RavenCub30

Baseball is a game of stories, and to paraphrase one of the best rock bands in the world (Pearl Jam): have I got a story for you. Arguably, the best catcher duo in the game, Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly, play for your Chicago Cubs. Image courtesy of © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images During my glorious days playing right field for my middle-school baseball team, I looked on in envy as my teammate at the catcher position strapped on his armor, set to take his place at one of the most imperative spots on the field. Along with the rest of our squad, he stayed locked in, making effortless throws from home to second base, en route to a tournament championship. Alas, unlike what we're seeing here on the North Side of Chicago, my team's catcher didn't have an elite partner to split up duties with. In one of the season's most exciting early success stories, Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly are playing like the best catchers in Major League Baseball. The catcher position for the 2023 and 2024 Cubs was a perpetual problem. They registered as almost a free out for the North Siders' opponents, putting together at-bats unhealthier than a late-night drive-through stop at Portillo's. In his last three seasons, Yan Gomes couldn't scrape together better than a 2.0 WAR. In his one truncated season with the Cubs, Tomas Nido clocked in with a -0.5 WAR. Nido was an emergency attempt to replace Gomes, just a year after calling up Amaya was an emergency measure to replace spiraling veteran Tucker Barnhart. Now, in the case of Amaya, his former mechanics prevented him from realizing the potential in his bat for quite a while. He's a completely different ballplayer now, in all the best ways. The longer you hang around in the majors, the higher the likelihood you'll be granted the opportunity to figure the game out. Amaya seems to be doing that. Not only is his defense strong, but Amaya's quieted swing has become a perfectly solid hitter for his position, with upside from there. Considering his placement in the lower third of Craig Counsell's batting order, his .770 OPS makes Amaya a hidden gem within the Cubs' lineup. Beyond his full offensive 180°, Amaya is one of several galvanizing clubhouse guys, keeping the vibes strong. At 26 years of age, approaching the prime of his career, he couldn't be coming around at a better time. I don't have time to cycle through all the reasons why Carson Kelly is a sensational catcher for the Chicago Cubs. No one stays this hot, and maybe the injury he sustained when he was hit by a pitch this weekend will be the thing to cool him off, but his OPS of 1.636 almost seems like a dream. He's positioned himself as one of the more confident Cubs on the field, a self-possessed veteran and Chicagoland native who is finally in a place that makes sense to him. Much has been made of this club's offensive heft, as it leads the league in most categories, but Kelly's defense has stood out, too. He's been a good pitch framer and blocker, and his wonderfully accurate arm has already showed up in game action. Amaya has improved at controlling the running game, too, so perhaps the veteran is also helping his teammates get better. M3lxUDFfWGw0TUFRPT1fQmxVQ1ZnSUNVd1lBRFZKVFZnQUhBZ2RRQUZnRkJWRUFBMU1GQTFCWEJRRURCQUFB.mp4 The Cubs, like every other team in the league, fix their sights on playoff baseball. With the tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, that vision is much closer to realization. There's no regular follower of this squad who will list catching as a strength for recent iterations of this franchise—not since, tellingly, 2017 or so. Almost instantly, one of the team's biggest liabilities has become one of its biggest assets. Digging in between the white chalk squares that make the batter's boxes, the Cubs' catching duo is ready to make their club the envy of the big leagues. View full article

While the royal subjects in King Tuck's Court await the momentous, blessed news of a long, healthy reign, the baseball goes on. Image courtesy of © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Even the best, most vibrantly memorable seasons of our favorite game, at times, bring more adversity than triumph. That will have to be the case here as Justin Steele is out for the season with his latest elbow injury with surgery forthcoming. Retroactively, in the wake of what was thought to be a much less severe ailment, the Cubs recalled Ethan Roberts and sent cash considerations to the San Diego Padres in exchange for 28-year-old Tom Cosgrove. What does this mean? The easy answer is that the North Siders are doing what's necessary to stay deep and keep things moving. But much more than that, the squad's swift actions suggest that from Tom Ricketts on down, the team knows how good they could be and will do what it takes to keep skin in the game. After the Cubbies put a mesmerizing 16-0 drubbing on the Los Angeles Dodgers this past Saturday night, Craig Counsell's group will have no trouble facing any challenge. With Seiya Suzuki falling late in the game with wrist discomfort, the Cubs are prepared to adopt a "next man