Brian Kelder

According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, the Cubs have acquired Nicky Lopez from the Colorado organization: Lopez has played this season for the Rockies' Triple-A squad, batting .333 with a home run in 54 at=bats. Last season, Lopez did play for the Cubs, but was ineffective at the plate with just one hit in 18 at-bats. The Cubs are looking for infield depth and a late-inning defensive replacement. There hasn't been a corresponding move, so it seems as if Lopez will start his time with the Iowa Cubs, not the big-league squad. He can play across the infield. Given the ineffectiveness Scott Kingery has displayed thus far, manager Craig Counsell may opt for Lopez going forward to improve the team's defensive depth.

It's not just you. The Cubs' offense has been boom-or-bust this season. The offense is completely dependent on sequential hitting, which leads to some frustrating nights in front of the TV. The Cubs, who lack a reliable 40-homer hitter to anchor the lineup, rely on clusters of hits to score. They're more about depth than star power, even after making a splash by signing Alex Bregman this winter. That makes their performance with runners in scoring position even more important than it usually is. Overall, the Cubs' hitting with runners in scoring position (RISP for short) has been solid: they're 12th in the league with a .256/.346/.393 slash line. In their 15 wins, they've excelled. In their nine losses, though, yeesh: .118/.205/.147. That's uglier than looking at the Cubs pitching IL list. Of course, teams don't hit as well in losses as wins, but Chicago is the most volatile team in the league. Their batting average in losses plummets by .224, relative to their wins. By comparison, the league average is .088. The dynamic with OPS is the same, with a .661 difference (league average: .245). The Cubs aren't just streaky, they're the most boom-or-bust team in the entire league. With a lineup bereft of a legitimate superstar bat, when several players struggle, the entire offense can crater. Corner outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, for example, are really fighting it with RISP. Currently, they are 7-for-42 with 21 strikeouts in these situations. Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong are also scuffling to start the campaign, which cuts down the number of baserunners and makes the failures with RISP appear more stark. Any struggle in this lineup will make the offense sputter. What does this mean going forward? Probably not as much as one would think. The Cubs recently won a game 2-1 against the Mets, wherein they went 0-for-9 with RISP. With their elite defense and complementary pitching staff, they don't lack alternative ways to win games. They should be fine over the course of the remaining games, but don't be shocked if their offense cools off again for a stretch. After all, it's a reflection of how the roster is constructed.

The Chicago Cubs and 35-year-old reliever Ty Blach have signed a minor-league deal, and he will report to Triple-A Iowa. The news was first reported by Tommy Birch: Blach last pitched in the major leagues for Colorado in 2022-2024. In his last season for the Rockies, his ERA was an elevated 6.94 with a 1.70 WHIP. Blach's most successful stretch came from 2016-2018 for the San Francisco Giants, where he threw 299 innings with a 4.36 ERA. In 2025, Blach toiled in the minors in the Rangers' system. Last season, Blach pitched 56 innings with a respectable 3.58 ERA. Command is his hallmark; the fastball doesn't top 89 on average. With such a slow fastball, his seven percent walk rate and 46% ground ball rate are important to his success. If he can limit hard contact, Blach could play a role at some point this season. In a season where the Cubs have eight pitchers on the IL, and two already lost to season-ending UCL injuries, Blach will serve as depth if needed in Chicago. The Cubs likely won't need him, but if injuries continue at this pace the signing could pay dividends.

