https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/page/84/?d=7enhttps://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/lets-road-trip-cubs-2025-trip-3-california-dreamin-r1419/Los Angeles Dodgers – April 11-13 Dodger Stadium: Capacity 56,000 2024 Attendance: 3,941,251 (Averaged 48,657, ranked 1st in NL and 1st overall MLB) This is technically the second road trip against the Dodgers in 2025, but with the first taking place in Tokyo, this is the first and only...1419Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:21:45 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/did-the-kyle-tucker-trade-upgrade-the-cubs-at-one-position-or-two-r1435/Because of the (needlessly confining) payroll limits placed on the front office by the Ricketts family, the Chicago Cubs knew they would need to trade Cody Bellinger after they acquired Kyle Tucker. In truth, Bellinger would have been a fairly poor fit for the roster after Tucker's arrival, anyw...1435Fri, 24 Jan 2025 12:51:46 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/matthew-boyd-and-the-killer-2-1-changeup-how-to-keep-tweaking-and-improving-as-a-career-gets-old-r1433/The Cubs signed Matthew Boyd knowing he would be unlikely to deliver a full 30-start share in their 2025 rotation, and that he has historically been extremely vulnerable to home runs, limiting his ceiling. He earned his two-year, $29-million deal by evolving impressively in 2024, though, includi...1433Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:22:07 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/where-will-the-cubs-find-their-roster-flexibility-as-they-continue-to-add-talent-r1431/Jon Berti hasn't officially signed with the Cubs yet, but he'll become their utility infielder when that deal gets formally signed in the coming days. That will have to mean removing someone from the 40-man roster. Then, in the middle of March, the team will have to add Matt Shaw to their 40-man...1431Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:49:47 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-sign-speed-demon-jon-berti-as-second-base-stopgap-and-utility-man-r1430/The Chicago Cubs signed utility man Jon Berti to a one-year deal Wednesday night, a source confirmed. Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to break the news. Berti, who turned 35 Wednesday, will make $2 million on the one-year deal. He's a .269/.337/.366 career hitter, and hit .268...1430Thu, 23 Jan 2025 03:19:42 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/free-agent-harrison-bader-is-a-strong-target-for-cubs-outfield-bench-role-r1429/Now a few years into the peripatetic phase of his career, Harrison Bader had a fine but forgettable 2024 campaign with the New York Mets. In 437 plate appearances, he batted .236/.284/.373, with 12 home runs and 17 stolen bases. That's as underwhelming as it sounds, even if you give him more cre...1429Wed, 22 Jan 2025 15:06:51 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/roki-sasaki-picking-the-dodgers-is-the-latest-reminder-cubs-need-to-show-free-agents-they-care-about-winning-r1428/In case you missed it, Roki Sasaki is headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This news came out just a few days after it was reported that the Cubs were not on the final list of contenders for the Japanese ace. As a Cubs fan, or even just as a baseball fan, this stings. And it should. The rich get r...1428Wed, 22 Jan 2025 12:46:30 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/4-players-who-could-outperform-projections-for-the-chicago-cubs-in-2025-r1426/First of all, Hoyer wasn't wrong when he said that. It just wasn't well said. It was poorly said, actually. If he had used the word "breakout," then everything's fine and dandy. All contending teams have guys who break out and perform at a higher level than expected. So let's identify the breako...1426Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:12:02 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/hall-of-fame-day-my-imaginary-ballot-and-the-reasons-for-my-choices-r1427/I hew to a few key principles when considering who I think deserves to enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It doesn't really matter, of course, because I don't have a vote, but I go through some version of the exercise each year, because I can't evaluate the choices made by the tenured mem...1427Tue, 21 Jan 2025 19:25:00 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/whoever-suits-up-for-the-2025-chicago-cubs-the-coaches-have-to-make-them-better-r1425/It's not apples-to-apples, of course. Neither a manager nor a hitting coach nor a pitching coach can have as great a direct and easily traceable impact on a team's efficacy in baseball as can a head coach or coordinator in football. When the Cubs hired Craig Counsell 14 months ago, though, their...1425Tue, 21 Jan 2025 15:24:43 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/cubs-add-more-potential-bullpen-depth-sign-righty-trevor-richards-to-minor-league-deal-r1424/This move won't make anyone less hungry for a true relief ace, but as the Cubs try hard to avoid the depth shortfalls that exposed and cost them in the first half of 2024, they took another small step toward safety Monday by signing right-handed reliever Trevor Richards. Aram Leighton of Just Ba...1424Mon, 20 Jan 2025 22:33:03 +0000https://northsidebaseball.com/news-rumors/chicago-cubs/ranking-10-ways-chicago-cubs-can-spend-their-available-money-after-not-landing-tanner-scott-r1423/It's always important to remember that spending money is not an end unto itself, unless you're trying to get rid of many so people stop asking you hard questions. (Hello, Marlins and A's.) The Cubs won't throw money around just to say they did so, but they're far below the budget number Tom Rick...1423Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:43:35 +0000