https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/39/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/news-cubs-sign-first-baseman-tyler-austin-to-big-league-deal-r2418/The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year, major-league deal with first baseman Tyler Austin, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan. Austin, 34, carried a colossal 36.9% strikeout rate over parts of four previous seasons in the majors, and last appeared in the States in 2019. Since then...2418Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:54:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-top-three-bullpen-x-factors-in-2026-r2413/The Chicago Cubs' bullpen picture has solidified to a degree in recent weeks with the signings of Phil Maton and Hoby Milner, as well as the decision to bring Caleb Thielbar back to town. Fans would still like to see more encouraging additions to shore up the group. Roster holes exist elsewhere,...2413Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:07:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/is-there-actually-room-for-mois%C3%A9s-ballesteros-on-the-2026-cubs-r2404/In many ways, we know what shape the 2026 Chicago Cubs will take on the positional side. While there's still a bench to sort, the catchers, the infield, and two-thirds of the outfield are settled. That's seven spots in the lineup that are largely set in December, barring an impact addition or su...2404Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:10:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/miguel-amaya-is-a-huge-hulking-unknown-for-2026-cubs-r2406/Miguel Amaya played exceptionally well in 2025. He batted .281/.314/.500. He hit a huge early-season home run in a comeback win against the Dodgers at Wrigley Field, which held up as one of the year's great, dramatic Cubs moments. He cleaned up the exchange from his mitt to the throwing hand whe...2406Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:06:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/breaking-cubs-re-sign-left-handed-reliever-caleb-thielbar-r2405/The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent lefty Caleb Thielbar, a league source confirmed to North Side Baseball. The news was first reported by Jesse Rogers of ESPN, on Twitter. Thielbar, who will turn 39 in January, returns after a strong season as a setup man for the 202...2405Tue, 16 Dec 2025 18:35:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/after-cubs-missed-big-on-relievers-at-mlb-winter-meetings-whos-left-r2400/As the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings came and went, the Chicago Cubs largely sat idly. In fairness, so did many of their competitors; there was limited action at the league's annual hot stove festival. The Cubs signed two relievers: reclamation project Collin Snider (on a minor-league deal), and Hoby...2400Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:33:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/it-has-to-be-tatsuya-why-cubs-must-land-posted-japanese-ace-to-lead-rotation-r2402/  At this week's hotly anticipated (and grossly underwhelming) MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, a lack of activity from Chicago's North Side baseball team left fans feeling colder than a Roscoe Village sidewalk in January. While the squad's starting pitching rotation has not been rounded out...2402Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:05:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/collin-snider-could-be-cubs-best-under-the-radar-offseason-signing-r2398/The MLB Winter Meetings have come and gone with a general whimper for the Chicago Cubs, their only major-league transaction of the week being their recent signing of veteran left-handed reliever Hoby Milner on Thursday. They did, however, complete a minor-league deal signing Collin Snider, forme...2398Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:00:03 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/breaking-cubs-agree-to-sign-left-handed-reliever-hoby-milner-r2395/The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a deal with free-agent relief pitcher Hoby Milner, according to a report from Bleacher Nation's Michael Cerami. Milner, 34, fills a key need for the bullpen-needy Cubs, who saw both Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar hit free agency after playing huge roles for them...2395Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:29:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/as-cubs-keep-options-roster-spots-open-some-opportunities-arise%E2%80%94and-some-are-missed-r2394/Ten of the 30 teams who make up MLB have a full 40-man roster. Eight more have 39 players on that reserve list, and six more have 38. The other six teams break down as follows: Yankees, Padres, 36; Phillies, Rangers, Angels, 35; Cubs, 31. Chicago not only has fewer players on their big-league ro...2394Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:04:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/embracing-the-pop-up-how-the-cubs-can-forge-a-new-pitching-frontier-in-2026-r2386/I want the 2026 Chicago Cubs pitching staff to become "King of the Pop-Up". I admit, it sounds a little less sexy than becoming "King of the Strikeouts" (or for any Tim Robinson fans out there, Rog, the "King of the Slams") and frankly, a pop-up is just less exciting. There is a reason that, in...2386Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:51:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/craig-counsell-hints-at-cubs-plans-as-front-office-works-behind-scenes-r2391/In a sit down at the Winter Meetings attended by North Side Baseball, Craig Counsell may have tipped the Cubs' hand regarding their offseason plans. Of course, he didn't spell their plans out; that would not be the Cubs way. We can learn much by mining his key quotes, though, to see what nuggets...2391Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:07:02 +0000