up" mentality. Clearly, losing a guy with an OPS of .829 isn't ideal by any metric, but this club is built to endure such speed bumps. To say nothing of the offensive clinic Carson Kelly is putting on in the early going, his fellow catcher Miguel Amaya delivered a 2-for-3, 3 RBI night after replacing Suzuki in the designated-hitter spot. The Cubs have a brutal schedule to start the season, but their opponents feel the same way when they play the North Siders. This squad had to get better, and it did. In perhaps the club's most complete performance in recent memory, the North Siders, in a Colin Rea spot start game, took a 4-2 victory Sunday night versus Dave Robert's loaded Dodgers squad. Pete Crow-Armstrong showed up with his best game for the big league club, smacking two home runs and a rocket-powered triple. In addition to Rea shutting down the Dodger's storied offense, Craig Counsell's bullpen dazzled in a collective, palate-cleansing outing that was nothing short of clutch. Listen, with this Justin Steele injury, the Cubs just picked up a couple of unexpected questions that need answering, but in this series, the North Siders played like World Series contenders. Everything is in play for the Cubbies. Whether or not Ben Brown remains a big leaguer for the balance of the 2025 season, he's at least shown he possesses an uncommon poise. He labored through 24+ pitch first inning versus the Dodgers, then proceeded to tap dance through six spotless frames of baseball. What impressed? How about five strikeouts, a good handful of groundball outs, and excellent communication with his catcher, Carson Kelly? He might not have many pitches in his repertoire, but what he's got, he uses effectively. Like a carefully calculated chess player, he uses tremendous strategy in besting his foe, knowing a King is lurking, waiting to claim checkmate. Let's not get prematurely excited about this Kyle Tucker extension we hear so much about. But let's stay open to the idea that we could. The fact that the conversation is out there to be had seems to cause optimism. At a range of 10-11 years and between $400-$500 million, a Kyle Tucker extension would radically change the fortunes of this organization, creating a perennial playoff contender and ushering in a new era of winning baseball on the Northside of Chicago. So much of what we've talked about in these reviews points to what the Cubbies will be, but as they wrap up this latest West Coast trip, let's say what they are: one of the best teams in the game. View full article

"It can't all be wedding cake, it can't all be boiled away." So said the great indie-rock band Spoon, in their 2007 hit "The Underdog." I can think of no better song to exemplify this very good Chicago Cubs baseball team. They could be a great team, but do they have enough regard for the thing that they don't understand? Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images Since dropping both games in the Tokyo Series, the Cubs are an exciting 9-3. The club leads the league in most offensive categories, including runs scored (94). What's more, the squad has a blistering combined OPS of .788. In the most simple terms: the batting is making up for the pitching. This is not to say the starters have let the club down. Fresh off of Justin Steele's first quality start of the year and Jameson Taillon's second, the rotation (outside of Ben Brown's stumble versus San Diego) has been effective. Bullpens often take the most heat from the outside, given that it's they who are ultimately tasked with putting the game in either the win or loss column. Sometimes, that's unfair. Cubs righty Nate Pearson, however, has not done much to deflect criticism. Tossing just over five innings to this point, Pearson has surrendered six earned runs, good for a bloated ERA of 10.13. Things won't stay that extreme, but he's dug himself a hole deeper than the emotions in an Adele song. He's not alone in his mediocrity, either. New closer Ryan Pressly has been just as bad. Pressly has labored out of the gate, throwing few first-pitch strikes and allowing runners aboard in potentially game-saving situations. Does he get thrown under a harsher microscope as he was one of Hoyer's offseason prized acquisitions? Of course. But closers are meant to close in a more satisfying way. He's been reluctant to change his style in light of his advancing age and diminishing stuff, but if he doesn't give an inch, ever, he surely will not survive. Hopefully, Tuesday night's walk-free ninth inning is a sign of things to come. Looking for a way to get more satisfaction out of your Cubs' bullpen viewing? Let me refer you to Colin Rea and Porter Hodge. It's curious that these two hurlers are at such different junctures in their respective careers: Rea the seasoned veteran, and Hodge the shinier, blossoming reliever. Featuring a punishing sweeper and a developing cut-ride fastball, Hodge continues to dominate. Eavesdropping on the conversations of several blue-pinstriped fans around Wrigley, there's already growing support for him to take up the closer role. I'll withhold my opinion on this until I see a bit more, but it's an argument worth having. When the former Indiana State