Now Playing
Share Video
Link copied!
Top Cubs News
-
Cubs' Cade Horton: Completes bullpen session
Horton (shoulder) faced four batters during a brief bullpen session Sunday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
It was a short but meaningful appearance on the mound for Horton, who was facing live hitters for the first time in about nine months. The young righty was ultimately shut down last year due to a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain, and he's slowly building himself back up in camp. Horton, who was drafted seventh overall by the Cubs back in 2022, is one of the team's top pitching prospects and could be closing in on his MLB debut this season. The lost 2024 campaign may slow Horton down a bit, but if he looks good at Triple-A Iowa early in the year, he could start to force the issue, though Chicago would have to open up a spot on its 40-man roster to make room for the 23-year-old.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Julian Merryweather: Makes spring debut Saturday
Merryweather (knee) pitched a scoreless inning of relief in Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox. He allowed a hit and a walk.
Merryweather missed the majority of last season due to rib and knee injuries and ended up making only 15 appearances for the Cubs, with his last one coming on Aug. 25. While he likely won't be in the mix for saves in 2025 with Ryan Pressly and Porter Hodge around, it's encouraging just to see Merryweather back on the mound. He figures to work in middle relief and likely won't have a ton of fantasy appeal in most formats.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Michael Busch: Off to fast start
Busch went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox.
Busch is now 4-for-6 overall through two spring training appearances with three RBI. The 27-year-old is entrenched as Chicago's top option at first base, though the recent addition of Justin Turner gives the Cubs a veteran alternative. The two could work in a platoon to start the year with the lefty-hitting Busch serving on the strong side, but a prolonged slump by either player could swing playing time more in the opposite direction.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Justin Steele: Sharp in spring debut
Steele tossed two scoreless innings in Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox. He allowed two hits and struck out five.
In his first action of the spring, Steele already appeared to be in midseason form. The lefty was limited to only 24 starts last year due to hamstring and forearm injuries, but he was effective when healthy, compiling a 3.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 135:37 K:BB across 134.2 innings. Steele figures to slot in behind Shota Imanaga in Chicago's rotation this season, giving the Cubs an imposing 1-2 punch, and both are attractive options for fantasy managers.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Travis Jankowski: Finds work in Windy City
Jankowski signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Jankowski slashed just .200/.266/.242 with 12 RBI over 207 plate appearances last season with the Rangers. The 33-year-old outfielder has never been regarded as an offensive threat with a career .624 OPS and he'll most likely serve as organizational depth at Triple-A Iowa.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Greg Allen: Goes to Northsiders on NRI pact
The Cubs signed Allen to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Allen, who turns 32 in March, spent most of the 2024 season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees organization, producing a .698 OPS in 58 contests. He'll give the Cubs a veteran capable of playing all three outfield spots and is likely to begin the season at Triple-A Iowa.
... See More ... See Less -
-
Cubs' Javier Assad: Cleared to play catch
Manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Assad (oblique) has resumed playing catch, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Assad was diagnosed with a mild oblique strain early on in camp but appears to be making strides. It's not clear when he might be ready for mound work and a game appearance, however. Assad is in a competition for the final spot in the Cubs' rotation, so he can't afford too long of a delay.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Matt Shaw: Resumes hitting and throwing
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Shaw (oblique) is "doing great" and has resumed hitting in the batting cage and throwing, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Shaw suffered an oblique injury at the beginning of camp but has been trending in the right direction since then. The Cubs will continue to tread cautiously given the finicky nature of oblique injuries, but it would seem Shaw might not be far off from full activities. The top prospect is the favorite to be the Cubs' Opening Day third baseman.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Brett Bateman: Slated for hamate surgery
Manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Bateman will undergo hamate bone surgery on his right hand, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
It's a surgery that typically sidelines a player for around six weeks, so Bateman will get a late start to the season. Once healthy, he's likely to be assigned to Double-A Tennessee.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Owen Caissie: Shut down with groin tightness
Manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Caissie has been shut down due to left groin tightness, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Caissie underwent core muscle surgery over the offseason, although it's not clear whether this setback is related to that. It's uncertain how long the outfield prospect might be shut down. If healthy, Caissie projects to open the season at Triple-A Iowa.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Alexander Canario: Removed from 40-man roster
The Cubs designated Canario for assignment Thursday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Justin Turner, whose signing has been made official. Canario has an .857 OPS but a 42.2 percent strikeout rate during his brief time in the majors over the last two seasons. Strikeout issues and a lack of minor-league options could limit Canario's appeal, but the Cubs should be able to find a trade partner willing to gamble on the 24-year-old's power upside.