Cubs fans are waiting out an exceptionally cold stretch from Michael Busch, but it's one he will likely shake soon. The beginning of the season has made his incredible 2025 fade into memory. Busch, though, didn't just have a good 2025. For the season, he hit at the level of a top-10 offensive player, but he's not treated that way. Here are a couple of impressive lists about his offense, so we remember whom we're talking about. Only Qualifying Players With Higher 2025 wRC+ than Michael Busch Aaron Judge Shohei Ohtani George Springer Cal Raleigh Juan Soto Kyle Schwarber Ketel Marte Pete Alonso Only Players With Higher 2025 wRC+ than Michael Busch vs. RHP Judge Ohtani Springer Soto Alonso These lists are the best of the best in baseball. According to wRC+, Michael Busch was a top-10 hitter overall in 2025. With 34 home runs, an .866 OPS and four postseason home runs, Busch shouldn't be a source of consternation among Cubs fans, or nationally—even when he's at his worst. But offseason rankings paint a different picture. National writers didn't buy into Busch as a true top-10 hitter, and barely a top-10 first baseman. Buster Olney of ESPN, for example, rated Busch ninth at the position. MLB.com placed him ninth as well. And in fantasy baseball, Razzball placed him seventh in one list and 10th in another. He's not respected as an elite hitter or player. Maybe this slump is a reasonable reminder for us that he's actually a step below that tier. Busch, though, is a very good player. His above-average defensive metrics this year are good evidence of that. Obviously, the bat was more than solid last season. Cubs fans should look forward to the three seasons of team control the organization still has on Busch, after this year. What can Busch do this season to attain that respect nationally? Aside from avoiding an 0-for-30 stretch again, there are a couple of areas on which to focus. The Dreaded Platoon Busch has not started games against tough left-handed pitching. In the past week, Matt Shaw and Carson Kelly manned first base in those situations. Going back to 2025, Busch's OPS dropped to just .642 against southpaws, vs. .910 against righties. While he did play in 155 games, the perception of a platoon knocks his value down, and the difference in production is stark when placed side by side. He'll need to improve his platoon splits to get that level of respect. Defense Busch's defensive reputation lags behind his offense. At this point, though, his production is better than that reputation, anyway. According to FanGraphs, Busch has a positive defensive value rating, which includes a big negative adjustment for position. By comparison, Gold Glove winner Matt Olson last year was barely positive in that regard. If Busch can maintain even a neutral defensive rating at first base, that would be a boon to his overall value. Caveats abound, however. If you add an 0-for-30 stretch to Busch last year, the batting average dips to .247. He likely won't repeat his .261 from last year, but that's okay. Busch has the potential to be an All-Star, a fixture at first base that Cubs fans can be proud to watch. We'll see if he can narrow the gap between that reality and the perception of him, especially nationally, as this year unfolds.

Iowa Cubs reporter Tommy Birch broke the news Tuesday that the Cubs are adding LHP Luke Little and RHP Ryan Rolison to their active roster. With Hunter Harvey (triceps) and Phil Maton (knee) on the shelf, and recently recalled Charlie Barnes unavailable due to pitching three innings of mop-up work, the Cubs' bullpen was in need of fresh arms. The 6-8 LHP Little has struggled with command in Triple-A Iowa, currently sporting a 1.96 WHIP paired with a 4.70 ERA. He has struck out nine batters in seven innings on the mound, but 10 walks in that time frame seem to indicate that he's slated for mop-up duty in Chicago. Rolison has a slightly lower 3.68 ERA, but a higher WHIP at 2.00. Walks are his bugaboo; he has six walks in just seven innings pitched. Rolison does have ten strikeouts, so maybe he can corral his electric stuff in Chicago.

Matthew Boyd threw a bullpen session on Sunday and will make his second rehab start in Iowa later this week. Boyd, on the IL with a bicep injury, seems to have dodged a long-term issue. If all goes well, he'll be slated to pitch next week in a home series vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. Boyd's return will bolster a pitching staff that has been beset with injuries. Cade Horton is done for the season, and the bullpen lost Phil Maton (knee) and Hunter Harvey (arm) for a period of time. Their absence is particularly troublesome with the Cubs about to play 13 games in 13 days.

