the National League (3.78), according to Fangraphs.

At the beginning of the week of winter meetings, the Cubs talked over the metamorphosis of their bullpen throughout last season. “What we thought about our bullpen going into the season, ... we were wrong,” manager Craig Counsell said in his winter meetings media availability Tuesday in Orlando. “We were pretty wrong on it. We ended up pitching pretty well. But at the start of the season, it maybe wasn't the guys that we expected to do it.” What’s the lesson there? “Get a bunch of good arms,” Counsell continued, “and see what happens, and have enough ability to pivot when you have to during the season.” The Cubs are early in their construction of their 2026 bullpen, with close to a clean slate going into the offseason. But that’s expected to be a gilding principle in the process. So far, the Cubs signed right-hander Phil Maton to a two-year deal and, sources confirmed, agreed to terms with lefty Hoby Milner on a one-year contract. Those veterans join young relievers Daniel Palencia and Porter Hodge, the only returning bullpen arms who have held high-leverage roles for the Cubs in the last two years. So, there are a lot more spots to fill, between major-league signings, young players already in the system and minor-league deals. Maton’s signing drew a lot of attention because it was the first of its kind in Jed Hoyer’s tenure as president of baseball operations. When Maton inked his two-year, $14.5 million contract, he became the first reliever since Craig Kimbrel in 2019 to sign a multiyear deal with the Cubs. Hoyer said he had made other multiyear offers to relievers. But Maton’s — a much smaller financial commitment than Kimbrel’s three-year, $43 million deal — was the first to cross the finish line. “That part of the market moved quickly, as you guys saw,” Hoyer said this week. “And you could feel that in the market, through the urgency of the agent’s calls and stuff like that. And he was a guy who we had very good numbers on, very good reports on, and we knew he was going to be a target.” Maton’s cutter is his fastest pitch, clocking in at just 90.6 mph on average last season, according to Statcast. But he always has thrived as a spin doctor, and the Cubs noticed several adjustments he made, to the shape of his sweeper in particular, that helped him improve his swing-and-miss rate. Last season, Maton ranked in the 99th percentile in exit velocity (84.8 mph) and 98th in whiff rate (36.2%), meaning he was generating soft contact and missing bats at an elite level. “It doesn’t matter how you strike a guy out, but a ball in play is random,” Hoyer said. “I do think that we relied heavily on our defense last year. And obviously we’re going to have a really good defense, but I’d love to rely less on it. Just take some randomness out of the game.” So, the Cubs offered a multiyear deal. “I’d rather spend our resources on, probably, areas of less volatility, honestly,” Hoyer said. “But at the same time, bullpens are really important. We’re not against [multiyear deals for relievers], but I do prefer the approach that we normally take.” He called the Cubs’ normal route a “volume approach.” It involves taking fliers on pitchers on smaller deals, relying on the pitching infrastructure to get the most out of them, accepting that some won’t pan out, and gathering enough depth to pivot when necessary. At the beginning of last season, Hodge and veteran right-hander Ryan Pressly, who the Cubs acquired from the Astros over the offseason, were expected to compete for the closer role. By the end, Palencia, Brad Keller, Caleb Thielbar and Andrew Kittredge made up the late-inning committee. Palencia and Kittredge weren’t on the Opening-Day roster. Keller joined the organization on a minor-league deal. At $3.75 million, Milner’s signing doesn’t fully encompass the spirit of the volume approach, which also relies on minor-league signings and trades, waiver claims, and mid-season additions. But it contains elements. The low-risk financial investment is paired with the potential for a breakout/bounce-back year. Counsell was at the helm for the Brewers when Milner put together his best career season (2023, 1.82 ERA) in Milwaukee. Milner, another soft-throwing finesse pitcher, also has a high ground-ball rate. So, regardless of the randomness of any ball in play, the Cubs’ strong defense could play to his advantage. “It’s definitely something we can factor in and do factor in,” Hawkins said this week, adding that they bring up their defense in pitches to free-agent hurlers. “We’re always trying to find that value; that is one lever that we can pull.”

After a quiet winter meetings for the Cubs to start the week, the team continued to add to its bullpen on Thursday, agreeing to a one-year deal with left-handed reliever Hoby Miller, sources confirmed. The contract is worth $3.75 million guaranteed, plus incentives. Milner is the second reliever the Cubs have signed to a major-league contract this offseason, joining right-hander Phil Maton. They also added right-hander Collin Snider on a minor-league deal this week. Milner, 34, has pitched for five different clubs in nine major-league seasons. His longest stay was four years in Milwaukee, where he played for now-Cubs manager from 2021 to 2023. Milner authored the best season of his career in 2023, posting a 1.82 ERA in 73 appearances. He hasn’t been as dominant in the two years since (4.27 ERA), with the Brewers and Rangers. But he’s maintained a standout groundball rate.

The Chicago Cubs have signed left-handed relief pitcher Hoby Milner to a contract, according to multiple reports.

ORLANDO – There’s long been a healthy debate, both within the Cubs organization and externally, about how to best navigate catching prospect Moisés Ballesteros’ development. At a position that requires a lot of reps, his hitting ability has naturally sped ahead of his defense, raising the question of how to balance those competing realities. At the winter meetings this week, manager Craig Counsell made his stance clear: “He's at the point where, if he can help the major league team, he's going to be in the major leagues. There's not an everyday catching job in the major leagues for him, but, as we’re constructed right now, we've got room for at bats. So I would prioritize the major leagues right now.” Counsell noted that roster chances could change that evaluation. But it’s clear that the Cubs, prioritizing pitching this offseason, are comfortable with a scenario where Ballesteros and outfield prospect Owen Caissie step into larger roles to help fill the void left by Kyle Tucker’s free agency. “Moisés gave us the offensive production of Tucker, essentially, in the month of September,” Counsell said. “And between him and Owen, who was unfortunately hurt for most of that month, those are two important players as we sit right now. And so there's not much to think about there.” Tucker was sidelined by a strained calf for most of September, providing a preview for the Cubs of life without him. Ballesteros, serving as the DH while Seiya Suzuki played right field, posted a .999 OPS in 14 games from mid- to late-September. Caissie was in the Cubs’ plans but sustained a concussion in his first game back in the majors after a two-week stint in August (5-for-24). The head injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. The best version of the Cubs’ offense still included a healthy Tucker hitting second or third in the batting order. But both Ballesteros and Caissie are going into the season with untapped upside. “You have to give your young players opportunities,” Counsell said. “Your team is better for giving young players opportunities. … They're the guys that are going to improve as the season goes, and turn into better players, and then turn into very important players on your club. And so you have to be patient with those opportunities. And you have to create the opportunities for players of that caliber.” The offense is still projected to regress without Tucker. But the Cubs hope to make up for it with improved pitching. Though Ballesteros, 22, and Caissie, 23, are expected to contribute to the major-league team, they still could spend time in Triple-A next season. Look at the way the Cubs managed third baseman Matt Shaw’s rookie season last year. They didn’t waver in their hope that he could be their everyday solution at third, but when they were worried he was developing bad swing habits in the majors, they temporarily sent him to Triple-A to make adjustments. The Cubs have also shied away from leaving promising prospects in bench roles for an extended period of time. Often, they’d rather the player get regular at-bats in Triple-A than watch from the sidelines in the majors. Upgrading the bench from last year is another priority of the Cubs’ this season, not just in case of injury but also as a preventative measure. “I don't think guys should play 162 [games], period,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. "I just think that at some point giving guys days off limits injuries and probably gives them needed rest for their brain.” The Cubs’ roster is light on platoons, and many of their everyday players take pride in their availability. But Hoyer stressed that he wanted to give Counsell the means to manage workload without sacrificing the on-field product. “When the drop off is significant, you always talk yourself into playing the guy an extra day,” Hoyer said. “And when the drop off is less significant, I think you're going to rest guys a bit more. I thought we pushed some more guys last year.”

