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Cubs' Luke Little: Ramping up slowly
The Cubs plan to ramp Little (lat) up slowly this spring, and the lefty appears unlikely to be ready for an Opening Day bullpen role, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Little sustained a strained left lat in July, which ended his 2024 season prematurely. The Cubs are understandably being cautious with the lefty, so he likely won't be available when the team heads to Tokyo to play the Dodgers on March 18 and 19, though he could be ready for regular season action later in the month or in early April. Little flashed some promise last year, as his fastball sat a tick below 96 mph and he recorded a 9.7 K/9 and 3.46 ERA across 26 innings. When he's ready to roll in 2025, the southpaw figures to be an interesting bullpen weapon for Chicago, though he likely won't see save opportunities with Ryan Pressly and Porter Hodge around.
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Cubs' Kevin Alcantara: Next man up in center?
Alcantara appears to be the next man up for the Cubs in center field if top option Pete Crow-Armstrong misses time due to injury or struggles offensively, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Alcantara made his MLB debut in 2024, appearing in three regular-season games in September. The 6-foot-6 22-year-old is physically gifted, and while he's bigger than many center fielders, the Cubs seem to have confidence in him to play the position if the need arises. Crow-Armstrong is locked in as the starter for now, though he's a fairly unproven MLB player himself and still has room to grow offensively; therefore, Alcantara does potentially have a path to playing time if he impresses. The youngster could start 2025 with Triple-A Iowa but appears to be waiting in the wings for a role in the majors.
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Cubs' Jameson Taillon: Hoping to regain some velocity
Taillon, who saw his average fastball velocity dip as the 2024 season went on, is hoping improved health helps him dial the pitch up some in 2025, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Taillon saw his four-seam fastball drop from an average of 93.2 mph in April last year to 92.2 mph in September, giving him a career-low mark of 92.4 mph overall. Along with the reduced velocity, the veteran also generated a career-low 6.8 K/9. The righty said back issues he dealt with during the season may have played a part, though he still managed to log a respectable 165.1 innings and turn in a 3.27 ERA, his best mark since his 2018 campaign with the Pirates. If Taillon stays healthy and regains a little zip on his fastball, he could be primed for a jump in strikeouts and another productive season in 2025.
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Cubs' Michael Busch: Gets potential platoon partner
Busch could form a platoon with the newly signed Justin Turner at first base in 2025, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Busch, a left-handed hitter, would presumably be on the strong side of a platoon with Turner, who bats from the right side and would likely be deployed against southpaws. The veteran Turner is also an option to see time at DH. While Busch still appears to be locked into a fairly sizeable role, Turner represents an option with an extensive and successful body of work at the MLB level. If Busch gets off to a slow start, Turner could see his role grow at his teammate's expense.
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Cubs' Shota Imanaga: Starting first game in Tokyo
Imanaga will start March 18 against the Dodgers in the Cubs' season-opening series in Tokyo.
Manager Craig Counsell had said previously that Imanaga would take the ball in one of the two contests in Japan, and now it's been confirmed that the lefty will start the opener. He's expected to be opposed by fellow countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto, although the Dodgers have not yet confirmed that. Imanaga held a 2.91 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 174 strikeouts over 173.1 innings in 2024, his first season with the Cubs.
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Cubs' Justin Turner: Gets $6 million deal
Turner agreed to terms Tuesday with the Cubs on a one-year, $6 million contract, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
The 40-year-old Turner will join the eighth organization of his career in 2025 after he slashed .259/.354/.383 with 11 home runs over 139 games between the Blue Jays and Mariners last season. Mooney relays that it's "unclear to what extent" the Cubs might consider Turner as an option at third base, where top prospect Matt Shaw (oblique) is the favorite to win the job. The Cubs' plan for now seems to be for Turner to see most of his playing time on the short side of a platoon at first base with Michael Busch, while also getting occasional starts at designated hitter.
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Cubs' Chris Flexen: Signs minor-league deal with Cubs
Flexen and the Cubs agreed on a minor-league contract Monday, pending a physical, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
Flexen will join the Cubs organization after compiling a 4.95 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with 123 strikeouts over 160 innings in 33 appearances, including 30 starts, with the White Sox in 2024. The right-hander will now have a chance to prove himself with the team at spring training.
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Cubs' Kyle Tucker: Extension seems unlikely
Tucker, who was traded to the Cubs in December, seems unlikely to sign a long-term deal with the team during the season and could enter free agency after the year, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Chicago traded Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and prospect Cam Smith for Tucker, but it could end being only a one-year relationship. Mooney notes that the Cubs' failed pursuit of Tucker's former Houston teammate Alex Bregman could signal the team's financial constraints this year and next. While Chicago may still attempt to sign Tucker in free agency, the talented outfielder will likely be able to attract richer offers. That makes 2025 essentially an audition year for Tucker, who was limited to 78 games with the Astros last year due to injury but still managed 23 home runs and a robust .993 OPS.
