Cubs Insider

I was wrong on this one, as ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reports that Cody Bellinger has picked up his $27.5 million player option to remain with the Cubs for the 2025 season. Rather than simplifying things for Jed Hoyer, this decision could make the offseason puzzle harder to put together. The Cubs still need to add power and dynamism to the offense, but now they have that much less … [Read more...] about Cody Bellinger Reportedly Exercises $27.5M Player Option for 2025

The Cubs cleared three spots on the 40-man roster Thursday with Kyle Hendricks and Jorge López electing free agency and catcher Caleb Knight being outrighted to Triple-A. The first two were pretty obvious, as was the outright…other than the fact that very few outside the front office even realized Knight was on the roster. A career minor leaguer who has provided organizational … [Read more...] about Kyle Hendricks and Jorge López Elect Free Agency, Caleb Knight Outrighted

“You should never argue with a crazy mind…you oughta know by now.” – Billy Joel, Movin’ Out The World Series is over, Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers was a magnificent beast, 26-year-old superstar Juan Soto is about to be a free agent, and a couple of handsy knuckleheads are getting much more publicity than they deserve. The Hot Stove, however, is officially lit. With that in … [Read more...] about The Rundown: Hot Stove Officially Lit, Dodgers Win World Series, Braves Trade Soler to Angels

Did…did the White Sox just make a really smart move? Long mired in organizational incompetence and fresh off the worst season in MLB history, the South Siders have reached an agreement with former Cubs coach Will Venable to become their next manager. The team has yet to confirm, perhaps due to the understood moratorium on big news during the World Series, but Scott Merkin of … [Read more...] about White Sox Hiring Former Cubs Coach Will Venable as Manager

In their never-ending quest for value, the Cubs built a roster around defense up the middle that could turn grounders from their low-velocity pitching staff into outs. The big problem with that concept, and with the broader avoidance of superstars in general, is that it lowers the ceiling while also raising the floor. The result is a cramped living area with far too much unused … [Read more...] about Threading Needle Between Glove-First Approach, Bat-First Prospects Won’t Be Easy