ORLANDO – The Cubs’ regular position-player group may be mostly intact, with young players expected to help cover for the loss of right fielder Kyle Tucker, but there’s always the off chance that a trade could shake things up. The Cubs, with plenty of pitching needs, have been highly engaged in the trade market. The most obvious fits involve a starting pitching return for young talent. But general manager Carter Hawkins described a sweeping survey of the market. “We're reaching out to probably all 29 teams,” Hawkins said Tuesday. “A lot of it's just talking about needs and just trying to figure out where the matches may be. Obviously, we have a lot of young players that other teams like. We have a lot of guys that are currently on our team that other teams like. And you end up exploring a ton of different concepts so that almost every player gets talked about at some point with every team.” The Cubs also have lined up many of their multi-year contracts to end after this season, making this a walk year for right-hander Jameson Taillon, right fielder Seiya Suzuki, left fielder Ian Happ and second baseman Nico Hoerner. In a similar position, left-hander Matthew Boyd and catcher Carson Kelly have 2027 mutual options. And left-hander Shota Imanaga is set to become a free agent next winter after accepting the one-year qualifying offer. Within that landscape, Hoerner is a player other teams have inquired about, according to league sources. The Cubs have been open to exploratory talks, but at this point, they don’t appear to be actively shopping their core position players. Notably, Happ and Suzuki have no-trade clauses. Of course, there will be ripple effects from other moves throughout the offseason. For example, if the Cubs were to sign an established third baseman to a multi-year deal – they’ve expressed interest in three-time All-Star Alex Bregman, sources confirmed – they’d have the option to revisit conversations on Hoerner, with plans to move third baseman Matt Shaw to second base. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer also said going into the offseason that he planned to engage in extension conversations with “a number” of players – declining to provide more specifics. He added on Wednesday that, though he sees the Cubs’ “available dollars” after the 2026 season as a positive, extensions could be one way “smooth out” the drop-off, along with young players and established free agents. “You're constantly trying to blend young players with veterans, with free agents,” Hoyer said Monday. “That’s something we talk about all the time, is that group that we have that's up after ‘26, and how do we manage that, how do we figure out ‘27 and beyond?” Starting pitching If the Cubs are going to make a splash this offseason, it’s likely going to be with the acquisition of a starting pitcher, via free agency or trade. But the starting pitching market has quieted since right-hander Dylan Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Blue Jays last week. The Cubs left the winter meetings on Wednesday without having added to their major-league roster during the three-day event. Rule 5 Draft The Cubs passed in the major-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. They then selected three players in the Triple-A phase: right-handed pitcher Adam Stone from the Yankees, right-handed pitcher Zane Mills from the Cardinals, and third baseman/utility player Devin Ortiz from the Padres.

ORLANDO – The Cubs fell one close game short of a berth to the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers this year. But even if they had advanced, they would have faced a new challenge. “If we would have had to keep going, it would have gotten daunting,” Counsell said of the Cubs’ pitching situation. “I don't think it was daunting for the first two series, and I don't think it necessarily affected us for the first two series.” A best-of-seven series, however, with less frequent off days than the five-game format in the NL Division Series between the Cubs and Brewers, would be a different story. So, even though the Cubs refuse to flex their financial might like their large-market counterparts, they know they have to add high-quality starting pitching to give themselves a chance at a deep playoff run. And, considering the lofty asking prices at the trade deadline, the time to do so is this offseason, whether that be via trade or free agency. “We’re definitely looking for another starter,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said this week. Even in the NLDS, the Cubs got creative as they lined up their pitching. They started left-hander Matthew Boyd on short rest in Game 1 so that he’d be available again for Game 4. And after left-hander Shota Imanaga struggled in Game 2, they went with a bullpen game for the final contest. Left-hander Justin Steele’s season-ending elbow injury and right-hander Cade Horton’s fractured rib limited the Cubs’ starting pitching options. Horton, out for the first two rounds, was on track to return from the injured list for the NLCS. But without time to build back up, he still wouldn't have been able to provide much length. “That's what you're always guarding against,” Counsell said. “And you see teams like Atlanta, who had significant starting pitcher injuries, and what it can do to a season. And you think about that, absolutely.” The Braves ended a streak of seven straight playoff berths with a 76-win season this past year. The Cubs’ injury situation wasn’t nearly as extreme, but they were without multiple regular rotation members for much of the season. They managed to weather it, finishing with a 92-70 record and the top NL Wild Card spot. But the cracks began to show in the postseason. “You're always looking to add to that stable of innings, and the best way to do that is through a starter,” general manager Carter Hawkins said tuesday. “And so that's why that's been one of our focuses, and that's why we're trying to shake every tree to figure out where our best best bet might be.” On the extreme other end of the spectrum, the Dodgers plowed through the postseason on the strength of their starting pitching, which covered for holes in their bullpen. In just Game 7 of the World Series, they deployed four star starting pitchers – Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. MLB superagent Scott Boras, after acknowledging that he’s had multiple meetings with Hoyer this offseason, summed up the Dodgers’ effect on the market in his winter meetings media availability Tuesday. “All the clubs that were really close, in the playoffs last year, certainly realize they need to do more,” Boras said. “We've got a dynamic ongoing in this game; we’ve got a Goliath. They understand that. And that Goliath can get even better without really adding much.” The Cubs are expecting Horton to have a normal offseason, and for Steele to return early in the season. The bar, however, has been raised. And if the Cubs hope to meet it, they have to elevate their rotation.

