The Pittsburgh Pirates will enter the 2026 season with an exactly .500 all-time win/loss record.

In 21,960 games since 1882, they are exactly 10,910-10,910*

*plus 140 ties

I'm sure the Cubs have/will approach him about another extension, but if he's hellbent on testing FA (or is asking for SO much to forego FA that it doesn't make sense), it's absolutely worthwhile to at least consider the options for a trade.

To be clear: I'd really like Nico to remain a Cub, but we can't assume Nico even *wants* to consider an extension. If I were him, I'd damn well want to test free agency. Barring a real clunker in '26, he's going to enter next offseason as the best 2B and probably the best SS on the market.

You could also easily argue that his value may never be higher: Coming off a career year, firmly in his prime at age 28 and entering his age 29 season... He could potentially net a huge return.

It'd have to come alongside other moves, but there's 100% a world in which moving him makes sense.

And so long as that's true, it's at least worth exploring what he could fetch in trade this year (where the middle infield FA class is also laughably weak) and weighing that against whatever chance the Cubs believe they have of successfully extending him. It'd be negligent not to.

Oh trust me, I'm plenty upset with the way Ricketts runs the org.

I'm just saying, it's not as simple as just 'oh, well extend him.' I mean, I'd love that. But Nico may very well want to test FA. He's the pretty obvious standout of next yr's middle infield class and could stand to make BANK.

Not to be *that* guy but... It kinda has to depend on the return, doesn't it?

Chances Nico walks after this year are pretty good; so if the Cubs were able to find a deal that doesn't ruin their chances in '26 while getting value out of a likely-departing player... I'd want to consider that.

I'll be upset if they don't land another back-end-of-the-pen arm (which is basically Fairbanks now), but on the whole I have far more confidence in the bullpen heading into '26 than I have heading into any recent season.

Palencia's kinda in a similar spot to Hodge, you could argue Thielbar is in a similar spot to Merryweather (except he has way more success in his past than Julian did) but Maton and Milner are more established than the types of relievers the Cubs typically have in the 'pen heading into a season.

I very much want them to get Fairbanks.

But to be fair, the bullpen is shaping up to be in a way better position than any season in recent memory. In '25 they went into the yr hoping for repeat performances from Hodge & Merryweather, w/ a declining Pressley, & a bunch of reclamation projects.

I'm hoping that if the Cubs have backed out of the King talks it's because they feel good about their chances at getting Imai (or completing a trade) and not because they feel King's market has gotten too expensive.

Because if it is the money... we're not getting a TOR type SP this offseason.

I kinda hate this idea. Pitchers already dominate; hitting is hard enough. Let them have a timeout to step out and center themselves.

Instead, eliminate warm-up throws on the mound during a pitching change. If you're not ready to start pitching immediately, you're not ready to come in yet.

They can pry my coffee from my jittery, overly-caffeinated hands. Good, well-made coffee is one of my favorite things in life. It's death before decaf and i'll die on that hill (probably of a heart attack but w/e)

Ties still happen sometimes, too!

Cubs/Pirates played to a 1-1 tie in September 2016. Game got called due to rain and was never made up b/c it didn't have any playoff implications.

Game 1 NLCS 2016. Montero go-ahead Grand slam.

Hey, he actually pitched FOUR TIMES that many innings (8.1 IP).

But yeah, hard to argue that's not the worst trade of Jed's tenure.

Sigh. This feels like one of those "it's not done yet but it's gonna be sometime soon" and... Ugh. Gallen would've been a perfectly fine second signing option if shota had rejected his QO. But as the big SP addition this offseason? Hard pass.