Sycamore Colin Rea was signed to the Cubs, the first thought that crossed my mind was: "Oh, Craig Counsell managed him in Milwaukee." It felt as though that established connection might lead to desirable outcomes in games. So far, he's validated this notion. His 5 1/3 innings so far have seen Rea hold opponents scoreless. The biggest lament, really, is that he hasn't pitched more often. The North Siders have sent a message to the rest of the league that those wishing to reach the Fall Classic, had better factor in a stop in Wrigleyville along the way. Gains in the bullpen could practically make it an inevitability. That's only if the team is willing to hear from the messenger, though. They can't cut out or get free of the middlemen. They'll need to get more from them, instead. View full article

Wrigley Field has brought out the best in the 2025 Cubs. The good vibes are rolling after a dominant showing this week. Image courtesy of © Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports Writing for this Cubs team of ours is a funny thing, as the inner struggle between ourselves as both diehard fan and objective observer rages on. After a week in which the Cubs put more runs on the board than Walter Payton, it's excessively difficult not to side with the whims of the former. For droves of Chicago Cubs baseball supporters, the last handful of days showed you everything that will catapult this squad to the top of the baseball mountain, and everything that could send it cascading down. Without a doubt, the most impressive gear spinning for the North Siders right now is the middle of the lineup. Squaring off against the Athletics, who will eventually call Las Vegas their home but currently play in Sacramento, the Cubbies' offense teed off. Over the course of the three-game set, Chicago plated 35 runs, recording hits from nearly everyone in the lineup. Kyle Tucker, Michael Busch, and Seiya Suzuki absolutely mashed. Tucker closed out a four-game home run streak, Suzuki recorded a muti-homer game, and Busch appears to be picking up where he left off from his excellent rookie campaign. On the topic of Kyle Tucker's hopeful extension, I will bluntly say this: the team needs him in town in order to open a serious window of contention. The longer he hits like this, the more the price tag is going to go up. Especially with all of the extensions flooding baseball in recent weeks, now is the time for the front office to get negotiating, assuming they haven't laid the groundwork already. It's easy to celebrate the club's victories when they're winning, and, in turn, that winning covers up some of the more unsightly blemishes out there. Sadly, I'm talking about Craig Counsell's bullpen. While lingering injuries to players like Julian Merryweather complicate the here and now, the pen has labored out of the gate. Though young whip Porter Hodge has enjoyed moderate success on the mound, newly-acquired veteran Ryan Pressly apparently can't throw strikes. Now, the good guys did prevail in the North Siders' home opener, but Pressly immediately helped the Padres put traffic on the bases. Mr. Pressly, there's a particular song we here on the North Side of Chicago like to sing at the end of games—please don't let the sound operator and the rest of us down by throwing balls in the dirt. Maybe he figures it out, but in the wake of another sensational outing from Shota Imanaga, the Cubs can continue to get by with their offense and starting pitching for now. If they're still in contention come July, a reliever (or two or three) will be high on the trade deadline shopping list. Thousands of baby-blue clad Cubs fans flooded the shops in Gallagher Way and the surrounding retail establishments, rocking the new "Alternate Blues" attire. Aside from wanting to look good, enthusiasts of this squad are no doubt handing over their hard-earned funds because the team is playing well. Your Chicago Cubs just took a series from an outstanding San Diego team, brimming with some of the game's most elite hitters. Matthew Boyd looks like one of the biggest steals of the offseason. Ben Brown and his Padre counterpart racked up a staggeringly high pitch count early in what was an uneven series finale, but experience over the course of the season will do him good, especially when the bats hit an inevitable skid. Outside of handing San Diego its first few losses of the season, the Cubbies provided substantial justification for the excitement surrounding this year. They have found the top of the standings. Let's see how long they can keep it. View full article

