https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/74/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/an-important-clarification-on-alex-bregman-the-cubs-and-competitive-balance-tax-numbers-r1477/The Cubs have "optimism" about signing free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, a source said Thursday morning. As I reported Tuesday afternoon, the team has made a multi-year offer that would give Bregman multiple chances to opt out, creatively meeting his desire to be paid at a level commensurat...1477Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:02:29 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/breaking-down-and-building-out-the-cubs-bullpen-after-the-ryan-brasier-trade-r1473/  Ryan Brasier brings the Cubs bullpen pleasingly close to full. They can only carry 13 pitchers at a time during the season, so depending on whether they use five or six starters in the rotation, they could have seven or eight relievers on the roster on any given day. For now, let's assume...1473Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:42:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/jordan-wicks-and-the-slider-conundrum-r1475/It was not a good season for Jordan Wicks in 2024. There were some encouraging signs, like a slight uptick in velocity and some sustained carry on his four-seamer, but injuries cut the center out of his season, and he spent a chunk of the time during which he was healthy at Triple-A Iowa, trying...1475Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:01:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/is-alex-bregman-really-worth-it-r1467/Alex Bregman has had a long and productive career with the Houston Astros. He peaked in 2019, with 8.7 wins above replacement and a 167 wRC+. Without factoring in the sign-stealing scandal in which he admits to having played a part, there has been a decline offensively in the past three years. H...1467Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:29:01 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/trade-cubs-acquire-right-handed-reliever-ryan-brasier-from-dodgers-r1469/Ever since the Dodgers were forced to cut Ryan Brasier to accommodate Kirby Yates last week, the Cubs have made sense as his landing place. Brasier, 37, is on the second year of a very affordable two-year, $9-million pact he signed with the Dodgers on this very date last year. He'll join Ryan Pr...1469Wed, 05 Feb 2025 01:53:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/sources-with-alex-bregman-negotiations-intensifying-cubs-have-made-creative-multi-year-offer-r1468/As I wrote Sunday, the Cubs have to proceed carefully, if they really do intend to reel in Alex Bregman to close out their impressive offseason. They have just over $35 million in remaining wiggle room beneath the lowest threshold of the competitive-balance tax, which is one of two distinct hard...1468Tue, 04 Feb 2025 22:52:52 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/kyle-tucker-is-really-slow-is-that-a-problem-r1466/The greatest of several great things about Kyle Tucker, at least until now, is that he's good at so many things—and that he really doesn't have a notable weakness. Tucker, 28, is a tremendous hitter (90.9 runs better than average at bat for his career, according to Baseball Prospectus's Deserved...1466Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:34:33 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/i-can-tell-you-exactly-to-what-extent-the-cubs-will-stretch-out-nate-pearson-r1464/Nate Pearson always wanted to make it work as a starting pitcher, which is part of why he never figured things out and established himself with the Toronto Blue Jays. When he finally moved to the bullpen full-time in 2023, he began to figure things out, and after the Cubs snatched him up last Ju...1464Tue, 04 Feb 2025 12:36:34 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/pete-crow-armstrong-can-and-will-have-a-breakout-2025-campaign-r1459/A native of Southern California, Pete Crow-Armstrong enjoyed a 2024 campaign which saw him go from awaiting a call-up in Triple-A Iowa to being a mainstay center fielder with astonishing range, making jaw-dropping plays for Craig Counsell's ball club. Crow-Armstrong has some of the most useful s...1459Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:15:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/are-you-ready-for-this-the-chicago-cubs-rank-3rd-in-mlb-in-projected-wins-according-to-pecota-r1460/Baseball Prospectus just rolled out their full PECOTA projections for 2025, and it's going to surprise you—in a good way. According to PECOTA, the Cubs are not just favorites in the NL Central, but clear, even prohibitive ones. The system forecasts 90.6 wins for the Cubs across their 10,000 simu...1460Mon, 03 Feb 2025 11:42:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-week-in-review-cubs-ink-a-duo-of-arms-to-minor-league-deals-r1458/Starter or reliever, an MLB hurler is much akin to an NFL quarterback. They're one of the first players to touch the ball on each play, and their success can often alleviate the pressure on struggling teammates. For the best evidence of this proposition, look to 2023 Justin Steele, and 2024 Shot...1458Sun, 02 Feb 2025 22:05:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/how-ryan-brasier-could-be-the-key-to-cubs-pursuit-of-alex-bregman-yes-really-r1457/During 670 The Score's weekly baseball show Inside the Clubhouse, host and baseball insider Bruce Levine made an interesting comment that we should all hope was slightly off base. "From what I understand, they're talking to Brasier already, having been let go of by the Dodgers," Levine said...1457Sun, 02 Feb 2025 15:09:01 +0000