Through 10 games, the Cubs aren't just a disappointing 4-6, but an anemic 4-6. Their lineup has been lousy, and their best hitter from 2025 is one reason for the shortfall. Michael Busch batted .261/.343/.523 last year; he's off to a .176/.310/.235 start this spring. It's early, and Busch is being exposed to left-handed pitchers more often, but still: this is an issue. He's not hitting the ball hard or on a line as often. The culprit? Bat speed. Busch, never a hard swinger, is down to 67.6 mph in average swing speed this year. This could be due to cold weather, or he could simply not be fully loosened up yet. What we know for sure, though, is that it’s come along with being pitched to differently—and that he's failing the league's latest test. A staggering 69.2% of pitches to the slugger have been fastballs this year. Busch has only hit .167 on these pitches. He has simply been overwhelmed by velocity. This was the opposite last year; Busch hit .269 with a .535 slugging average on fastballs. This could be because he's seeing more lefties; he's on pace for well over twice as many left-on-left plate appearances as he had in 2025. Pitchers do much better with their fastballs against same-handed hitters, and are usually more willing to throw them. It could just be that Busch's timing is a bit off, too. Either way, we should note that seeing more heaters is part of the reason why we're getting a lower reading on his swing speeds, too. Statcast reports that number based on the momentary velocity of the barrel at the hitter's contact point on each swing. Naturally, hitters catch fastballs deeper in the zone, which usually means the bat is still going slightly slower. Busch's bat speed is down even if we isolate fastballs, though, so that's not the full story. However, we can also note that he's significantly shortened his swing this year, which nearly always results in less sheer bat speed and which might simply be Busch nursing an injury or dealing with the cold. If he'd lost bat speed despite the pitch mix against him being the same and/or without a concomitant reduction in swing length, it would be more alarming, but as it is, these factors should be somewhat reassuring. We haven’t been told a reason for Busch’s slower swing, and might not find one. What we do know is the Cubs need a better version of their first baseman than the first 10 games have seen. Hopefully, the swing can get to a speed where he can do damage again. The other metrics support a Busch rebound. The plate approach is sublime; he’s making sound swing decisions. Better bat speed would yield better results for a Cub team off to a subpar start, but Busch might also find success with this shorter swing, or the swing might quicken as the weather warms and the arrythmia of the early season gives way to the routine players love. It's not too early to note this, but it's certainly too soon to panic about it.

It wasn't a dazzling first week for Cubs designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros. The rookie only batted .167 during the team's season-opening homestand, with two walks but no extra-base hits. He looked great in limited playing time last year, so it would make no sense to jump to conclusions based on this, but big-league pitchers will adjust as they get a longer look at the young could-be slugger. The main difference in pitcher attack toward Ballesteros is an increased amount of breaking pitches. Last year, he saw fastballs 53% of the time, and breaking balls 18%. This year, however, pitchers are dealing with him differently, throwing an equal number of breaking pitches and fastballs (37%). He's only 1-for-9 on breaking pitches in the early going. It also seems the youngster is making an effort to elevate the ball more, tapping into previously unseen power. His fly ball rate, pull rate, and especially balls pulled in the air (20%, up from 4% last year) point to those efforts. However, the balls hit in the air are not at a high velocity, leading to routine flies, pop outs, and happy pitchers. The samples are all tiny; we have to be cautious. But so far, he's not getting the juice, despite his firmer squeeze. This is a major shift from what Ballesteros showed in the minors. He was an extreme line-drive hitter, capable of hitting the ball to all fields with occasional power. In the minors, he never exceeded 19 home runs. There has been a subtle change in the tilt of his swing (2°), but we can't yet evaluate that datum. It's a slight adjustment, not an overhaul, and it might just be a response to the way he's being pitched. The swing is just a little bit longer as well. It seems, in this minuscule sample, that he's made changes to improve his power production. Ballesteros has seen an uptick in whiff rate, chase rate and strikeout rate. With more experience (and more reps—again, sample size is an obstacle to analysis here), this should work itself out. There was no issue with these things in the minor leagues, even though he was consistently young for his level. There's not enough data to support concern about his pitch recognition, especially when the conditions were far less than ideal for most of the games this week. Manager Craig Counsell went to the team's hitting coaches this spring with a simple instruction when it comes to Ballesteros: "Leave him alone." Presumably, they'll hold to that advice. There should be no need for a swing change. Most of his changes are subtle, and it's far too early to make sense of the data noise. The leash for Ballesteros will be long, but it's not infinite. Seiya Suzuki's return looms in the next couple of weeks, and though the plan will be for him to play right field most of the time, some of his at-bats could come as the DH, reducing the playing time available to Ballesteros. He could, in turn, pick up the occasional start at catcher, but the Cubs have two other backstops on the roster and have yet to deploy Ballesteros there in the regular season. It's early, and the adjustments could pay off in the end. It's just been one week. Ballesteros is in no imminent danger of being optioned to Iowa, but if he doesn't hit at all over the next week or two, they could reconsider on that front once Suzuki returns. Time in Iowa would mean reps at catcher, which could finish off Ballesteros's development at that position. For now, just monitor his work. The team is invested in and dedicated to Ballesteros emerging as a regular, and they're unlikely to give up on him easily—but the right confluence of performances by him and a few teammates could still result in a sojourn in Des Moines later this month.