... See More ... See Less -
-
Cubs' Cody Poteet: Slated to start spring opener
Poteet is in line to start Thursday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers, Jordan Bastian and Sonja Chen of MLB.com report.
Poteet joined the Cubs back in December in the trade that sent Cody Bellinger to the Yankees. Poteet could be minor-league depth once the regular season begins, though with Chicago not using all of its regulars in Thursday's spring training opener, he will get the chance to take the mound. The veteran righty posted a 2.22 ERA and 16:8 K:BB across 24.1 innings for New York last year.
... See More ... See Less -
-
Cubs' Jordan Wicks: Faces hitters Wednesday
Wicks (oblique) threw a live batting practice session Wednesday.
Wicks finished last season on the injured list after straining his right oblique for the second time in just over three months back in September, but he looks to be back to full health in the early stages of spring training. The 25-year-old southpaw started in 10 of his 11 appearances with the Cubs in 2024, but after struggling to stay healthy and performing poorly when available (5.48 ERA, 1.63 WHIP in 46 innings), he'll have to compete for a spot in the Opening Day rotation this spring. If healthy, Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd should all be locked in as starters, leaving Wicks to battle Javier Assad (oblique), Colin Rea, Ben Brown and Cody Poteet for the final rotation spot.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Justin Steele: Lined up to start second game
Manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Steele is lined up to start March 19 against the Dodgers in the second of two games in Tokyo, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Steele is expected to oppose Roki Sasaki, although the Dodgers have not yet made that official. Steele, 29, was limited to 24 starts last season due to hamstring and forearm injuries, but he pitched well when on the bump, collecting a 3.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 135:37 K:BB across 134.2 innings.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Luke Little: Ramping up slowly
The Cubs plan to ramp Little (lat) up slowly this spring, and the lefty appears unlikely to be ready for an Opening Day bullpen role, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Little sustained a strained left lat in July, which ended his 2024 season prematurely. The Cubs are understandably being cautious with the lefty, so he likely won't be available when the team heads to Tokyo to play the Dodgers on March 18 and 19, though he could be ready for regular-season action later in the month or in early April. Little flashed some promise last year, as his fastball sat a tick below 96 mph and he recorded a 9.7 K/9 and 3.46 ERA across 26 innings. When he's ready to roll in 2025, the southpaw figures to be an interesting bullpen weapon for Chicago, though he likely won't see save opportunities with Ryan Pressly and Porter Hodge around.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Kevin Alcantara: Next man up in center?
Alcantara appears to be the next man up for the Cubs in center field if top option Pete Crow-Armstrong misses time due to injury or struggles offensively, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Alcantara made his MLB debut in 2024, appearing in three regular-season games in September. The 6-foot-6 22-year-old is physically gifted, and while he's bigger than many center fielders, the Cubs seem to have confidence in him to play the position if the need arises. Crow-Armstrong is locked in as the starter for now, though he's a fairly unproven MLB player himself and still has room to grow offensively; therefore, Alcantara does potentially have a path to playing time if he impresses. The youngster could start 2025 with Triple-A Iowa but appears to be waiting in the wings for a role in the majors.
... See More ... See Less -
Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Hoping to regain some velocity
Taillon, who saw his average fastball velocity dip as the 2024 season went on, is hoping improved health helps him dial the pitch up some in 2025, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Taillon saw his four-seam fastball drop from an average of 93.2 mph in April last year to 92.2 mph in September, giving him a career-low mark of 92.4 mph overall. Along with the reduced velocity, the veteran also generated a career-low 6.8 K/9. The righty said back issues he dealt with during the season may have played a part, though he still managed to log a respectable 165.1 innings and turn in a 3.27 ERA, his best mark since his 2018 campaign with the Pirates. If Taillon stays healthy and regains a little zip on his fastball, he could be primed for a jump in strikeouts and another productive season in 2025.
... See More ... See Less
2024 Team Statistical Rankings
| Avg | R | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
.242 (17th) |
736 (12th) |
170 (20th) |
3.78 (10th) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| N. Hoerner 2B Nico Hoerner 2B | Elbow |
| O. Caissie OF Owen Caissie OF | Groin |
| J. Assad RP Javier Assad RP | Oblique |
| L. Little RP Luke Little RP | Lat |
| Buy Tickets |
|---|