ORLANDO – Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong left an impression on Team USA manager Mark DeRosa this spring, when DeRosa was on site for MLB Network. “I went in with one expectation, and I walked away like, oh my god, I love this kid,” he said. Going into the winter meetings this week, Crow-Armstrong and Cybs left-hander Matthew Boyd were publicly committed to Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. On Tuesday, Team Canada general manager Greg Hamilton revealed Cubs top prospect Owen Caissie was set to be on the WBC roster for the second time. Representatives from Team Mexico and Team Venezuela said they have been in contact with Cubs pitchers Javier Assad and Daniel Palencia, respectively. There’s mutual interest, the teams said, pending the approval of the Cubs. Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki and starting pitcher Shota Imanaga have yet to announce whether they’ll play for Team Japan. Last cycle, Suzuki committed to playing, but an oblique injury in spring training forced him to withdraw. Imanaga posted a 3.00 ERA in the 2023 tournament, a performance capped by his start in the championship game against Team USA. But he and the Cubs may see value in a more normal offseason and spring training schedule, as Imanaga works to address mechanical issues that cropped up late last season. Crow-Armstrong was the first Cub this year to be officially announced as a WBC commit. “I think he’s the best defender in the game, I really do,” DeRosa said of Crow-Armstrong’s fit on the roster. “I think the metrics prove it out. And if and when we go to Miami, that center field’s got to be covered. And I didn't want to put stress on [Aaron] Judge. I didn't want him to think, ‘Hey, I might be playing center field tonight. I want to just leave him where I think he's most impactful, in right field, and go out and get a true defender.” In addition to Judge, Crow-Armstrong’s set to play alongside stars like Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber, Will Smith, Paul Skenes, Corbin Carol and Bobby Witt Jr. “We've been really thoughtful with how we're building the roster, and a combination of established players with young, energetic rising stars in the game,” Team USA GM Michael Hill said. “I don't know if there's a bigger rising star personality than PCA. And it takes two seconds watching him running around center field to know this guy wants it. He loves this game.” Schwarber, Diaz make headlines After a slow first day of winter meetings, the action picked up Tuesday afternoon when, according to multiple reports, NL MVP finalist Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies for five years and $150 million and closer Edwin Díaz signed with the Dodgers for three years and $69 million. Schwarber, a beloved former Cub, reportedly was pursued by two other NL Central teams, the Pirates and Reds. Diaz’s signing kept the reliever market, which moved early this year, moving. The Cubs will continue to be heavily engaged in that market. More support for Shaw A day after president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer spoke about his confidence in young third baseman Matt Shaw, general manager Carter Hawkins was asked if the Cubs still would be against trading him. “If a team calls a player ‘untouchable,” Hawkins said, borrowing the wording of the question, "it’s because his value is so high that it's just unrealistic to think that anyone else would come over the top and give you something that's even more than that value. And I think that's where Matt Shaw comes into play for us.” Hawkins pointed to his strong defense, evolution on offense, and length of cost-effective club control. “Is he untouchable?” Hawkins said, “No, no one's untouchable. But the odds of somebody coming in and giving us an offer that would make us want to move him is really, really low.”

ORLANDO – Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer didn’t mince words when asked about the impact of left-hander Shota Imanaga accepting the qualifying offer for next season. “Clearly we wouldn't have offered it if we weren't excited to have him back and if we were going to be handcuffed by it,” Hoyer said Monday, addressing rumors to the contrary, “We weren't blindsided.” The Cubs weren’t initially sure what Imanaga would decide after his club and player options were declined and the team extended him the $22.025 million qualifying offer for 2026. “It gave some clarity as far as the rotation,” Hoyer said. “It gave some clarity as far as available dollars. We knew going in that there was a possibility that that could happen – and a good thing.” Imanaga, who in his 2024 rookie season finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting, struggled down the stretch last season and into the playoffs. But the prevailing theory is that the hamstring injury he sustained in early May eventually impacted his mechanics late in the season. “Everything for him kind of stems off of the great ride he has on the fastball,” Hoyer said, “and that wasn't the case at the end of the year.” The Cubs are confident that their offseason plan for him can help address those issues. “We're definitely getting a super-motivated pitcher back,” Hoyer said. “He didn’t like the way the season ended.” Boyd balancing WBC ramp-up For pitchers, especially, committing to play in the World Baseball Classic means an early ramp-up entering spring training. But for Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd, who has committed to Team USA for the tournament, that schedule won’t be altogether unfamiliar. “He had to ramp up early last year, and it worked out pretty well for him,” Hoyer said Monday. “So I don't think the schedule will be that dissimilar to what we had to do for Japan.” Last year, the Cubs arrived in spring training early to prepare for the Tokyo Series on March 18-19. Boyd, entering his first full season since returning the previous August from Tommy John surgery, showcased a jump in velocity in an exhibition game in Japan, before posting a 3.21 ERA during the season. “All the testing we were doing on him throughout, he maintained his strength really well,” Hoyer said. Talent in Japan This year’s free agent class coming over from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball is headlined by right-hander Tatsuya Imai – who the Cubs have expressed interest in, a source confirmed – and power-hitting third baseman Munetaka Murakami. “This may be the best year so far, as far as players coming over from Japan,” Hoyer said. “There's a number of really good players.” The Cubs have put an emphasis on talent evaluation and acquisition from the Pacific Rim in recent years, resulting in the signings of right fielder Seiya Suzuki in 2022 and Imanaga last year.