Maybe some apologies are due to Jed Hoyer. After 2021, fans rightfully doubted the team's willingness to spend. All of the franchise's pillars were gone, and the team had to rebuild from scratch. Clearly, the Cubs were going to behave like a mid-market franchise going forward. That skepticism turned out to be unwarranted. The Cubs and Tom Ricketts opened up their checkbooks, locking up Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner for the next six seasons. They're actively extending a window of contention. Who would have guessed that five years ago? Takeaway 1: The Cubs are Channeling the 1970s Dodgers. Steve Garvey. Ron Cey. Davey Lopes. Bill Russell. This group took the field for the Dodgers on Jun. 23, 1973 and went unchanged until after the World Series in 1981. It was eight and a half years of the same players. Michael Busch. Alex Bregman. Nico Hoerner. Dansby Swanson. The Cubs' group mirrors the Dodgers' era. Jed Hoyer has locked this group up through at least 2029. Cubs fans can look forward to an outstanding defensive infield for this time frame, and the front office moves forward with some cost certainty. In an era marked by roster churn, the Cubs are banking on continuity to maintain their playoff status. It's a bet on health and the infield aging gracefully, and if not, they have the financial wiggle room to pivot. Admittedly, it won't be quite the same as what the Dodgers did, or even as the glory days of Ron Santo, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, who started over 1,300 games together for the Cubs. By modern standards, though, it's not that far off. Takeaway 2: The Bank is Open Fine, Tom. You've proved yourself. The Cubs spent at an insanely high level this offseason. In total, they splashed $30 million on the bullpen. They spent $22 million to bring back Shota Imanaga. They shelled out $175 million in guaranteed cash to Alex Bregman. Six-year extensions to Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner put the capstone on it all. This isn't just selective spending. This was a cash outlay to address specific needs. The roster is, on paper, a top-to-bottom contender. Hoyer identified what needed to be done, balanced the present with the future, and aggressively pursued his targets. In retrospect, there were signs. The Cubs have added major pieces every season since 2022, when Seiya Suzuki was brought into the fold. Based on this offseason and last (bringing in Kyle Tucker), Hoyer is well on his way to shedding his conservative reputation. What's Happ-ening next? The last time Hoerner signed an extension, Ian Happ was announced at around the same time. With his contract up at the end of the year, the switch-hitting left fielder is the next logical extension. Thanks to the Owen Caissie-for-Edward Cabrera trade, the Cubs don't have a replacement waiting in the minor leagues, and if Happ and fellow free agent-to-be Seiya Suzuki leave, the outfield is uncertain. Happ also fits the clubhouse ethos and in many ways is a leader of the team. The contract wouldn't require a six-year deal, and he's already taken a team-friendly approach to negotiations based on his ties to the area. Would another three-year deal satisfy him? If not, he's probably gone, but if so, something could be hammered out. If the Cubs are serious about maintaining this window, Happ is the next step to take. For now, though, we have to admit it: Hoyer did what we thought was beyond him.

