https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/page/169/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/cubs-acquire-michael-busch-yency-almonte-dodgers-pitcher-scouting-report/The Cubs suddenly can't stop adding players to their 40-man roster. This time, it's a sweeper monster of a relief pitcher, with two remaining years of team control. The Cubs are set to acquire right-handed reliever Yency Almonte from the Dodgers. First on the news was Juan Toribio, a veteran...545Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:07:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/shota-imanaga-signed-cody-bellinger-josh-hader-rhys-hoskins-matt-chapman/Like a confident chess player who wants to survey the whole board before making a move, the Cubs waited until the second week of January before signing their first major-league free agent. It’s a solid opening move for Jed Hoyer, but how will he follow it up? Let’s check in on who is still avail...542Thu, 11 Jan 2024 12:52:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/shota-imanaga-contract-details-shoulder-injury-incentives-opt-outs/The Cubs have made a major addition to their 2024 roster, but there are serious questions about the health of the player they're bringing in—enough of them to compel the two sides to cobble together a complicated contract. Late Tuesday night, Jon Heyman tweeted a sketch of the details on the...541Wed, 10 Jan 2024 10:49:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/nico-hoerner-fastball-vaa-exit-velocity-approach-second-half-obp/The Cubs need at least one bat to bolster their lineup for 2024, and ideally, it would be someone who hits for power. Because of that, though, there's real risk of overlooking the upside of their current lineup, including a locked-in leadoff hitter extraordinaire. There was nothing quiet, ex...539Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:31:29 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/hayden-wesneski-pitch-mix-sweeper-sinker-slider-movement-pitch-design/As the Cubs ponder ways to make external upgrades to the pitching staff, let's look at one important young pitcher already on the team who might have another level of performance within reach. Last week at Baseball Prospectus, the excellent Mario Delgado Genzor wrote an insightful piece abou...537Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:20:40 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/do-we-need-more-irrationality-on-the-diamond-r536/Not all efficiency is desirable. Sometimes, if you want a sport to feel substantial and valuable, there needs to be human error—and lots of it. Have you ever looked at the leaderboard for career double plays turned by outfielders? I have. I do it probably once a month, not because it changes...536Sun, 07 Jan 2024 13:25:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/connect-four-the-best-remaining-free-agent-fits-for-the-cubs-r534/The slow-moving market means that, despite the Cubs' inactivity, there are several remaining free agents whom the team could profitably target. Let's break down the market and identify the best candidates in each segment thereof. Yesterday, I wrote a short blog post highlighting something th...534Fri, 05 Jan 2024 12:52:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/free-agency-shota-imanaga-posting-window-deadline-scouting-report-fastball/There's only one week left in the posting window for the second-best Japanese starting pitcher coming to MLB this winter, and the Cubs remain in the mix for him. Let's take a deeper dive. While he won't sign for anywhere near as much money as the Dodgers recently gave Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sho...533Thu, 04 Jan 2024 12:42:59 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/free-agency-josh-hader-closer-edwin-diaz-contract-jed-hoyer/Recently, we ventured deep into the wilderness of imagination, to try to understand why waiting into January doesn't dent the asking price of Scott Boras's top free agents. There is a huge-name free agent hurler out there, though, whom Boras doesn't represent. It's not as though Josh Hader i...532Wed, 03 Jan 2024 12:17:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/free-agent-reliever-signing-colten-brewer-japan-stats-pitch-mix-scouting-report-cutter-slider/In a minor move they hope will bolster their organizational bullpen depth, the Cubs have signed an erstwhile Red Sox reliever who spent time in both the Rays and Yankees organizations in 2023, before going to Japan to play for the Hanshin Tigers. It won't have anyone crossing Josh Hader or R...531Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:55:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/the-cubs-refuse-to-spend-like-a-big-market-team-r525/The 2023-24 MLB offseason is more than halfway over, and every single team has added at least one player to their major-league roster. Every team, that is, except the Chicago Cubs. I promise, I’d like to be more positive than this. I like it when the Cubs are good, and when they’re adding go...525Mon, 01 Jan 2024 13:02:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/chicago-cubs-news/cubs/nsbb-top-25-2023-justin-steele-jed-hoyer-tom-ricketts/Here we are, on the final day of 2023. Hopefully it has been a quality, successful year for you and your friends and family. It also means that we have reached our Top 5 most-viewed articles at Brewer Fanatic. Be sure to discuss these articles and share your Top 5 or Top 10 Brewers stories of 20...528Sun, 31 Dec 2023 12:24:01 +0000