ORLANDO – Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was surprised by how quickly the relief market moved this offseason, as top names signed before Thanksgiving. "That's unusual,” Hoyer said Monday at MLB’s winter meetings. “You're constantly trying to gauge when things are going to move, or how that's going to happen. … That's a constant source of conversation.” But since the Cubs took their own early swing at the reliever market, signing Phil Maton to a two-year deal worth $14.5 million, they've been cited in more rumors than concrete news. One was even debunked in a matter of minutes. To be fair, the buzz in the lobbies of the Signia and Waldorf Astoria hotels was also devoid of concrete news Monday, despite the influx of baseball executives, agents and media members. The slow first day of the winter meetings was another example of the unpredictability of the markets. Until that activity ramps up, untangling the rumor mill is as informative as any exercise in gauging the Cubs’ approach to this offseason as any. Let’s start with the facts: It’s fair to say the Cubs are expected to be engaged in the upper end of both the relief and starting pitching markets. Hoyer confirmed on Monday that the Cubs would be involved in the no-doubt high-leverage reliever market. “Whether we end up signing someone or not, I don't know,” he said. “Depends on how other teams value them, honestly. But we can definitely be in that market, and we're obviously going to sign more relievers this offseason.” A similar asterisk would be appropriate to add to their starting pitching quest: it’s unclear whether the Cubs will be out-bid on the top available pitchers. Hoyer confirmed on Monday that the Cubs are looking for another starting pitcher and said they could, if counting swingmen, add multiple pitchers who could make starts next season. The Cubs were, as the Athletic reported, involved in right-hander Dylan Cease’s free agency until the bidding reached $200 million, sources confirmed. That bit of information, however, took on a life of its own in a game of aggregation and analysis telephone. The resulting interpretation that the Cubs were runners up, or offering just a hair below $200, was incorrect, according to sources. It also did not accurately reflect the Athletic’s initial report. In other words, as talks progressed with Cease and his representatives, the Cubs were comfortable within the previous bidding range, but the jump eliminated them from the race. Cease ultimately signed a seven-year deal worth $210 million with the Blue Jays. Then of course, there was the quickly rescinded report from USA Today that the Cubs had signed right-hander Zac Gallen. The saga at least showed that the Cubs are back to being big enough players on that market that they can believably be included in such rumors. On the position player side, there’s been buzz around the Cubs’ reported interest in veteran free agent third basemen, including Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suárez. “I've been surprised by the number of media reports that link us to different guys,” Hoyer said Monday when asked about the team’s confidence in third baseman Matt Shaw ahead of his sophomore season. “There's zero lack of confidence in Matt. Actually, I would say the opposite.” Hoyer described Shaw’s early struggles at the plate in his rookie season as “expected.” He evaluated Shaw’s defense by the end of the year as “Gold Glove quality.” Shaw was, indeed, a Gold Glove finalist. “I actually thought there were a lot of huge positives last year,” Hoyer said. “If you told me at the beginning of the year that this was going to be the totality of his season, I would have been like, ‘I’m good. I think we’re in a good place.’” That wasn’t a denial of the Cubs’ survey of the free-agent landscape at the position – league sources confirmed that this offseason the Cubs have shown interest in Bregman, who they also pursued last spring – but rather a show of support for Shaw. A team doing its due diligence doesn’t equate to a lack of confidence in its current players. There are certain to be more rumors and misinterpretations as the offseason goes on. But at some point, there will also be signings and trades. Traditionally, the winter meetings have helped fan the flames. “We have a lot of energy,” Hoyer said. “We have a real focus on a lot of areas. I think it'll lead to activity; I can't tell you when. We could have an active December, we could have an active January. We're not going to do bad deals just to do something quick.”

Former Cubs director of pitching Ryan Otero is leaving the organization to join the Red Sox as a special assistant to the Chief Baseball Officer, league sources told the Sun-Times. Tyler Zombro, who for the past year served as a Cubs special assistant with a focus on pitching, is set to take on a larger role that will include oversight of the minor-league pitching department, according to sources. His exact title is not yet clear. Otero reunites with Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow, who served as a Cubs assistant general manager and the senior vice president of pitching before taking the top baseball operations job in Boston. Otero was Breslow’s right-hand man as he overhauled the Cubs pitching infrastructure. In the wake of Breslow’s departure, Otero served as pitching director for two years. This past year, Zombro brought his experiences from the private sector, specifically Tread Athletics, to work with the major-league pitching staff, alongside the team's pitching coaches. He lent his expertise to the front office as well, doing deep dives on available pitchers. One of his biggest wins – from identification as a target, to recruitment, to development – was right-hander Brad Keller. A former starter and swingman, Keller went from minor-league free agent to one of the Cubs’ most trusted high-leverage relievers last season. Zombro, 31, was on the mound himself as recently as 2023. He spent six seasons in the Rays’ farm system.

The Major League Baseball winter meetings next week in Orlando, Florida, are shaping up to be eventful, with plenty of action already stirring. That’s a change from 2023 and 2024, when Shohei Ohtani’s and Juan Soto’s market-setting free agencies put some of the heavyweight teams in a holding pattern leading up to the meetings. Still, the 2024 meetings were productive for the Cubs after they already had signed left-hander Matthew Boyd in the days leading up to them. They laid the groundwork to acquire outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Astros and to sign catcher Carson Kelly, although the moves were finalized after the teams departed Dallas. This year, top free-agent pitchers already have found landing spots. The Blue Jays, who are making an aggressive push after winning the American League pennant, signed right-hander Dylan Cease to a seven-year deal worth $210 million, the largest free-agent contract in franchise history. From the top tier of the free-agent group of relievers, Devin Williams (Mets, three years, $45 million), Ryan Helsley (Orioles, two years, $28 million) and Raisel Iglesias (Braves, one year, $16 million) already had agreed to contracts for 2026 and beyond a week before the meetings. Not to mention that the Mets and Rangers pulled off a stunning trade, swapping outfielder Brandon Nimmo and second baseman Marcus Semien; the Orioles acquired outfielder Tyler Ward from the Angels for promising young pitcher Grayson Rodriguez; and the Red Sox acquired veteran right-hander Sonny Gray from the Cardinals. All this before Thanksgiving. Put baseball executives and agents under the same roof for a few days, and the action is bound to ratchet up. The Cubs’ most notable moves so far have been signing reliever Phil Maton to a two-year contract worth $14.5 million and bringing back left-hander Shota Imanaga on a $22.025 million qualifying offer for 2026. Pitching remains at the top of the Cubs’ list entering the meetings, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer also hopes to improve the bench from this past season, when it was a soft spot. Bullpen The Cubs already have begun the massive construction project of filling out their bullpen. Maton’s two-year deal was the first multiyear contract they had given to a reliever since Craig Kimbrel in 2019. By sheer numbers, it’s clear a majority of the Cubs’ moves this offseason will involve relievers. But how much more financial capital are they willing to dedicate to that group? Coming out of the general managers meetings last month, speculation spiked that the Cubs would pursue right-hander Pete Fairbanks. According to a league source, however, they never made a serious push to sign the former Rays closer. That doesn’t necessarily preclude the Cubs from pursuing relievers in a similar tier, but a majority of their reliever signings are expected to be short-term commitments, including minor-league deals. Starting pitching Even though Cease is off the board, there are plenty of free-agent starters still available, with Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez and Tatsuya Imai among those with clear frontline potential. Hoyer has been careful not to divulge the Cubs’ offseason budget, so it’s unclear whether the top tier of free-agent pitchers will end up out of their reach. The Cubs have an organizational philosophy against deferrals, which might serve as another self-imposed impediment. The Blue Jays, for instance, reportedly used deferred money to bring Cease’s $210 million contract down to a more manageable present-day value of about $184.6 million, as calculated by the players’ union. Conversations from the trade deadline are sure to carry over into the offseason, too, after marquee starters with multiple years of team control stayed put. Starters such as the Twins’ Joe Ryan, the Marlins’ Edward Cabrera and the Nationals’ Mackenzie Gore might be available via trade. It’s yet to be seen whether conversations about those pitchers will progress further than they did at midseason. Bench The buzz around the Cubs during the meetings mostly will be about pitching, but they also are looking to put together an improved bench this offseason. That eventually will mean major-league deals. On Tuesday, however, the Cubs added potential Triple-A depth to that mix. They announced they had signed utility player Scott Kingery to a minor-league contract with an invitation to major-league spring training. Kingery’s best season was 2019, when he hit .258 with 19 home runs for the Phillies, but he has played sparingly since. He returned to the majors for the first time in three years when he played in 19 games for the Angels in 2025.