With Opening Day hurtling toward us, Nico Hoerner enters his eighth (and possibly final) season as a Cub. The impending free agent will look to have a great season, to set himself up for a lucrative contract—barring an extension with the Cubs yet this spring. This year, though, his defense and unique plate approach will continue to make him a fan favorite and a valuable player. Cubs Second Basemen at a Glance Starter: Nico Hoerner Backup: Matt Shaw Depth Options: Ben Cowles, Scott Kingery Prospects: James Triantos, Ty Southisene, Eziquiel Pena, Juan Capada Cubs fWAR ranking in 2025: 5th Cubs fWAR projection in 2026: 3rd The Good After an uneven, oft-injured start to his career, Hoerner has found his groove the last three years. He's played at least 150 games in each of the last three seasons, and in 2025, he was his best self. He's a bit of an anachronism, harkening back to the days when 100 strikeouts was considered an insulting figure. He only struck out 49 times last year, protecting the plate as well as virtually any player in baseball. Hoerner doesn't walk at a high rate, but makes up for that with a 99th-percentile contact rate. He slashed .297/.345/.394 in 2025. Hoerner's defense is his calling card, though. In his third season as keystone partner with Dansby Swanson, the Cubs were fifth in double plays at their positions, with 75. He doesn't have the rotational explosiveness of high-end left-side infielders, but has learned to use his straight-line quickness and brilliant instincts well enough to make up for that. Matt Shaw will capably back up the position, including taking over when Hoerner is in the lineup but Swanson isn't, sliding Hortner to shortstop. Second base will be just one position where Shaw finds time this year, though, and if Hoerner stays healthy, it won't be a place he gets to play much. Should Hoerner leave via free agency this coming winter, Shaw is a fair bet to take over the position, and would be a fine replacement. The Bad Unless Hoerner does get hurt and Shaw takes over amid a highly successful sophomore season, the Cubs will be light on power from their second baseman again. It's just not Hoerner's game to hit for power; it never will be. It feels like picking nits, but it's the key thing that separates him from superstardom. He does virtually everything else well. He's gotten a bit less efficient in stealing bases over the last two seasons, too; that's been part of his aging process. The Bottom Line Enjoy Hoerner in full this spring, summer and fall. He could leave in the winter, forcing the Cubs to scramble a bit to backfill the position. For this year, though, they can still count on a tough, smart, tenacious, charismatic and talented player who has emerged as both a dynamic two-way force on the field and a leader in the clubhouse.

Nobody in baseball quaked when the Cubs signed Tyler Austin, bringing him back to the States after a half-decade in Japan. The 34-year-old did have some impressive stats (.287/.372/.554, in 1,796 plate appearances), but he hasn't been tested by the deeper staffs of power arms in the U.S. since 2019. He could be a piece of a contender, or he could just disappear. Does Austin have a stable role on the 2026 Cubs? Fans were understandably underwhelmed when news of the signing broke. At the time, it was conceivable that he was a major part of the plan to replace the departed Kyle Tucker. Alex Bregman changed things; Austin is now a semi-expendable bench piece. Projections for Austin are strong, with projection systems at FanGraphs showing a 105-110 WRC+ for 2026. He's historically been much stronger against left-handed pitching (.884 OPS Stateside), and Michael Busch is not a strong bat against them. Austin also topped out at a 197 WRC+ in Japan in 2024. The guy does have talent at the plate. The question is in Austin's role. Counsell has a history of underutilizing veteran bench pieces, preferring to lean on a trusted set of everyday guys unless he can identify a clear opportunity for a full-fledged platoon. In 2023, Brian Anderson went almost six weeks between games played. There was no announcement, no dramatic benching. Anderson just occupied space on the roster, biding his time until the Brewers front office furnished someone more to Counsell's liking. Unless he gets off to a hot start, Austin might become a footnote in whatever book is written about the 2026 Cubs. How Austin Could Carve Out a Role 1. Michael Busch continues to struggle against left-handed pitching This is the most obvious option, and feels downright likely. Busch only posted a .642 OPS against southpaws even in his breakout 2025, compared to a .910 against right-handed pitching. Counsell told a crowd at Cubs Convention that he intends to play Busch every day in 2026. If he can hold his own there, Austin is out. But managers say a lot of things in January, and the difference between Austin and Busch against lefties is pretty glaring. It's hard to imagine Busch actually getting as much playing time as Counsell is promising, and easy to envision Austin becoming the de facto platoon first baseman. 2. Moisés Ballesteros or Matt Shaw flames out Both of these players are in line for a substantial number of at-bats. At the moment, Ballesteros is penciled in as the regular DH, with Seiya Suzuki likely to play right field most of the time. The upside of Ballesteros and Shaw is tantalizing. We do need to acknowledge the floor, however. In a contending season, there may not be time to let them work through their struggles, and we've already seen enough to know that each comes with a risk of not hitting enough to be regulars. Austin could fill DH at-bats, particularly as a platoon option opposite Ballesteros. 3. Tyler Austin simply rakes A 197 wRC+ in Japan just two years ago is an impressive number. Even in a part-time role, Austin could be an impactful bat. Steve Pearce would be a template. While he didn't play daily, he did see the field in 102 games for the playoff-bound Baltimore Orioles in 2014. Pearce slashed .327/.405/.704 from the strong side of a platoon that season. He posted a 161 wRC+. If Austin can do something like this, he'll not only carve out a spot in the lineup, but he'll be a Cub cult hero, like Pearce was in Baltimore—and later in Boston, as a key cog in the 2018 Red Sox's World Series run. This feels least likely of the three scenarios, but it's possible, and the fact that Ballesteros is the only obstacle to him being the full-time DH is telling. A version of Austin that goes on a tear for two-plus months could easily wrest the regular gig away from the younger guys, even if they're scraping by. In all likelihood, he'll be a bench piece, pinch-hitting often and starting rarely. It will be worth watching, though, because Counsell's neglect or an emergent need could swing him a good distance either way from that median outcome.

