Cubs 2025 Season Review/Offseason Preview Thread

[Stratos]

35 minutes ago, Bertz said:

It's a bit tough.  Because I agree I think Alcantara is very good fit to the bench and compliments the other options well.  But on the other hand there's a ton of quality veteran platoon outfielders on this market but at 1B Goldschmidt is basically the only righty who's even vaguely attractive.  I wonder if supply/demand ends up pushing Long onto the roster..

If any of the rookie bench candidates needs regular PA's in Iowa instead of rotting on the bench it's probably Alcantara.  There's virtually no playing time in the OF unless there's injury or Seiya is DH.

If they spend any money on a FA OF bench guy it's probably more geared to someone who can DH as RHB (or push Seiya to DH).  Cubs had some struggles vs LHP so I'd be ok getting FA RHB at both bench 1B and bench OF/DH who can smash LHP.  Or vs LHP Alcantara could start in RF and Seiya at DH, while vs RHP it's Seiya + Caissie or Ballesteros (can't see both as LHB being rostered with a 4-man bench).

You're right in that it's unlikely Jed makes bets on 2 rookies in Long/Alcantara to be able to smash LHP, it's too risky, especially with so many young players already in the starting lineup.

Edited October 23, 2025 by Stratos

[Geographyhater8888]

Not that I’m necessarily advocating for Bregman, the time to sign him was last season to maximize our one year of Tucker but for all the talk about being a Crawford box and green monster merchant, his career OPS is 14 points higher on the road and last year his OPS was 114 points higher away from Fenway for what it’s worth.

[Geographyhater8888]

11 hours ago, Bertz said:

I don't understand why people talk about Shaw's bat like he's Austin Hedges or something 

Nor will his rookie year define is career at the plate. It didn’t define Busch, Suzuki, Amaya or PCA. An above average bat with great defense at third base with years of team control is a huge asset especially on a team owned by TR. If he’s ever moved it should be to second base if Nico isn’t extended and they want to add more slug at third base. He trended exactly how you’d want raising his OPS from 556 to 839 after his first 230 PAs in the first half.

Edited October 23, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

On 10/21/2025 at 3:58 PM, Rcal10 said:

Any of those would be fine. But can any play 1st base? I do think Busch should get more AB against lefties next year, but still good to have someone for maybe a few tough lefties. Andujar makes a little sense as a bench bat too. He can play 3rd, first or the outfield as well as DH. 
Guess I missed that Cassie vibe. But if that is true he will probably be traded anyway. Maybe him + for a young pitcher. 

That’s a great question though. Will they give Busch more plate appearances vs lefties or stick with the current formula and in a Perfect world add lefty masher Goldschmidt to platoon? Turner only had 3 total at bats in the playoffs. I realize the strategy is different but he had a quietly great season and I’m curious what the future implications are.

[Bertz]

You know who I realized might be an absolute perfect fit for this roster?  Alec Bohm. He is NOT a savior, he would function as a 10th man.  But his skillset I think compliments the current roster extremely well and fills a lot of gaps.  Consider:

- Bohm is a 3B by trade, but has plenty of 1B experience.  He has a little bit of DH experience too and has hit well in that role in limited time

- Over the last three years Bohm has a 108 wRC+, 99 vs. RHP and 130 vs LHP.  So basically he is a guy you really really  want in the lineup vs.  LHP, and you're fine with playing against RHP

- So you'd play Bohm every day against LHP, and whether that is at 1B or DH can change fairly organically based on how much leash against LHP Busch earns

- If Shaw struggles, you have a ready to go replacement.  Not only do we not otherwise have a backup plan at 3b at the MLB level right now, we don't have one at Iowa either.  (Pedro Ramirez might be that guy around mid season?)

- If god forbid Hoerner or Swanson get hurt, Bohm could backfill via moving Shaw to 2B.  This is quietly a biggy!  As is the team needs a backup infielder, but because playing time is likely to be so sparse no one decent will want to sign here for just that role

- It is an open secret that the Phillies don't want Bohm anymore.  He's definitely available and you'd guess the trade cost wouldn't be exhorbitant

Basically Bohm is good enough and established enough that you would trust him to play everyday.  He has a specific skill (hitting LHP) that you're excited to use situationally.  He is however not so good or so established that you have to feel obligated to run him out there everyday if he's not looking like one of your top 9.  

It's really tough to thread the needle of giving the kids playing time while not leaving yourself vulnerable if they fail.  This feels like it accomplishes that really well.

