The Chicago Cubs have made a couple of significant changes this offseason, all towards the goal of the team’s first playoff berth since the Wild Card series in the shortened season of 2020 and, at the very least, the team’s first playoff victory since 2017.
The most notable addition was that of a legit multi-tool in the person of Kyle Tucker via trade with the Houston Astros.
Kyle Tucker On Board
Tucker cost the Cubs a big-time prospect in Cam Smith and two major league-level talents in third baseman Isaac Paredes and pitcher Hayden Wesneski. However, the stability and the all-star ability Tucker brings to the field every day should make the price worth it, even if he turns out to be gone via free agency next season
The Chicago Cubs Starting Rotation
The starting rotation was bolstered by the free agent signing of the rehabbed Cleveland Guardians pitcher Matthew Boyd. The lefty is basically a replacement for the beloved, but wildly inconsistent Kyle Hendricks in the rotations. Boyd is most definitely an upgrade for the Cubs. Around him are Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Javier Assad– comprising a pretty good starting rotation. There’s talk that the Cubs will add one more high-end starter before the winter is done.
The Chicago Cubs Bullpen
In the bullpen, the team has added a bunch of little pieces, like Eli Morgan via trade with the Guardians, Cody Poteet via the Cody Bellinger trade with the Yankees, and Caleb Thielbar via free agency. These new pieces join emerging closer Porter Hodge and an otherwise pretty solid relief crew that struggled mightily in the early part of the 2024 season, but then finished as one of the better bullpens in the league.
This Cubs team, as is, is enough to convince many observers that they will be a playoff team in 2025.
MLB.com had this prediction for the Cubs:
“This really should not be that bold of a prediction, but the Cubs were also hoping to be playing on the October stage in both 2023 and ‘24. They narrowly missed the postseason two years ago and fell short of expectations again last season. In Spring Training last year, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said, “I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be favored for our division.” Chicago finished 10 games behind the division-winning Brewers and six games short of the final Wild Card spot. With star outfielder Kyle Tucker in the fold now, plus some upgrades throughout the roster, the Cubs look more like a team that can snap its playoff win drought.”
Jared Wyllys of Forbes also gave a tentative, provisional thumbs up to a playoff-bound Cubs team:
“Expectations for the Cubs are higher going into next season, and though they are projected to win the division, it’s by a tight margin. In order to ensure they aren’t also-rans for the third year in a row, the Cubs need to stay assertive in the starting pitching market.”
Even Fangraphs was high on the Cubs’ chances to make the post-season.
As of right now, there’s a lot of offseason left before spring training and, by all accounts, the Cubs are not done adding pieces to their 2025 team. Optimism regarding a Cubs playoff berth may be even higher in a few days or weeks.
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