Since visiting the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, it's been a small hobby of mine to track the balloting, predicting who will get in, and seeing how accurate the predictions are. With the holidays upon us and activity slowing to a trickle, it seems a good time to tackle the thought exercise of building my own proposed ballot. This is a fairly lean year for worthy candidates. Really, the only addition who has a chance is pitcher Cole Hamels. He doesn't get my vote because his peak was too low, and his career stats not impressive enough to make up for it. Sorry, too, to Nick Markakis, Howie Kendrick, Shin-Soo Choo, and Ryan Braun. All of them had solid careers; they can make the Hall of Solid. Vote 1: Carlos Beltrán Beltrán was a versatile, well-rounded player for his 20-year career. While he was never crowned MVP, he did make nine All-Star teams and win three Gold Gloves. Winning was his strong suit; he led five different franchises to the playoffs. Only seven other players have reached his 300-home run and 300-stolen base status. All of these make him worthy of enshrinement in his fourth year of eligibility. In his seven postseasons, Beltrán played at an extremely high level. His playoff slash line was .307/.412/.609 in 256 plate appearances. Through no fault of his own, Beltrán was eliminated short of a championship every year until his age-40 season, winning in 2017 as a mercenary for Houston. (Of course, he might already be in if not for the cheating he facilitated on that final team.) Anecdotally, the Puerto Rican center fielder was consistently thought of as a top player in the game, a truly graceful outfielder on both offense and defense. He's the most obvious vote on this shallow ballot. Vote 2: Félix Hernández Hernández did not have a long peak. He did have a seven-year stretch where he was a Cy Young candidate, winning the award in 2010. That year was indicative of his absolute dominance: 2.27 ERA, 7.2 WAR, 232 strikeouts in 246 innings. In that brief but brilliant span, he never had an ERA over 3.04, and consistently started over 30 games. Hernández won the Cy Young in a year when his won loss record was just 13-12. Voters for the award had to change their traditional voting pattern. In that same vein, pitching voters can now value peak over longevity. For a long stretch, he was the best pitcher in baseball, or at least on the short list of them. Injuries prevented him from sustaining this, but the peak gets him my vote here. Vote 3: Andruw Jones Cubs fans of the moment can appreciate elite center-field defense, after watching Pete Crow-Armstrong. Jones delivered that same level of defense for a decade—plus a 111 wRC+ bat. Jones had over 30 home runs seven times, peaking with 51 and 41 in 2005 and 2006. Also, not insignificantly, Jones won 10 Gold Gloves, although he played at a time when three center fielders could (and often did) win each year in the outfield. Anecdotally, Jones was a key part of the Atlanta Braves' impressive 1990s run. When you factor his team success, his prominence on the team, the all time great defense and solid bat, this is another guy worthy of the plaque. It's important to remember that he comes with significant off-field baggage. He was arrested and charged in a domestic violence incident in 2012, after a Christmas Eve altercation in which he choked his wife. Whether that should be disqualifying, though, is up to each reader and thinker; the incident occurred after his playing career was over and there are (sadly) many people who did similarly heinous things to their partners in the Hall already. Close, but nope: Dustin Pedroia, David Wright and Chase Utley: Great players, but injuries keep them just below the line. Bobby Abreu: Better than many remember, and modern stats love him, but defense and lack of elite elite numbers put him just short. It's a high bar, guys! Manny Ramírez/Alex Rodriguez: Numbers worthy, but too many steroid things. Precedent matters here. Since Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens failed to be enshrined for 10 years and recently were rejected by the Veteran's Committee, and they are better than Ramírez and Rodriguez, the vote still has to be a no. What do you guys think? Should Omar Vizquel get in, despite serious allegations that he was mistreating people even during his career? Andy Pettitte? Torii Hunter, a poor man's Jones? Thanks for reading. Enjoy your holidays, and your debates.