[Rcal10]

14 minutes ago, Bertz said:

You know who I realized might be an absolute perfect fit for this roster?  Alec Bohm. He is NOT a savior, he would function as a 10th man.  But his skillset I think compliments the current roster extremely well and fills a lot of gaps.  Consider:

- Bohm is a 3B by trade, but has plenty of 1B experience.  He has a little bit of DH experience too and has hit well in that role in limited time

- Over the last three years Bohm has a 108 wRC+, 99 vs. RHP and 130 vs LHP.  So basically he is a guy you really really  want in the lineup vs.  LHP, and you're fine with playing against RHP

- So you'd play Bohm every day against LHP, and whether that is at 1B or DH can change fairly organically based on how much leash against LHP Busch earns

- If Shaw struggles, you have a ready to go replacement.  Not only do we not otherwise have a backup plan at 3b at the MLB level right now, we don't have one at Iowa either.  (Pedro Ramirez might be that guy around mid season?)

- If god forbid Hoerner or Swanson get hurt, Bohm could backfill via moving Shaw to 2B.  This is quietly a biggy!  As is the team needs a backup infielder, but because playing time is likely to be so sparse no one decent will want to sign here for just that role

- It is an open secret that the Phillies don't want Bohm anymore.  He's definitely available and you'd guess the trade cost wouldn't be exhorbitant

Basically Bohm is good enough and established enough that you would trust him to play everyday.  He has a specific skill (hitting LHP) that you're excited to use situationally.  He is however not so good or so established that you have to feel obligated to run him out there everyday if he's not looking like one of your top 9.  

It's really tough to thread the needle of giving the kids playing time while not leaving yourself vulnerable if they fail.  This feels like it accomplishes that really well.

Makes sense, but really hard to get too excited about Bohm. Have to be a trade where the Cubs basically trade a guy they have no intention of even having on their major league roster. Bohm is just not very good. I know threading the needle it could work with Bohm. Just had/have higher hopes. 

[Post Count Padder]

I like Bohm a lot as a guy who also lives in Philly and roots for the Philies as a 2nd team. But I cannot imagine the Phillies would accept what we would have to offer for him. I think we wouldn't want to give up much and the Phillies would want a haul. 

A somewhat gross idea is using their desire to get rid of Castellanos and acquire both him and Bohm and then maybe we give them back Ben Brown and a prospect. But Castellanos has been bad and would be a depressing fallback option if we don't get Tucker back.

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

I like Bohm a lot as a guy who also lives in Philly and roots for the Philies as a 2nd team. But I cannot imagine the Phillies would accept what we would have to offer for him. I think we wouldn't want to give up much and the Phillies would want a haul. 

A somewhat gross idea is using their desire to get rid of Castellanos and acquire both him and Bohm and then maybe we give them back Ben Brown and a prospect. But Castellanos has been bad and would be a depressing fallback option if we don't get Tucker back.

Bohm isn’t getting Brown on his own, let alone having to take Castellanos, let alone adding another prospect. Come on! I think you are grossly overvaluing Bohm. He has one year left on his contract too. 
Think about this from the Cubs POV. Do they want Bohm and Castellanos plus their salaries and losing Brown and a prospect, or would they be better off with something like Andujar and Hays as free agents for less salary and not lose any players. I wouldn’t even do Bohm for Brown straight up. Again, rather have Andujar and keep Brown. If Bohm is cheap, fine. If not, hard pass. 

Edited October 23, 2025 by Rcal10

[Post Count Padder]

13 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Bohm isn’t getting Brown on his own, let alone having to take Castellanos, let alone adding another prospect. Come on! I think you are grossly overvaluing Bohm. He has one year left on his contract too. 
Think about this from the Cubs POV. Do they want Bohm and Castellanos plus their salaries and losing Brown and a prospect, or would they be better off with something like Andujar and Hays as free agents for less salary and not lose any players. I wouldn’t even do Bohm for Brown straight up. Again, rather have Andujar and keep Brown. If Bohm is cheap, fine. If not, hard pass. 

Yeah I was more or less just throwing an idea out there but the crux is I'm not sure we line up in a trade and we could probably get a better fit for the roster elsewhere. Bohm is a nice hitter but won't be worth what the Phillies want in return.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Post Count Padder said:

Yeah I was more or less just throwing an idea out there but the crux is I'm not sure we line up in a trade and we could probably get a better fit for the roster elsewhere. Bohm is a nice hitter but won't be worth what the Phillies want in return.

Again, I think you are overstating what the Phillies would want for Bohm. He just isn’t that good to get much. And IMO they know that. But, if you are right and they do expect a solid return, I agree with you that the Cubs won’t give it to them. But I will also go one step farther. They won’t trade him. He just won’t bring much back.