The Cubs are on the board. Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images To see the transition to championship-caliber baseball Cubs fans yearn for requires patience. As they showed in their first win of the season (a 10-6 romp over the Arizona Diamondbacks that wasn't as close as the final score indicates), the Cubs have what it takes to go far in 2025. As skipper Craig Counsell said to his ball club in Arizona at the outset of spring training with the "All-Access" cameras rolling, this could be a "special" season. One weekend into the season on American soil, nothing has changed. There's gas in the tank, and it's time to strap in for the ride. One key element of this squad I really admire is the pitching staff's quiet brilliance. Like one of my all-time favorite Cubs pitchers, Kyle Hendricks—who even mentored some of these guys—nothing they throw out there is eye-popping, but they get the job done. Cubs starter and former All-Star Justin Steele proved that in his second start of the season. He didn't do anything to overpower the curiously potent Snakes lineup, but he gave his team a chance. His teammates responded by taking said chance, with consistent hitting and run production throughout a contest that served as a proof of concept of what this North Side club can be when dialed-in. Giving a little grace is the right call. What has stood out thus far (and even dating back to the middle of spring training in Mesa) is the quick development of third baseman Matt Shaw and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. We're starting to understand what to expect from Crow-Armstrong: He's fast (maybe not quite as fast as he thinks he is, when getting picked off the basepaths), but once he balances things out, he will count as one of the rare weapons in the game. Shaw looked good this week. His athleticism and reaction time at third suggest he'll hold down the hot corner just fine. Offensively, he's not there yet, but he's taking impressively sound cuts at the ball that lead me to believe that after he adjusts more to big-league timing, he'll help scratch across more than his fair share of runs. I don't love it when people say "trust the process", but that feels like a reasonable thing to do in this case. What's the best attribute of a relief pitcher? You already know my answer: the ability and eagerness to throw strikes. They come in at a time when there are few outs remaining to record in a game and even fewer chances to make up for mistakes. Thus far, that's not what this retooled Cubs bullpen is doing. It's not a terminal problem, but it's a lingering issue from last season, and a trend hurlers like Nate Pearson and Ryan Pressly need to turn around quickly. A plethora of things can happen in one baseball game, including a record-setting nine home runs by the Yankees against the Milwaukee Brewers, but one thing that can't happen? Doing everything all at once. Losing a whole season. The Cubs have one of the toughest opening schedules in the game, but fortunately for us, they're one of the toughest teams. View full article

Shota Imanaga isn't mentioned in the same breath as other stars in the MLB. He should be. Image courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski/USA TODAY Sports In my years of following the great game of baseball, I can scant remember a time that the sport was in better shape than it is now. With an elite collection of generational talents such as Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Tarik Skubal, and Garrett Crochet, baseball fans have a lush of options to keep their passion for the game ignited. If that weren't enough, in the last five years or so, there's been an onslaught of dazzling ball players from the country the Cubs recently visited, Japan. Now residing mainly in Southern California, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki have gobbled up headlines like the business end of a "Hungry Hungry Hippos" game piece. These gentlemen do much for fans' return on investment, but might I propose yet another Japanese stud who deserves to walk with the giants because he is one: Shota Imanaga. Imanaga is a superstar. Full stop. From 2016 to 2023, he played in Nippon Professional Baseball, giving him the unique distinction of being a 30-year-old MLB rookie when he arrived on the North Side of Chicago. From that point on, he's been brilliant. Going 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, Imanaga's rookie year earned him fewer flowers than he deserved due to his team's failure to make the playoffs. By comparison, Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers has eight career wins and a 2.97 ERA. The largest difference between the two, and it is a big one, is that Yamamoto, along with his fellow countrymen Ohtani and Sasaki, play for the Dodgers, the current Goliaths of baseball. Top to bottom, the Los Angeles Dodgers boast an embarrassment of riches at nearly every position. They're a wealthy, big market team that chooses to spend wheelbarrows full of money on whomever they want, creating the perception of a monopolistic team the likes of which hasn't been seen since the early 2000's Yankees. As much as it pains me to admit, the Dodgers are better than the Cubs. But, as we got to witness in the early morning hours of mid-March, they're not better by much. Led by players like Imanaga, Seiya Suzuki, and Michael Busch, the Cubbies do more with less, and though their offensive prowess seems to come and go, they consistently perform at a competitive level. Yamamoto is developing into an ace-type pitcher, Sasaki is too raw and untamed, and Ohtani... well, he's one of one. This is all to say, what Imanaga does on the mound pitching for his club every four to five days is more impressive than his peers. He knows he has to perform and so he