Saturday, February 07

Welcome back to the Cubs Beat newsletter. Jordan Bastian has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2005, including the Cubs since the 2019 season.

CHICAGO -- The idea was not merely to give Cubs fans a taste of October baseball but to make that stage an annual part of the season. The team’s trip to the postseason last fall was multiple years in the making and something the franchise hopes is the beginning of a new era of winning.

The process of meeting those expectations begins on Wednesday, when pitchers and catchers hold their first official workout at the Cubs’ complex in Mesa, Ariz. Chicago is aiming beyond its Wild Card berth of ‘25. The ballclub wants to win the National League Central and back that up with a longer run in October.

“You want to go through that month and have a blast,” manager Craig Counsell said during Cubs Convention last month. “I think everybody who experienced it [last] year -- the players, specifically -- you felt it. And you felt how special it is. Then you sit there and try to describe it, and you just say the best way is just to be there again. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Here are three storylines that will dominate camp this spring as the team prepares for the season ahead.

1. All eyes on Bregman

The Cubs made an attempt to sign Alex Bregman prior to last season but fell short in the free-agent bidding process. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer -- who has admired Bregman from afar for years -- pursued the star third baseman again this winter and got his man with a five-year, $175 million deal.

“Whenever you’re going to make a significant commitment in years and dollars to a player,” Hoyer said, “you have to feel great about the person, about the human you’re investing in. And I couldn’t feel better about that with Alex. People that have spent time around Alex know that he is obsessed with hitting, obsessed with winning.”

Bregman made a strong first impression with his new team with steps he was taking behind the scene both with teammates and staff. He assumes the starting role at third base, joining Dansby Swanson at short and Nico Hoerner at second to form one of the elite defensive units in baseball.

This spring will offer a closer look into Bregman’s impact off the field, especially given the strong reputation he built in Houston and Boston as a leader and mentor. The Cubs did not lack in leadership last year, but one more experienced voice -- not to mention a lengthy postseason résumé -- could benefit a team with a young, emerging core and playoff aspirations.

2. Building the pitching staff

From the rotation to the bullpen, the Cubs have a series of decisions to make throughout Spring Training. The spotlight will be on hard-throwing righty Edward Cabrera -- acquired from the Marlins in a trade package that included Top 100 prospect Owen Caissie -- but there are multiple layers to Chicago’s pitching situation.

Shota Imanaga is coming off a rocky 2025 showing and will be focusing on getting his delivery in order rather than participating in the World Baseball Classic. Cade Horton is coming off a strong rookie tour but is now entering his first full season with the MLB group. With Cabrera onboard, starters Colin Rea, Ben Brown, Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks could be bullpen candidates.

The relief corps has a group of additions (Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb and Hunter Harvey), plus a few key returnees (notably, Daniel Palencia and Caleb Thielbar). From there the Cubs will need to determine the best path forward with those swingman options and the pile of arms contending for the last spot or two. And it’s possible Chicago is not done with additions.

3. The plan for Shaw

Bringing in Bregman pushed Matt Shaw off third base and into a super utility role. Barring any roster maneuvering to loosen the infield logjam, Shaw can back up multiple infield spots and try his hand at outfield to find more at-bats. Hoerner is locked in at second base but is only under contract through 2026. How the Cubs handle this situation will be an ongoing story throughout the spring and potentially into the season.

The Cubs re-signed Caleb Thielbar this offseason after the veteran lefty quietly pieced together a standout season last year (2.64 ERA in 67 games). Who was the last Cubs lefty to log at least 67 games with an ERA under 2.65 in a single season?

A. Paul Assenmacher

B. Travis Wood

C. Sean Marshall

D. Chuck McElroy

• All you need to know about Cubs Spring Training. Read more >>

• Here are 5 intriguing Cubs players to monitor this spring. Read more >>

• Sawchik: How PCA can take the next step in ’26. Read more >>

• Maguire: 5 ways Cubs can go about winning Central. Read more >> 

• Pipeline: This Cubs prospect could crack Opening Day roster. Read more >>

The rosters for the upcoming World Baseball Classic were unveiled this week, and there are MVPs, Cy Youngs and 78 All-Stars among the participants. There are 13 Cubs players involved, including eight from the Major League team.

Players taking part from the North Siders include catcher Miguel Amaya (Panama), righty Javier Assad (Mexico), catcher Christian Bethancourt (Panama), lefty Matthew Boyd (USA), Bregman (USA), center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (USA), first baseman Jonathon Long (Chinese Taipei), infielder BJ Murray (Great Britain), righty Daniel Palencia (Venezuela), righty Yacksel Ríos (Puerto Rico), righty Erian Rodriguez (Panama), outfielder Seiya Suzuki (Japan) and righty Jameson Taillon (Canada).

“I’ve never really seen a team assembled that’s better than that,” Crow-Armstrong said of the United States’ roster. “[Playing for my country will] always be the easiest ‘yes,’ having history in the youth circuit doing that stuff. Still to this day, it’s some of the most meaningful ball that I’ve played.”

C. Marshall

Thielbar became the first Cubs lefty to post an ERA under 2.65 across at least 67 outings in one year since 2011, when Marshall had a 2.26 ERA in 78 games. Kent Mercker (2004) and Chuck McElroy (1991) are the only other lefties on this list. Last season was the first time the Cubs had two relievers (Brad Keller and Thielbar) hit those marks in one year since 2004 (LaTroy Hawkins and Mercker).

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