The year isn’t ending well for Marquee Sports Network. Two months after Comcast bumped it up to its most-expensive programming tier, the network said Monday that it will operate without a general manager. Diane Penny is out as GM after joining the network in April 2024. Hired to accelerate Marquee’s digital transformation, her efforts failed to drive revenue, which led to significant cuts in the digital-content team. Director of content Tony Andracki and reporter Andy Martinez were among them. “In the interim, we will use Cubs and Sinclair resources to fill [Penny’s] role as we assess the future leadership needs of the network,” Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney told the Sun-Times. In place of Penny, a Villa Park native, Cubs chief commercial officer Colin Faulkner will oversee game coverage and production, all but erasing the line between the team and the network and putting the operation in the hands of a TV neophyte. Faulkner also will oversee marketing and talent. Marquee hasn’t decided what will become of its website. Marquee also is outsourcing its local sales operations to PlayFly, which represents Marquee and other RSNs in efforts to obtain national advertising. Brady Huston, who began overseeing the network’s sales and revenue in August, will continue in his role but will partner with PlayFly and work with Faulkner on sales. Andrew Schnell will continue to run Marquee’s app, and he’ll take on non-game content. Chief financial officer Robin Mulvaney will oversee technical operations. The team’s broadcast partner, Sinclair, played a key role in conceiving the cuts, which won’t affect any on-air talent. Sources say Sinclair has been paying close attention to how Marquee operates and spends, a precursor to the cuts. While holding back on spending for players, the deep-pocketed Cubs now are tightening the belt around Marquee. Though all RSNs are navigating the headwinds of a changing sports-media landscape, Marquee has significantly reduced the diverse programming it heralded at launch, scaling down to focus on game coverage. “We’re continuing to prioritize live game broadcasts as the primary content on the network,” Kenney said. Marquee’s next issue, beyond a potential work stoppage after next season, could be MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s desire to centralize teams’ media rights. But the Cubs and Sinclair have a long-term agreement that figures to make such an arrangement difficult.

An Edison Park deli has received an outpouring of support from the community, including from Cubs icon Anthony Rizzo, after an armed robbery in November. Rizzo, a former first baseman who retired from baseball this year and rejoined the Cubs as an ambassador, paid Tony's Italian Deli & Subs a surprise visit Nov. 23. Photos on social media show Rizzo posing with the deli’s staff and signing autographs. A video also shows him making a sandwich. “We were absolutely thrilled and completely surprised by a visit from [Rizzo],” the store said on social media. “What an amazing and genuine person. It stems from an amazing family. [Thank you] for this wonderful surprise and support!” Rizzo also showed his support for Tony's on social media, praising the neighborhood spot for supporting its community and asking his fans to visit. If you’re in Chicago, go check out @tonysdeli1. An amazing family led by Vito and Maria, who are always stepping up to support their community. Now it’s our turn to step up for them. https://t.co/U7WNOikVjG— Anthony Rizzo (@ARizzo44) November 23, 2025 “Now it’s our turn to step up for them,” he said. The visit came after an armed group broke into Tony’s on Nov. 15. Chicago police said three robbers targeted the shop just before 5:30 a.m. The store said on social media that an employee entered the store during the robbery and had a gun placed against his head by a robber. Surveillance video shared by Tony's shows the masked robbers breaking a glass front door and entering the store, before taking its cash registers. One robber can be seen slamming one of the registers on the sidewalk outside. Despite the robbery, Tony's opened for business that morning, and the Edison Park community showed up to support it. “We are overwhelmed by the amount of love and support our friends & family and our amazing staff, not to mention our wonderful [Edison Park] community, [have] given us,” the store said on social media after the incident. “You all have rallied behind us and we are so grateful.” Related * Cubs star Anthony Rizzo calls for change after mass shooting at alma mater * Cubs honor legacy of 2016 hero Anthony Rizzo, who celebrates retirement by almost catching homer Rizzo spent nearly 10 of his 14 major-league seasons with the Cubs, including as a core member of the 2016 World Series champion team. A cancer survivor, he founded the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation in 2012 to benefit cancer research and families affected by the disease.

Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins admits that he was the “low guy” on right-handed pitcher Cade Horton when the team was preparing for the 2022 MLB Draft. That wasn’t a knock on Horton himself, or his standout performance in the College World Series. It was more of a question of sample size. Horton was less than a year and a half removed from Tommy John surgery. He played mostly third base his redshirt freshman year at Oklahoma as he worked back from the injury and had a 7.92 ERA heading into the Big 12 tournament. From then on, however, through a CWS finals record-setting 13-strikeout appearance, he didn’t allow more than two runs in a start. The Cubs had to grapple with the question, to paraphrase Hawkins, how much do elite performances in elite competitive environments predict future performance? “I think that's a really interesting question that we’ll continue to look at,” Hawkins said during the general managers meetings in Las Vegas earlier this month. “But Cade is an example of someone who had elite performance in an elite competitive environment that continued to perform at an elite level once he got to pro ball, that’s for sure.” Horton’s emergence this year as not just a strong rotation piece but arguably MLB’s best starting pitcher in the second half of the season (1.03 ERA) was an organizational victory. But the process that brought him into the organization, through the farm system, and to the majors hasn’t produced a boom of young pitching for the Cubs. Of the Cubs’ top 15 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, only three are pitchers: No. 3 Jackson Wiggins, No. 9 Brandon Birdsell and No. 13 Kaleb Wing. While Wiggins got a brief taste of Triple-A at the end of the minor-league season, Birdsell had elbow surgery in September to repair his ulnar collateral ligament with an internal brace, and 18-year-old Wing is at the beginning of his pro-ball journey after being selected in the fourth round of the 2025 draft. There isn’t another Horton waiting in the wings to immediately help the rotation, which makes it all the more important for the Cubs to be aggressive on the starting pitching market this offseason. Adding starting pitching has long been on the Cubs’ to-do list. Even after the Cubs signed left-hander Matthew Boyd to a two-year contract last offseason, they were surveying their options to continue to bolster the rotation. As it played out, the opportunity to improve the team presented itself on the offensive side instead. The Cubs traded for right fielder Kyle Tucker, and they even took a swing (and missed) on Alex Bregman. By the time the trade deadline rolled around – and after a series of injuries to the starting rotation, including Justin Steeele’s season-ending elbow surgery – the need for frontline starting pitching was even more glaring. The price, however, was high. So high that the frontline starters with multiple years of control didn’t change hands. And the Cubs’ acquisition of right-hander Michael Soroka, who the Cubs saw more as a swingman even before he hurt his shoulder in his first post-trade start, was the closest they came to adding to the rotation. Fast forward to this offseason, and the stars are aligned. Not only are the Cubs on the hunt for pitching in all areas, but they see it as the most obvious opportunity for improvement – after some internal offensive strides, another year of development for their position-player prospects, and a high replacement-level bar to clear at most positions. “I expect to explore trades,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said during the GM meetings. “I expect to explore free agency, both at the top of the market, but then also looking at minor-league free agency.” Those minor-league free agents will help fill out the bullpen, both right out of spring training and throughout the season. But it just wasn’t clear until this week how the starting pitching market would play out in the aftermath of this past trade deadline. “The trade deadline is a snapshot,” said Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who led the Cubs’ pitching department before he took the helm in Boston. “My guess is, from having some conversations, some teams are continuing down the path that they started to to chart at the trade deadline. Others will reevaluate and say, based on play in the second half, or based on resources available, based on the emergence of some guys that they didn't think were going to contribute to the extent that they did, they're in a different position now. So you kind of have to refresh and recalibrate.” Breslow reiterated the Reds Sox’ intention to aggressively pursue starting pitching. And on Tuesday, they traded for veteran right-hander Sonny Gray, sending right-hander Richard Fitts and the team’s No. 5 prospect left-hander Brandon Clarke to the Cardinals in the deal. On Wednesday, the Blue Jays made a statement in free agency, reportedly signing right-hander Dylan Cease to a seven-year contract worth $210 million. The starting pitching market is churning early. Your move, Cubs.

The Cubs made right-handed reliever Phil Maton’s signing official on Tuesday, announcing they’d agreed to terms on a two-year deal with a club option for 2028. The contract guarantees Maton $14.5 million, sources confirmed. Considering the number of bullpen spots the Cubs have to fill, it made sense for them to strike early on the reliever market. By signing Maton to a multi-year deal, they broke from their usual bullpen-building approach of cobbling together one-year and minor-league signings, along with small trades. The Cubs will still fill out a majority of their bullpen using that familiar formula. But Maton’s durability over a nine-year career and improvement last season made the 32-year-old an intriguing candidate for a longer commitment. En route to posting the best ERA of his career last season (2.79), with the Cardinals and Rangers, Maton improved his strikeout rate to 32.5%. That mark, the best of his career other than the shortened 2020 season, put him in the top five percent of pitchers in that category, according to Statcast. At the same time, Maton continued to thrive on soft contact. Maton’s success relies on spin and deception, which don’t tend to regress the same way that velocity does as pitchers age. Maton’s signing, and left-handed starter Shota Imanaga’s acceptance of the qualifying offer, kicked off a Cubs offseason that will continue to focus on pitching.

Always put transit first. Push for connection, not isolation. And above all, be patient. Those were a few of the guiding principles on how to approach stadium development in the Chicago Architecture Center’s newest report, “Win/Win: The New Game Plan for Urban Stadiums,” released this month. The center assembled a working group comprised of business executives, civic leaders, urban planners, architects and others to study the bids for new, or expanded, stadiums by the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Fire and White Sox. They also spent three months studying stadium developments across the U.S. to see what worked and what failed. And the group found the best model was in Chicago — Wrigley Field and Lake View. "Instead of treating stadiums as standalone facilities requiring public support, we propose thinking about them as anchors for thriving neighborhoods," Chicago Architecture Center president and CEO Eleanor Gorski said in the report. It's an idea the report dubs The Chicago Model, defined as "teams we love, playing in stadiums we love, anchoring communities we love." The crux of the Chicago Model is a stadium district that creates a bustling neighborhood throughout the year — not just on game days or when sports teams are in season. “If [the stadium] is programmed the right way, it can actually be a real win for everybody,” Michael Wood, the CAC’s director of civic and industry affairs, said. “A big finding for us, too, is understanding that the best sports facilities will also leave room for things that have nothing to do with sports. You really want something for everyone.” The model is made up of six design principles: walkability, a push for greater density, planning transit access at the start of a development, connecting stadiums to the neighborhood, keeping public spaces open and accessible and having patience for future development to grow out of stadium districts. Wood said the principles are like a compass and should guide future development, given that not every stadium site will perfectly fit the guidelines. Some, like Rate Field, are “stadium islands” surrounded by parking, while others like Soldier Field are more limited by their surroundings. The working group evaluated five sites across Chicago that are either proposed or slated for new development — Rate Field, Soldier Field, The 78, the United Center and the former Michael Reese Hospital site. Wood said there was no clear winner that completely met the Chicago Model because each site has its own challenges, in addition to potential growth. A rendering shows the proposed $7 billion mixed-use development that would surround the United Center. Provided by RIOS “The most attractive stadium for us is going to be one that has the most heterogeneous mix [of] ownership, of types of people living nearby, types of businesses making a living off of a team, or a team making a ... great neighborhood off of what private enterprise is doing," Wood said. "We kind of left more with the idea about coordination and city building as the real true north in this situation, and not so much about a perfect recipe for each location.” The Chicago Fire plans to build a $650 million privately-funded soccer stadium at The 78, a long vacant lot in the South Loop. The 22,000-seat stadium is being bankrolled by its billionaire owner Joe Mansueto. The Chicago City Council approved the proposal in September. Also approved this year was the 1901 Project, the United Center owners’ plans to create an entertainment-rich district around the Bulls' and Blackhawks’ home. Phase One will include a new music venue and public green space, with later phases adding residential and commercial uses. The two proposals include some of the multiuse components the CAC report argues are necessary for a successful stadium district. Scott Goodman, principal of Farpoint Development, made public in March his vision to build a Bronzeville stadium for the Bears and an adjacent mixed-use development. At the time, Goodman acknowledged he hadn't met with the team or finalized financing for the $3.2 billion project, but it was a Hail Mary attempt to keep the Bears in Chicago as they eye a move to Arlington Heights. The architecture center’s study called the Bronzeville lakefront site a “sleeping giant” that could use an anchor institution to kickstart surrounding development. It said the anchor could be an entertainment venue or training facility — not just a potential stadium. An artist’s rendering of a proposed Chicago Bears stadium at the former Michael Reese Hospital site in Bronzeville. Provided by Farpoint Development Wood pointed to women’s professional sports teams, which are fast-growing and often want to be in control of their own facilities. Those stadiums are sometimes smaller and could more easily fit on the 48.6-acre Bronzeville site than a new football stadium. “The value of sports as an attractor is so high that we should be investing in coordinating around them — particularly around emerging sports, where these are teams that are trying to plant their flag,” Wood said. The study acknowledges that Soldier Field isn’t the best fit for the Chicago Model, but argues public access issues to the stadium will exist whether the Bears stay or leave. The study proposes pedestrian bridges over DuSable Lake Shore Drive and further development near the 18th Street Metra station to help connect the stadium to the surrounding area and improve public access. There’s similar opportunities at Rate Field to better connect the White Sox stadium to Bridgeport, Wood said. “When the [parking] lease comes due in the next few years, there's a chance to rethink the entire idea — hopefully with the White Sox involved,” Wood said. “We should look at it with a different set of lens, and say, ‘That's prime real estate that's really well serviced by transit, and we should do something with it.’ In terms of the six Chicago Model principles, there's nothing that couldn't happen at Rate Field.” One of the biggest takeaways from other cities and their stadium development efforts was the high level of coordination across public and private sectors. It’s something that makes development stronger, Wood said. “Thoughtful development is happening everywhere. It's not just a Chicago thing, but there's no reason it can't happen in Chicago,” he said. “What we found most exciting was that leaning into coordination changes the calculus from stadium development to neighborhood development, and that's what the win is for Chicagoans.”