does. His control, calm demeanor, and the joyful electricity with which he conducts himself, counts him as a player to be feared by other big leaguers. His role on the team is to be a starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, not the savior of a lackluster rotation, not putting the weight of the team's fortunes on his back. He doesn't feel pressure, he's just a guy who loves food who also happens to be a fantastic starting pitcher. So what do we do? Is the hype surrounding Imanaga's peers based solely on the fact that they're on more successful teams? Maybe. But I think it stretches beyond that. To raise awareness of Shota's dominance and his sheer presence in the game, it's up to us to help raise his stock. We must embrace him as we have former Cubs greats, whether that manifests as costumes, chants, or special sandwiches at Johnnie's Beef. Imanaga is one of baseball's best and should be treated as such. View full article

Ben Zobrist spent 14 seasons in Major League Baseball, including four with the Chicago Cubs. He is also the recipient of the most important World Series MVP award in history. I watched all 27 outs of the Cubs' most famous contest, Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, on about a six-second delay on my Roku Streaming Stick. Just as he did back then, Ben Zobrist stood out for his quiet leadership... and the most famous hit in Cubs history. By the time third baseman Kris Bryant tossed the fateful final slow roller out to his friend Anthony Rizzo at first, I already knew that the Cubs had just done what some thought was impossible. In this or any other lifetime. Rewinding to the top of the 10th inning at Progressive Field against the team at the time known as the Cleveland Indians, I didn't know that the heroics of Chicago's most understated legend, second baseman Ben Zobrist, would burn in our memories like empty boxes of Three Floyds beer in an alley on Sheffield. Ben Zobrist is one of those curious players whose identity depends on where you are when you ask about him. If you're in South Florida, he's a Tampa Bay Ray who, along with his skipper at the time, Joe Maddon, should have never left the Sunshine State. The 184th overall pick of the Houston Astros in 2004, Ben Zobrist spent just four years as a Cub, ending in the 2019 season, one year after the Cubs had punched their last legitimate ticket to the postseason. In his time wearing Cubby pinstripes, Zobrist notched a .269 batting average and drove in 201 runs. Not included in that figure is perhaps the most important hit in Cubs history. With runners on first and second with one out in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, the man they call "Zorilla" laced a missile of a ground ball down the third base line, rolling all the way to the left field wall corner. Zobrist cruised into second base with an RBI double. Though that would not hold up to be the game-winning run, it gave Cubs fans the most flourishing feeling they had experienced in 108 years: hope. He wasn't even supposed to play baseball. According to a 2019 article in the Chicago Tribune, Zobrist opted to register for and attend a camp for "one more day of baseball" before heading off to Bible school. He used $50 of birthday money he had received that year to register for the event. That he stayed in baseball certainly gives the impression of a prayer answered. Now a regular on Cubs podcasts, Zobrist is one of the many relatively short-term Cubs like Jon Lester that had the deepest impact on the organization, then remained in the fold. A fan favorite at conventions and special events, Zobrist truly embraces his place in Chicago Cubs history and presents as one of the more approachable figures in recent memory. Unassuming, hardworking, and an indelible part of Cubs history, Ben Zobrist's efforts in the field and at the plate earns him a spot among the franchise's best. View full player

The Tokyo Series is over, but the Cubs are just getting started. May the jet lag be short-lived, and the hangover from the Dodgers' sweep of our favorite baseball team be even shorter. Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images The Cubbies and their personnel have landed back stateside after having gotten a look at what they've got, like a katana-sharp ace in Shota Imanaga and the promise of Kyle Tucker, the electrifying right fielder whose face you'll see on storefronts everywhere from Rogers Park to Bridgeport. The story of the week was perspective. Yes, it stings to plan, prepare, and ultimately lose a two-game series that counts to the overall 162. However, the Cubs still have all of their goals in front of them and a decent shot at attaining them, given the weakness of their division. They'll have a chance to get even with Dave Roberts' defending World Series champion club near the end of April. Like many of you, I woke up and enjoyed the time-tested breakfast of champions, scrambled eggs, and black coffee, ready to watch my team deliver its brand of March magic. Alas, bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived, I watched the North Siders struggle to scrape runs across the plate against a Dodger club that looks every bit