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 can be gleaned. THE CUBS WON'T PAY MARKET PRICE FOR A NEW BAT Quote 1, from Counsell: "From a position-player standpoint, the loss right now is [Kyle Tucker], obviously. The rest of the group is back and likely with us. We did have young players that did contribute in a big way. I thought [Moisés Ballesteros] in September played like—he gave us the offensive production of Tucker, essentially, in the month of September. Between him and [Owen Caissie], who was unfortunately hurt for most of that month, those are two important players as we sit right now. There's not much to think about there." And later in the session: "But every young player is a contending team, too. Young players get, they have to get chances. They have to get chances. And the game, look around the league. I think that's one thing, that you have to give your young players opportunities. Your team is better for giving your young players opportunities." Takeaway: It seems clear that the Cubs are going to give opportunities to their in-house pieces. Counsell did acknowledge Kyle Tucker, his production, and the need to replace it. He also mentioned how Ballesteros basically put up Tucker numbers (.999 OPS, 2 home runs in 46 plate appearances) in September. Counsell's lament about Caissie's concussion in September echoed a talking point from Jed Hoyer this week; the Cubs want people to know that they were eager to see more of Caissie than they got to see in 2025. The Cubs do have budget constraints, and its not likely they will spend large amounts of it on a bat. They believe in their young guys, and Counsell will give them the room they need—or at least, he has the rationale for that course locked and loaded, should things break that way. So, Alex Bregman? Well, here's what Counsell had to say: "[Matt Shaw] is going to play a big part on this team. No question he'll have a big role and a big place on this team." This was part of his first question answered. He expanded, saying Shaw had a great second half and was a plus third baseman defensively by the end of the year. These comments don't lend themselves to the Cubs actively seeking upgrades, though again, there's an element of smokescreen to even a manager's remarks. THE CUBS WILL SPEND MORE HEAVILY ON PITCHING "We ended up pitching pretty well. But I think at the start of the season, it maybe wasn't the guys we expected to do it. It just shows—I think it's, get a bunch of good arms and kind of see what happens and have enough abilities to pivot when you have to during the season." " I think that's an important part of the season. But it's also something for us to just consider, is that the starting pitching injuries, it's significant. They can be very significant, and there's very few position player injuries that keep you out for the season. And it happens more on the starting pitcher side." As you can see, Counsell is mainly concerned with getting large amounts of quality arms to get through the season. This does make sense, for reasons we've exhaustively documented, and it's a very managerly thing to say. No one benefits more from a deep pitching staff than the skipper, who can avoid getting a hard time for overusing his trusted arms and knows he has many paths from Out No. 1 to Out No/ 27 each day. Look for the Cubs to allocate significant funds (or, perhaps, prospect capital) to the rotation and bullpen. It could be addressed by trade or free-agent signing. Either way, the team knows where it fell short last season, and is planning to address it. According to reporting, the Cubs have between $50 million and $60 million to burn this offseason. When you factor in Counsell's interview, it seems like pitching and depth pieces will be the focus—at least financially, and first.