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Cubs' Matt Shaw: Cleared for light hitting
Shaw (oblique) said Saturday that he's been cleared to begin light hitting, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
Shaw suffered an oblique strain Monday, but he seems to be trending in the right direction after four days of rest. It will be important for the 23-year-old prospect to get as many reps as possible during camp while he competes for a starting job at third base.
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Cubs' Matt Shaw: Day-to-day with oblique issue
Shaw is nursing an oblique injury but is considered day-to-day, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Oblique issues can be worrisome, but this one at least appears to be minor. Still, any sort of setback for Shaw is not ideal since he is competing to be the Cubs' Opening Day third baseman. The team could hold its top prospect out of early spring training games to ensure he's 100 percent healthy before he joins the battle for the starting job at the hot corner.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Should still see save opportunities
Though veteran newcomer Ryan Pressly figures to be Chicago's nominal closer, Hodge should still see save opportunities this season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
This aligns with previous rumblings that Hodge would still be in the mix for saves even with Pressly joining the Cubs via trade. It remains to be seen how exactly duties will be split up, and Pressly is probably the top Chicago reliever to target at the moment, but Hodge should remain on the fantasy radar heading into the season. The 24-year-old impressed as a rookie last year, posting a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 52 strikeouts across 43 innings to go along with nine saves.
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Cubs' Matt Shaw: Looks more secure in role
Shaw's chances of starting the season as Chicago's regular third baseman seemingly improved when the club missed out on free agent Alex Bregman, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Shaw has seemingly had the inside track on the starting gig at the hot corner in recent weeks, though Bregman was looming in the background. However, now that the latter has signed with the Red Sox, Shaw seems to have a clearer path to the role. The 23-year-old will still need to have a solid spring, and the Cubs could still look to add a veteran option before camp ends, but any move now might be more along the lines of improving the bench. Shaw's fantasy outlook is on the rise, and he could be a breakout performer in 2025 given his prospect pedigree.
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Cubs' Dixon Machado: Nets minor-league deal
The Cubs signed Machado to a minor-league contract Wednesday.
Machado, who turns 33 later this month, spent the 2024 season at Triple-A Sugar Land in the Astros organization, posting just a .617 OPS in 45 contests. He's seen action in just five major-league games since 2019 and is likely ticketed for Triple-A Iowa to begin the 2025 campaign.
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Cubs' Alexander Canario: Getting reps at first
Canario received reps at first base Tuesday as the Cubs explore their reserve options behind starter Michael Busch, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The 24-year-old Canario has a good chance to make the Opening Day roster since he's out of minor-league options, and adding some positional versatility might help him secure a bench job. Canario has played in just 21 big-league games, striking out 19 times in 45 plate appearances, which is consistent with his 30.4 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A Iowa last year.
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Cubs' Rob Zastryzny: Outrighted to minors
The Cubs outrighted Zastryzny to Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday.
Though he's no longer a member of the Cubs' 40-man roster, Zastryzny will stick around in the organization and should still join the big-league group for spring training. The 32-year-old lefty made nine appearances in the majors with the Brewers in 2024, giving up one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out five in 7.2 innings.
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Cubs' Javier Assad: Managing mild oblique strain
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that Assad was diagnosed with a mild oblique strain and will be shut down from throwing for a few days, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
The shutdown period is expected to be brief, so the right-hander may not end up missing too much of camp. Assad is poised to compete for the final spot in Chicago's rotation once healthy, but too much of a delayed start to spring training could affect his buildup for the regular season.
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Cubs' Colin Rea: Could slide into rotation
With Javier Assad (oblique) set to potentially miss some time, Rea may end up as the Cubs' fifth starter out of camp, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Assad is dealing with oblique soreness and was scheduled to undergo imaging Monday. It's unclear how long he might be out, but the MRI makes it seem like he could be on the shelf for a bit. If that ends up being the case, Rea would be a natural option to step in. The veteran righty has plenty of starting experience at the MLB level, including 27 starts for the Brewers last year. Rea turned in a 4.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 167.2 innings in 2024.
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Cubs' Gage Workman: Could make team out of camp
Workman, who was selected in the Rule 5 draft back in December, could make the Opening Day roster in a bench infielder role, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Workman, whom the Cubs poached from Detroit, has never appeared above the Double-A level, but the Cubs have to keep the Rule 5 pick in the majors all season if they want to retain him. While many Rule 5 picks get returned to their original team before Opening Day, it sounds like Workman's got a real shot to break camp with the Cubs. If Nico Hoerner (elbow) isn't tracking towards being ready for the start of the season, that would give Workman an even better chance of making the team.
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Team Statistical Rankings
| Avg | R | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
.242 (17th) |
736 (12th) |
170 (20th) |
3.78 (10th) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| N. Hoerner 2B Nico Hoerner 2B | Elbow |
| J. Assad RP Javier Assad RP | Oblique |
| J. Merryweather RP Julian Merryweather RP | Knee |
| L. Little RP Luke Little RP | Lat |
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