as good as advertised. That the North Siders labored so mightily to bring home runners in scoring position made it an easier sales call for Los Angeles. But who cares? The Cubbies have plenty of adjustments to make and much to think about in Craig Counsell's infield, but that was going to be the case anyhow. Though our Japan dreams didn't come true, we are now much more well-versed in what it will take for this squad to reach the game's upper echelon. Back to work. Save for a few early mistakes from Cubs lefty Justin Steele, he looked fine. The bullpen saw a lot of work in the second game against Los Angeles. Porter Hodge, a 2024 standout, logged an inning of work, as did Ryan Pressly in our first look at him in a Chicago Cubs uniform. So, as Eli Morgan and Jordan Wicks make their way to Triple-A Iowa, the work continues. The 2025 Cubs haven't won a game yet. But they will, a lot of them. Somehow, a pair of tough, close losses was proof positive that this team can hang with the most elite in the MLB. Though the task is more arduous now with two fewer contests to do it, our skipper's desire to be a 90-win squad will still happen this year. With the near-euphoric state Opening Day at Wrigley just under two weeks away, we've got plenty to ponder, most of it good. View full article

I watched all 27 outs of the Cubs' most famous contest, Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, on about a six-second delay on my Roku Streaming Stick. Just as he did back then, Ben Zobrist stood out for his quiet leadership... and the most famous hit in Cubs history. Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images By the time third baseman Kris Bryant tossed the fateful final slow roller out to his friend Anthony Rizzo at first, I already knew that the Cubs had just done what some thought was impossible. In this or any other lifetime. Rewinding to the top of the 10th inning at Progressive Field against the team at the time known as the Cleveland Indians, I didn't know that the heroics of Chicago's most understated legend, second baseman Ben Zobrist, would burn in our memories like empty boxes of Three Floyds beer in an alley on Sheffield. Ben Zobrist is one of those curious players whose identity depends on where you are when you ask about him. If you're in South Florida, he's a Tampa Bay Ray who, along with his skipper at the time, Joe Maddon, should have never left the Sunshine State. The 184th overall pick of the Houston Astros in 2004, Ben Zobrist spent just four years as a Cub, ending in the 2019 season, one year after the Cubs had punched their last legitimate ticket to the postseason. In his time wearing Cubby pinstripes, Zobrist notched a .269 batting average and drove in 201 runs. Not included in that figure is perhaps the most important hit in Cubs history. With runners on first and second with one out in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, the man they call "Zorilla" laced a missile of a ground ball down the third base line, rolling all the way to the left field wall corner. Zobrist cruised into second base with an RBI double. Though that would not hold up to be the game-winning run, it gave Cubs fans the most flourishing feeling they had experienced in 108 years: hope. He wasn't even supposed to play baseball. According to a 2019 article in the Chicago Tribune, Zobrist opted to register for and attend a camp for "one more day of baseball" before heading off to Bible school. He used $50 of birthday money he had received that year to register for the event. That he stayed in baseball certainly gives the impression of a prayer answered. Now a regular on Cubs podcasts, Zobrist is one of the many relatively short-term Cubs like Jon Lester that had the deepest impact on the organization, then remained in the fold. A fan favorite at conventions and special events, Zobrist truly embraces his place in Chicago Cubs history and presents as one of the more approachable figures in recent memory. Unassuming, hardworking, and an indelible part of Cubs history, Ben Zobrist's efforts in the field and at the plate earns him a spot among the franchise's best. View full article

The Cubs arrived in Japan just days ago and it already seems like the party could go on for months. If that's to be the case, the Cubs had better find a rhythm fast. Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images After an early start but (still) an abbreviated buildup to regular-season baseball in their respective spring training camps, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers are set to square off in their special two-game series. First, though, both clubs took the field in exhibition play against teams from Nippon Professional Baseball. I surmise this season will be a special one, but it's going to take some work. Playing under the bright lights of the Tokyo Dome, Craig Counsell's club was greeted by singing, dancing, painstakingly created signs, and all other attractions familiar to the most faithful Wrigley regulars. After getting no-hit through five innings in a 3-0 loss to the Hanshin Tigers, the Cubbies tapped into some impressive pitching of their own early Sunday morning against the Yomiuri Giants. They