chibears55

This.. just stick with Hoerner at leadoff and break up the lefties a bit vs lefties and righties starters. Hoerner Tucker Suzuki PCA Kelly Happ Busch Swanson Shaw Castro can be used anytime

Something needs to happen to get this team rolling again, 500 ball last 14 games isnt going to cut it. Not like they can go get anyone to get them a spark, it up to the regulars on the roster now.

Just need a single

Well, let see if any of the big 3 bats can get this run home Tucker Zuki PCA

Now bats will just go down in order easily

Not turning the DP on Jackson GB hurt, should of been end of inning up 2

Lmao.. of course Had many chances to put them away and boom they blow the lead late

Baseball gods at it again.. Happ played 2B for cubs: run score Hoerner current everyday 2Bmen: 2 rbi Castro today 2Bmen: 2 run score Are all involved with the scoring today for cubs 😅

Castro is exactly the type of guy they needed for the bench, they can insert him to give guys a day off and he'll give them quality AB, unlike the other knuckleheads they had/have.

Find a way to win another ball game Ryne Sandberg Day #23

Looking at future contracts for the current position players, only Swanson has a guarenteed deal pass 2026. Happ Suzuki Hoerner and Kelly contract expires after 2026 Tucker deal expires this season PCA Amaya Busch and Shaw are all under team control for a few more years. Upcoming Prospects. Caissie(23) OF, Ballesteros(21) C/DH, Rojas(20) 2B/SS Alcantara (23)OF, Long(23)CI/OF, Triantos(22) 2B/OF These are for now, the position prospects that are ready or almost ready to move up. 2026 position players under contract/control C. Amaya Kelly 1B Busch 2B Hoerner SS Swanson 3B Shaw LF Happ CF PCA RF ? DH Suzuki UT UT UT UT Now with the upcoming possibility of a strike for 2027, theres that possibility that Hoyer/TR decides this offseason that it best to stick with what they have under contract/control and just play out 2026 and depending on where theyre at deadline 2026, they could move expiring contracts of Happ Suzuki Hoerner and Kelly. Happ and Suzuki : easier to get a waiver of NTC at deadline if theres zero interest to extend. Tucker: I can see Hoyer/TR pass on resigning Tucker for the years and money it'll cost if the plan is to just get through 2026 and move the expiring contracts, and prepare for a strike in 2027. Caissie: He obviously would be the likely candidate to replace Tucker in RF. Ballesteros: 21 yo, is still young enough to keep in Iowa another year or at least until they move guys at the 2026 deadline. Alcantara: has an opportunity to be the 4th OFer in 2026. Long: has an opportunity to be the Turner guy but can also play OF in 2026 Triantos: has an opportunity to be a utility player in 2026 Rojas: being just 20 yo, will likely be up in 2027 or 2028 and can be Hoerner or Swanson replacement So, I can now see why Hoyer may have been reluctant to pull the trigger on dealing any of his top prospects, as he could have been really looking ahead to 2027 and beyond. He will have more controllable players and money to spend on FA after the 2026 and more so 2027 season as he wont have many players under contract after 2026. This is just my thoughts and opinion on this matter.

Yep, I was told he was good when I said they shouldn't be using him in close games anymore , what was it 2 weeks ago 😅😅

Whew... good thing the wind was blowing in W Great pitching on both sides today, sending Kelly on that medium flyball was the difference. Also, this wasn't even a 2 hour game 😅 1 hour 49 minutes just like back in the days 😅😅

After a certain point it just becomes mental and you start pressing and second guessing on pitches you normally dont. If he can just group together a few hits in that situation he should fall back into his norm again, at least i think he could

Wait the Cubs got Zach Galifianakis 😅

Great start by Horton, he got the game to the late guys in the pen with the lead. Be nice to add on here

Let get to this guy already. Let Go

He's not getting many pitches to slug cause theyre not giving in to him. Most of the pitches are off the plate and breaking balls. Only because Tucker is disciplined and dont chase much, he gets his walks. Why it becomes important for Suzuki to hit and force them to pitch to Tucker over giving up walks. That my simple short version thought on this

Bottom of order from Swanson on down going to be the difference today with scoring runs with the struggles they've had lately. I mean, theres no other reason to send Kelly on that short flyout other then having little confidence in getting a 2 out hit 🤷‍♂️

Bottom line is i guess we can say Hoyer was able to accomplish 3 of 4 needs this team had. 1. He got Castro that everyone wanted, to improve the bench and be that super utility guy and help against LH pitchers. 2. He added Soroka to be the 2nd starter they needed. 3. He improved the Bullpen with a LHer and RHer that can help early and late in games. 4. He was unable to land a SP to help Imanaga and Boyd at the top. Going forward now we have to hope that enough to get back ahead of the Brewers and compete in the postseason. I think theyll be good enough to pass the Brewers, not so sure about getting through the postseason without that SP addition to help Imanaga and Boyd. We're just going to have to hope Taillon and Soroka can get hot and do the job for them

This and the possibility of not resigning Tucker, plus the possibility of trading both or one of Happ/Suzuki, a little easier to get them to waive NTC in final year especially if theres zero interest in extending.

I feel same about his presence, but I keep waiting for him to go on that long IL stint.

I think Zuki will be first to get traded, with Happ likely getting moved at 2026 deadline, depending on how season is going. Both on final year of contract, easier to get them to waive NTC if theres zero interest in extending them

Gets Imanaga an extra day off with him going Tuesday

Poor Ballesteros, the kid is stuck in Iowa