The Cubs have begun rebuilding their bullpen. They are in agreement with right-handed reliever Phil Maton on a two-year contract with a third-year club option, according to multiple reports. Further terms of the deal were not immediately clear. The Cubs don’t often commit multi-year contracts to relievers. The pact reflects how highly they think of the 32-year-old. Maton is set to the Cubs with nine years of major-league experience under his belt, spanning seven different organizations. Last season he posted a 2.35 ERA with the Cardinals before they sent him to the Rangers at the trade deadline for a pair of minor-league pitchers and international draft pool money. In Texas, Maton improved his strikeout rate from an already strong 30.4% pre-trade, to 36.7% in the last two months of the season. And though his ERA (3.52) was higher with the Rangers, he held opponents to a .179 batting average. Maton finished the season with a career-best 2.79 ERA. Maton doesn’t throw particularly hard – his cutter, averaging 90.6 mph, is his highest-velocity pitch – but he mixes a four-pitch arsenal to keep hitters off balance. The Cubs are starting almost from scratch with their bullpen. Young right-handers Daniel Palencia (52 ⅔ innings) and Porter Hodge (33 innings) are the only returning full-time relievers who threw at least 15 innings for the Cubs last season. Neither spent the entire year in the majors, but Palencia served as the closer for much of the year, and Hodge had a stint in that role as well.

The Cubs tendered contracts to half their arbitration-eligible players before the deadline Friday, promising deals to left-hander Justin Steele and right-hander Javier Assad for 2026. They non-tendered catcher Reese McGuire and reliever Eli Morgan, making them free agents. All four decisions were predictable. Steele and Assad both missed large chunks of last season due to injury, but they showed continued promise when they were on the mound. Steele is on track to return from his April elbow surgery early next season. And when he does so, he’s expected to be a headlining member of the Cubs’ rotation. Assad didn’t make his 2025 season debut until mid-August, due to consecutive oblique strains. But he posted a 3.65 ERA in eight appearances and has proven capable in both a starting and relief role. Next, the Cubs have to agree to terms with Steele and Assad before the January deadline, or else swap figures for a later arbitration hearing. Though McGuire’s free agency was expected – he was the third string backstop behind Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly – his performance for the Cubs last season put him on the radar for teams looking to improve their depth at catcher. Filling in for an injured Amaya for much of the year, after initially joining the club as a non-roster invitee last spring, McGuire hit nine home runs and recorded a .688 OPS in 44 major-league appearances. Morgan, who the Cubs acquired a year ago from the Guardians, allowed 10 runs in seven major-league relief outings. He landed on the IL in April with an inflamed ulnar nerve in his right elbow. He didn’t pitch again in the majors the rest of the year.

The Cubs aren’t likely to replace right fielder Kyle Tucker’s offensive production this offseason, barring a surprise reunion with the belle of this year’s free agent class. The options are few, and the price is high — either monetarily for free agent signings, or in young talent for trade acquisitions. That’s where growth from their position-playing prospects becomes important. To be sure, there have already been surprises this offseason. A record four players across MLB accepted qualifying offers this past week – Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga, Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff, Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham and Tigers infielder Gleyber Torres. Tucker rejected the qualifying offer, as expected. Those decisions could be a reflection of the free agent market, but they could also affect it. And it’s yet to be determined how much of an impact the expiring Collective Bargaining Agreement, which runs through 2026, will have on this offseason. Regardless of all that uncertainty, it’s clear that the Cubs feel comfortable with a scenario where, if Tucker signs with another team, they lean on their young offensive talent and upgrade their pitching, making up for the loss in run production by improving their run prevention. “It's a really good position player group,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said last week at general managers meetings in Las Vegas. “We play really good defense, we have a good offense. Obviously Kyle was a big part of that, but I do think that we have a very capable position play group, a playoff-worthy group.” That isn’t to gloss over the fact that the Cubs offense went from one of the best in baseball in the first half, when Tucker was swinging a hot bat, to middling in the second half, as Tucker slumped and then was sidelined by a calf injury. He wasn’t the only hitter who struggled in the second half. But when he was hitting well, his presence in the lineup had a compounding effect. The Cubs’ comfort with the offense as it stands can in part be attributed to the strides taken by lineup regulars like center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, second baseman Nico Hoerner and first baseman Michael Busch. It is also made possible by the emergence of catching prospect Moisés Ballesteros as a major-league-ready hitter, as well as the experience gained by outfield prospects Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara last season. Those three could play a role in covering for Tucker’s absence. Ballesteros The designated hitter spot could open up if Seiya Suzuki moves back to right field. And DH is a role Ballesteros settled into well last year. Over-anxious in his first major-league stint, Ballesteros hit the ball on the ground often and recorded three hits in five games. But he carried those lessons with him, the next time he was up in the big-leagues for multiple games, he hit .333 (13-for-39) with two home runs, a triple and a double. With the 22-year-old’s offensive development clearly ahead of his defense, Ballesteros didn’t appear behind the plate until the last game of the season, which had no bearing on the standings. “Offensively, he's a special bat,” Hoyer said. “He can do a lot of great things offensively already, we saw that. But yes, we do view him as a catcher, and you want him to continue to develop. It's hard to develop catching in the big leagues when you're trying to win. So we do have to balance those things out and think about it.” Caissie Caissie made his major-league debut in mid-August and recorded five hits in 24 at-bats before, with his playing time waning, the Cubs optioned him back to Triple-A. His next shot came in mid-September, with Tucker on the IL. But in Caissie’s first game back, he hit his head on the outfield wall while making a catch in right-center field. He finished the season on the concussion list. “I just feel bad for him,” Hoyer said. “He had a real opportunity to play right there with Kyle out. He was going to play every day against righties, and the concussion obviously really hurt that. And it was just really bad timing, because I think all of us wanted to watch him play for 10, 12 days … and we just didn't get that chance.” Alcántara Of the three, Alcántara was the first to debut, logging 10 major-league at-bats late last September. He provides a defensive option in center field, behind Crow-Armstrong, and speed on the bases. Offensively, however, he appeared to sit lower on the depth chart than Ballesteros or Caissie last season. He logged 11 at-bats, tallying four hits.