got good work from starter Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd, who combined for over eight innings of work. It wasn't lethal stuff on the mound, but they danced out of trouble—and just as importantly, their supporting defense was clean. If what you want out of these friendly matches, and spring at large, is development from the youngsters, you got it. Third baseman Matt Shaw looked alert, made crisp throws, and even delivered a clutch RBI knock against the Giants. Gage Workman, an individual in dire need of a good nickname from either Obvious Shirts or the Wrigley bleachers, smacked an RBI single to shallow right field on a 1-0 count. Instances like this give us a glimpse into the inner mental workings of a ball club that appears starved for success. Much can be made of the squad acquiring players with a lack of splash or brand recognition, but what's paramount to notice at this early point of the season is that what the Cubs have right now is a team, not a collection of players who are just in it for the free lattes across the street at Do-Rite Donuts and Chicken. Each move is executed with a purpose. In under 48 hours, the business trip reaches its apex. The North Siders will send ace Shota Imanaga to the mound opposite Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers, with the world watching. Reaching to gather meaning from this experience, it's clear: The Cubs are on a mission to rectify years of futility. The club has felt disappointment or failure in some fashion each year since the 2016 core was dismantled. This is a new team—one with its own identity, and one that feels ready. View full article

Anticipation for the start of the regular season for Chicago's North Side baseball team is almost over. The Cubs may be prepping their plane for Tokyo, but the expectations for this year's squad are way above cruising altitude. Image courtesy of Michael Reaves/Getty Images You can pick any number of reasons as to why hope for Craig Counsell's 2025 ball club is soaring: they've got tremendous pitching depth, a balanced lineup, and most importantly (for now), they're healthy. What strikes me more this year than in previous campaigns is the eyebrow-raising maturity of some of the team's youngest players like Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong. I'm not saying they'll be the biggest Chicago-based thing to hit Japan since Bill Murray, but they'll be a major reason for the club's success, if that is in fact what this Cubs baseball team has on the horizon. Holding true to any marathon-length season, even the best squads must dig their heels in and navigate some heartburn-inducing adversity. For the Cubbies, that probably won't originate from any spot in their deep batting order, but from their pitching staff. With a projected starting rotation featuring the likes of Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon, the North Siders should tote enough experience and control on the mound to keep things close. One must wonder, however, how a history of injuries could shake up this otherwise solid core group. Though he missed significant time in 2024, Steele was a similar version of what he delivered in his 2023 All-Star campaign. He still struck out a boat load of opposing batters at 135, though he did pitch almost 40 fewer innings. Given both that he is one of the more youthful pitchers in the rotation and a lefty, his health is imperative. A relatively human second half of the season kept Shota Imanaga from staying in contention for the 2024 NL Cy Young Award. After watching him get lit up in a couple outings this spring, how likely is it that the beloved Cubs hurler takes a step back in 2025? Probably not very, but it's wishful thinking to assume he will be as unhittable as he's appeared at times. Factor in Matthew Boyd and a still unproven (and currently injured) Javier Assad, and it's not far-fetched to think that the Cubs will have to out slug some opponents. As this club's starting rotation goes, so goes this club. Chicago's proficiency in plate discipline looms large for the North Siders' loftier aspirations. Anchors such as Ian Happ, Michael Busch, and newly-anointed designated hitter Seiya Suzuki must continue to play the role of aggressor at the right time. Suzuki is especially known for swinging early in counts, but cashing in on his hard contact will not only help push across key runs, but raise the pressure on opposing pitching when the team's new big bad bopper Kyle Tucker steps to the dish. The chances you'll get to dish out some serious trash talk to your fellow NL Central rival friends this year are honestly pretty good. Under the harsh microscope of a pending contract extension, Jed Hoyer pieced together a playoff-worthy major league ball club. That doesn't mean they will be, but it's hard to hate being the industry favorites in the division for the first time in a half-decade. View full article