[Derwood]

Bohm had a 1.3 bWAR. Philly would be lucky to get much for him in his walk year

[Stratos]

8 hours ago, Bertz said:

You know who I realized might be an absolute perfect fit for this roster?  Alec Bohm. He is NOT a savior, he would function as a 10th man.  But his skillset I think compliments the current roster extremely well and fills a lot of gaps.  Consider:

- Bohm is a 3B by trade, but has plenty of 1B experience.  He has a little bit of DH experience too and has hit well in that role in limited time

- Over the last three years Bohm has a 108 wRC+, 99 vs. RHP and 130 vs LHP.  So basically he is a guy you really really  want in the lineup vs.  LHP, and you're fine with playing against RHP

- So you'd play Bohm every day against LHP, and whether that is at 1B or DH can change fairly organically based on how much leash against LHP Busch earns

- If Shaw struggles, you have a ready to go replacement.  Not only do we not otherwise have a backup plan at 3b at the MLB level right now, we don't have one at Iowa either.  (Pedro Ramirez might be that guy around mid season?)

- If god forbid Hoerner or Swanson get hurt, Bohm could backfill via moving Shaw to 2B.  This is quietly a biggy!  As is the team needs a backup infielder, but because playing time is likely to be so sparse no one decent will want to sign here for just that role

- It is an open secret that the Phillies don't want Bohm anymore.  He's definitely available and you'd guess the trade cost wouldn't be exhorbitant

Basically Bohm is good enough and established enough that you would trust him to play everyday.  He has a specific skill (hitting LHP) that you're excited to use situationally.  He is however not so good or so established that you have to feel obligated to run him out there everyday if he's not looking like one of your top 9.  

It's really tough to thread the needle of giving the kids playing time while not leaving yourself vulnerable if they fail.  This feels like it accomplishes that really well.

Fine suggestion.   I wonder if the Cubs still want a guy who can hit LHB like Castro for the INF backup role since our starting SS/2B/3B are all RHB?  Or do they just want more RHB on the bench in general, including who could sometimes DH vs LHP?

Problem is most of our guys don't get pinch-hit for because of their fielding value so the whole righty-lefty thing isn't an issue other than possibly Shaw, but even he has a lot of glove value.  Would love to have a quality INF bench guy to keep guys fresh through the summer months.

I'd probably target a RHB because of the likely DH platoon.  Even if they acquire a bench OF RHB the INF RHB bat can be serve as a backup.

[Geographyhater8888]

Not at the top of peoples minds but not sure what the plans are for the bullpen but they played a key role in their playoff push and can’t be taken for granted. If it’s in the budget a lockdown pen arm without any red flags like Presley or Neris would be nice depending on what the strategy. Auditioning a bunch of cheap vets and waiver wire pickups in the early months to find out what sticks, Which worked to perfection as the season progressed. Not as much luck in 24. 

Edited October 24, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Petrey10]

Bo Beckett is a great fit at 3b…. Sorry to bring it up again. But the bat and glove there plays great. 
 

and he’s available for just $$.

 

[squally1313]

6 hours ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Not at the top of peoples minds but not sure what the plans are for the bullpen but they played a key role in their playoff push and can’t be taken for granted. If it’s in the budget a lockdown pen arm without any red flags like Presley or Neris would be nice depending on what the strategy. Auditioning a bunch of cheap vets and waiver wire pickups in the early months to find out what sticks, Which worked to perfection as the season progressed. Not as much luck in 24. 

The 2024 bullpen got better as the season went on, similar to 2025, just started from a worse spot and didn't get much above average (19th all year, 14th in the second half). I'm fairly comfortable saying the audition method is just The Cubs Method at this point, for better or for worse, and looking at the big money acquisitions last year I don't know if getting a theoretical lockdown arm is a better strategy. It's basically just strength in numbers plus Hottovy magic. Which is...fine, I guess. I just wouldn't allocate a big number to the pen when sorting out the rest of the budget. 

[731.4life]

I'll call for elite starting pitching (Skubal, Alcantara, Cabrera, etc.) and see what the asking price is. You have to be able to get that to perform well, as starting pitching cost us Games 1 & 2 in the NLDS. Ballesteros, Caisse, and even PCA are on the table for that.

Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman: I said it a few weeks ago that free agent deals are going to be tough, especially multi year deals. Thank you, Los Angeles Angels, for giving us a hint the 2026 offseason (heading to 2027) could very well be a long offseason with the lockout coming. Giving manager, Kurt Suzuki, a one year deal basically just giving us a heads up. I'll take Tucker back on a one year deal and do everything it takes to go all in on 2026, knowing we have a lot of money coming off the books after 2026.

I just don't see them getting 5+ year contracts when the lockout is coming knowing the topic is going to be strictly financial based on salary floor/cap.

