https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/48/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-sign-catcher-christian-bethancourt-to-split-level-contract-r2422/The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a split-level contract with free agent catcher Christian Bethancourt, which would pay the player $1,600,000 if he is on the major league roster. The catcher spent his most recent season in the Toronto Blue Jays' system, appearing in 58 games with their Triple-A af...2422Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:14:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/dansby-swanson-made-a-bunch-of-good-adjustments-but-has-to-make-more-r2421/Dansby Swanson had a strong 2025 season. He only batted .244/.300/.417, with that middle number—the most important one, his on-base percentage—sagging alarmingly, but he cracked 24 home runs, stole 20 bases and made good adjustments, even as he endured some wretched luck and sequencing. His DRC+...2421Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:38:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/javier-assad-is-too-good-to-fill-the-role-the-cubs-need-r2407/Shota Imanaga's return to the Chicago Cubs' rotation — after a bizarre double-opt-out that required the qualifying offer to mend — should be a boon at large for the team in 2026, even if his home run problems render him less effective than the pitcher he was in 2024 and the first half of 2025. H...2407Sat, 20 Dec 2025 12:59:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/after-strong-cluster-of-small-moves-cubs-well-positioned-for-big-game-hunting-r2419/The Cubs were interested in Michael King at the outset of this offseason. After they got a sense of his initial asking price (approaching $100 million on a four-year deal, according to one source), they backed away, but once it was clear that King wouldn't net quite that rich a contract, they ci...2419Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:57:27 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-roster-dilemmas-is-there-a-path-to-2026-playing-time-for-scott-kingery-r2408/There was a time (roughly the spring of 2018) when Scott Kingery represented one of the more intriguing names across the baseball landscape. Had the Chicago Cubs brought him into their organization at any point around that particular moment, then his involvement in a potential roster would've ha...2408Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:22:37 +0000https://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 +0000