ESPN and Major League Baseball appeared headed for an ugly separation after the network opted out of its rights deal in February. Nine months later, it appears to be the best thing to happen to both parties. ESPN has a reworked deal that includes out-of-market streaming rights while NBC and Netflix will air games as part of a new three-year media rights agreement announced by MLB on Wednesday. Commissioner Rob Manfred also was able to maximize rights for the Home Run Derby and wild card series. NBC/Peacock will become the new home of "Sunday Night Baseball" and the wild card round while Netflix will have the Home Run Derby and two additional games. The three deals will average nearly $800 million per year. ESPN will still pay $550 million while the NBC deal is worth $200 million and Netflix $50 million. How ESPN benefits ESPN, which has carried baseball since 1990, loses postseason games and the Home Run Derby, but gains something more valuable for its bottom line by becoming the rights holder for MLB.TV, which will be available on the ESPN app. ESPN also gets the in-market streaming rights for the six teams whose games are produced by MLB — San Diego, Colorado, Arizona, Cleveland, Minnesota and Seattle. Even though ESPN no longer has "Sunday Night Baseball," it will have 30 games, primarily on weeknights and in the summer months. Baseball is the second league that has its out-of-market digital package available in the U.S. on ESPN's platform. The NHL moved its package to ESPN in 2021. Welcome back NBC NBC, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, has a long history with baseball, albeit not much recently. The network carried games from 1939 through 1989. It was part of the short-lived Baseball Network with ABC in 1994 and '95 and then aired playoff games from 1996 through 2000. Its first game will be on March 26 when the defending two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 25 Sunday night games will air mostly on NBC with the rest on the new NBC Sports Network. All will stream on Peacock. The first "Sunday Night Baseball" game on NBC will be April 12 with the next one in May after the NBA playoffs. The addition of baseball games gives NBC a year-round night of sports on Sunday nights. It has had NFL games on Sunday night since 2006 and will debut an NBA Sunday night slate in February. NBC will also have a prime-time game on Labor Day night. The Sunday early-afternoon games also return to Peacock, which had them in 2022 and '23. The early-afternoon games will lead into a studio Whip-Around Show before the Sunday night game. NBC/Peacock will also do the Major League Futures game during All-Star week and coverage of the first round of the MLB amateur draft. Netflix and baseball Netflix's baseball deals are in alignment with its strategy of going for big events in a major sport. The streamer will have an NFL Christmas doubleheader this season for the second straight year. Besides the Home Run Derby, Netflix will have the first game of the season on March 25 when three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees visit the San Francisco Giants. It also has the Home Run Derby and MLB at Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13 when Minnesota faces Philadelphia. Netflix will stream an MLB special event game each year. Don’t forget the others The negotiations around the other deals were complicated due to the fact that MLB was also trying not to slight two of its other rights holders. MLB receives an average of $729 million from Fox and $470 million from Turner Sports per year under deals which expire after the 2028 season. Fox's Saturday nights have been mainly sports the past couple years with a mix of baseball, college football, college basketball and motorsports. Apple TV has had "Friday Night Baseball" since 2022. The deals also set up Manfred for future negotiations. He would like to see MLB take a more national approach to its rights instead of a large percentage of its games being on regional sports networks.

Left-hander Shota Imanaga will be returning to the Cubs after accepting the $22.025 million qualifying offer for 2026, sources confirmed Tuesday. Imanaga was one of four players who accepted the qualifying offer before Tuesday's deadline, according to multiple reports, joining Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Tigers infielder Gleyber Torres and Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff. Source confirmed Shota Imanaga is accepting the qualifying offer ($22.025 M) to return to the Cubs for 2026, as @PJ_Mooney first reported.— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) November 18, 2025 Imanaga’s return helps address some of the Cubs’ pitching concerns this offseason. And though the contract is just one year, it’s at a higher average annual value than the three-year player option that the Cubs declined. Early signs at the GM meetings last week indicated that Imanaga might continue to test the market, boasting a strong body of work over two seasons in MLB. But by accepting, he extended his time in Chicago, where he quickly became a fan and clubhouse favorite, and gave himself a chance to hit free agency next year with what could be a stronger platform year. Imanaga far surpassed expectations in his 2024 rookie season (15-3, 2.91 ERA), when he earned a no-brainer All-Star selection and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting. He still showed flashes of that dominance in 2025 (9-8, 3.73 ERA). But Imanaga sustained the first lower-body muscle injury of his career, and a loss of strength and flexibility because of that hamstring strain is believed to have contributed to his struggles down the stretch. Related * Cubs president Jed Hoyer discusses Shota Imanaga option decisions and future The Cubs also extended the qualifying offer to right fielder Kyle Tucker. But he was always expected to decline and remain arguably the top free agent in this year’s class. If he signs with a different team, the Cubs will qualify for draft compensation. Tucker’s age (28 years old), tools, and reputation after four straight All-Star seasons will make him popular among teams looking to upgrade their lineups. In his one season with the Cubs, he posted a .841 OPS and was a silver slugger, boosted by a red-hot first half at the plate. The Cubs met with Tucker’s agent at the GM meetings last week, but the team's focus this offseason will lean toward pitching. Bringing back Imanaga was the first step, but they still need to rebuild the bullpen and, ideally, also bolster their rotation with a frontline addition.