[muntjack]

Pitchers

Pipe dream adds (call and beg)

1. Skenes

2. Skubal

Get up and dance

1. Ryan

2. Gore

3. Eury Perez

4. Cabrera

Solid Fist Pump 

1. Rasmussen 

Weak Fist Pump

1. Alcantara

Would love to deal for one of the 2nd tier and sign another SP in FA.

[CubUgly]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

 I'm fairly comfortable saying the audition method is just The Cubs Method at this point, for better or for worse, and looking at the big money acquisitions last year I don't know if getting a theoretical lockdown arm is a better strategy. It's basically just strength in numbers plus Hottovy magic. Which is...fine, I guess. I just wouldn't allocate a big number to the pen when sorting out the rest of the budget. 

The one thing we went off script on was the 4-year offer to Tanner Scott which with all things considered, was as good or better than the Dodgers offer, but luckily, he chose the Dodgers - cause he was AWFUL, and now they have him 3 more years.   

[squally1313]

1 hour ago, CubUgly said:

The one thing we went off script on was the 4-year offer to Tanner Scott which with all things considered, was as good or better than the Dodgers offer, but luckily, he chose the Dodgers - cause he was AWFUL, and now they have him 3 more years.   

Yeah, which, if anything, is probably just going to lead to them leaning harder into their castoff plan. I've given up trying to solve the bullpen. It's the BABIP of roster construction. 

[Stratos]

7 hours ago, squally1313 said:

The 2024 bullpen got better as the season went on, similar to 2025, just started from a worse spot and didn't get much above average (19th all year, 14th in the second half). I'm fairly comfortable saying the audition method is just The Cubs Method at this point, for better or for worse, and looking at the big money acquisitions last year I don't know if getting a theoretical lockdown arm is a better strategy. It's basically just strength in numbers plus Hottovy magic. Which is...fine, I guess. I just wouldn't allocate a big number to the pen when sorting out the rest of the budget. 

Agreed.  Grab a solid vet or 2 for the 7th/8th innings to stabilize things a bit but otherwise go with cheap finds.  We saw what happened with Yates and Scott on the Dodgers this year. Pens are too volitile to spend a lot of money on, and lots of guys improve any given winter and you don't really know who will pop off.  Cubs method works with their budget.

They'll allocate that money to another position anyways.

[Stratos]

8 hours ago, 731.4life said:

I'll call for elite starting pitching (Skubal, Alcantara, Cabrera, etc.) and see what the asking price is. You have to be able to get that to perform well, as starting pitching cost us Games 1 & 2 in the NLDS. Ballesteros, Caisse, and even PCA are on the table for that.

Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman: I said it a few weeks ago that free agent deals are going to be tough, especially multi year deals. Thank you, Los Angeles Angels, for giving us a hint the 2026 offseason (heading to 2027) could very well be a long offseason with the lockout coming. Giving manager, Kurt Suzuki, a one year deal basically just giving us a heads up. I'll take Tucker back on a one year deal and do everything it takes to go all in on 2026, knowing we have a lot of money coming off the books after 2026.

I just don't see them getting 5+ year contracts when the lockout is coming knowing the topic is going to be strictly financial based on salary floor/cap.

It might be a weird offseason with the contracts due to the possible lockout like you say.

Hoyer has seemingly been especially planning for it with all these deals ending next year. 

[Gjfificifjdej]

Trust me you do not want to be a fan of a team with heavy salary commitments when a salary cap is instituted 

[Cuzi]

1 hour ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

Trust me you do not want to be a fan of a team with heavy salary commitments when a salary cap is instituted 

What about being a fan of a team worried about salary commitments in preparation of a salary cap that isn't coming?

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 hour ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

Trust me you do not want to be a fan of a team with heavy salary commitments when a salary cap is instituted 

As if they wouldn't somehow be grandfathered in with a number of years to get down to the cap number.  If a salary cap is implemented, it's not going to be immediately significantly punitive for the big spending teams.

[Geographyhater8888]

19 hours ago, squally1313 said:

The 2024 bullpen got better as the season went on, similar to 2025, just started from a worse spot and didn't get much above average (19th all year, 14th in the second half). I'm fairly comfortable saying the audition method is just The Cubs Method at this point, for better or for worse, and looking at the big money acquisitions last year I don't know if getting a theoretical lockdown arm is a better strategy. It's basically just strength in numbers plus Hottovy magic. Which is...fine, I guess. I just wouldn't allocate a big number to the pen when sorting out the rest of the budget. 

I think that’s a safe bet. Bullpen arms are so fickle from year and Jed builds his pen accordingly for better or worse. If Ben Brown can command his fastball he’ll become a dependable high leverage arm for all we know. Chapman would’ve been a safe option but he’s still under contract with the Redsox I just learned. I’m curious what impact the year to year volatility of pen arms will have on Keller and Palencia.

Edited October 25, 2025 by Geographyhater8888