You might not realize it, but the optics of what the inside of a team's clubhouse is like can be just as important as what it's actually like. With the Cubbies' final boarding call for Tokyo approaching, the view is as vibrant as the rising sun over Mount Fuji. Image courtesy of © Allan Henry-Imagn Images This week, as expected, the winning ways the North Siders have enjoyed nearly the entirety of spring subsided ever so briefly. Not only did they pick back up in front of record-setting crowds at Sloan Park, but we also witnessed a team and its message galvanize. The message? Cubs baseball and playoffs will soon be synonymous. Craig Counsell expects it, and that's the rallying cry for a squad that has left its legions of faithful supporters empty-handed for far too long. Remarkable talent and skill do not often, or even seldomly, translate into results for baseball clubs aspiring to reach the game's highest heights. Still, I'm observing the traits of this team that suggest that not an ounce of what it possesses will go to waste. You know I'm staunch for pitching as an intangible "X Factor," and the North Siders have it. The organization's former number-one prospect, Cade Horton, looks more confident, mature, and torched batters this week with lethal off-speed pitches. His health and efficiency out of the bullpen arms this club with the peace of mind it was missing last season in close contests. We also got looks at Matthew Boyd, Ryan Pressly, and this gentleman named Shota Imanaga, who you may know as his alter ego, Mike. Chicago's day-one Tokyo starter totes a sweeper that cleans up more than a custodian. Imanaga may not boast the youth that some of this squad's future starters do, but the control he is known for is well-situated and primed to put his ball club in position to win many games. Offensively, the hits kept coming. Droves of baseball fans are lined up at this very moment to get into Pete Crow-Armstrong's coming out party, and with a two-homer game against the Mariners, that guest list is likely to grow. Even though the man admits that he is more focused on reaching base than hitting for power, it's clear that the Cubs' young center fielder is poised to deliver whatever his squad needs. Three more tune-up games remain before the Cubbies touch down in Japan to battle the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers. If ever there was a time to feel confident our favorite baseball team could blow for blow with the defending World Series champions, it's now. Perhaps the Cubs will soon have a similar moniker next to their name. View full article

Through the first couple weeks of spring training, the Chicago Cubs have been loads of fun to watch. Though we are truly only getting started, and accepting the fact that the outcomes of spring games bear relatively little relationship to the way things go once the bell rings, I'm starting to see this team differently. Image courtesy of © Allan Henry-Imagn Images It's easy to get lost in the fun of a hot start, even in the Cactus League. While this team will eventually hit brief slides, they've shown (even at this stage) that they'll never be out of a game. And that's what makes the 2025 Chicago Cubs a club with championship DNA. The true ceiling of a baseball team can often be found in how its veterans respond to what's happening around them. Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner, two of the more trusted voices in the organization, have expressed that this is the best roster Jed Hoyer has assembled since they've been here. In a perfect world, I'd be a Cubs beat reporter with clubhouse credentials, able to provide you a firsthand account of just what's manifesting before our eyes with the ball club. Though I don't exist in that station, I can tell you that from my vantage point, the Chicago Cubs are a baseball team who knows how good they are. Last year's gestation period, though painful, has brought forth a 2025 squad that rightfully spills over with confidence, exuberance, and talent. Throw in a healthy Matt Shaw, and this baseball team is in business. As division rivals like the Brewers and Reds will soon find out, this is a club against which you'll need to get all 27 outs before feeling a sense of confidence that you might prevail. Truthfully, I wouldn't be writing this article had the Cubs not gotten off to the start they have this spring. What I can tell you, though, is that in examining this team more closely because of their impressive win streak, I've come to believe that they possess what's necessary to be good all year. Kevin Alcántara, who has a .712 OPS this spring, looks right at home in a Cubs uniform and emits more than a youthful optimism that he could be something; he knows he is something. That comes from raw talent, good managing, and a staff in place that develops players on schedule. In one of my first articles for this site nearly a year ago, I spoke about trusting Craig Counsell because (though he's not flashy) he knows his stuff. Almost a year on, it looks like he just might. Playoff baseball will return to the North Side of Chicago this fall, if for no other reason than the fact that they got markedly better, and their division rivals didn't. What the rest of this division did this offseason is akin to Austin Powers holding on a low hand in blackjack. It's ok to let this early success augment your hope for 2025, even though none of the wins count just yet. View full article