Chicago Cubs 2025

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#1,226      
Call up the Guardians and ask about Gavin Williams.

Guardians are not getting the most of his talent.
 
#1,229      
I'm not a big fan of them either, but the fact is they got the game to the 8th with Keller, Hodge and Palencia all tee'd up. Can't ask for more than that.

Up 5-3 against a team like that.....it should have been a win, but stuff happens. Keller has been near perfect. The play where he and Kelly didn't communicate on a bunt was the biggest play of the inning. Instead of a man on 2nd and two outs, you have men on 1st and 2nd with only one out. Huge difference when you needlessly end up putting the go ahead run on base. The whole approach to the next hitter changed. It's a much more precarious situation. Then, a bum comes up and jacks one out.

Milwaukee lost, so ultimately.....no harm, no foul.

I will say it again though.....that All Star break can't come soon enough. They need to reshuffle the deck with the starters, the BP has been darn near perfect, but needs a recharge. They'll be getting Amaya back, as well as Assad. That obviously is significant. I don't think we'll see Taillon again until the end of August, but a trade is probably on the horizon.

Onwards and upwards.
Assad is now looking like September 1st at the earliest. Not so sure we'll be counting on him.
 
#1,231      
If the Cubs were in the AL Central they (not Detroit) would be running away with the best record in baseball. The other teams in that division are all really bad and they would get to play them 12 or 13 times a year.
 
#1,233      
Assad is now looking like September 1st at the earliest. Not so sure we'll be counting on him.
He got pushed back again? If that's the case, he probably needs to be put on the shelf for the year. 5+ months with this injury isn't normal.

It'll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline. I'm not sure that I would part with any top prospects for the starters that are out there. The market just isn't very deep.
 
#1,235      
He got pushed back again? If that's the case, he probably needs to be put on the shelf for the year. 5+ months with this injury isn't normal.

It'll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline. I'm not sure that I would part with any top prospects for the starters that are out there. The market just isn't very deep.
You are at least the second person to say you wouldn’t give up a top prospect for a SP out there. I’m curious what your and other people’s definition of “top prospect” is? What’s the cutoff? Top 100 overall prospect? Top 5 in Cubs organization? Top 10? 20? 30?

Obviously ability of the SP and contract status impacts things, but if last year is any indication, likely won’t take a top 5 guy but we could be talking about a prospect in top 10 and another in top 20. Is that too high a price to pay in general in your book?
 
#1,236      
He got pushed back again? If that's the case, he probably needs to be put on the shelf for the year. 5+ months with this injury isn't normal.

It'll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline. I'm not sure that I would part with any top prospects for the starters that are out there. The market just isn't very deep.
-- We have Tucker guaranteed for an entire season
-- 34-year old Boyd with a superb career year
-- Suzuki with a definite career year
-- Michael Busch has exploded
-- PCA with perhaps a career year (MVP candidate; sorta like R. Sandberg in 1984)
-- Can't imagine our Catchers will repeat their collective season in 2026
-- A bullpen of no-names is Top 5 in all of baseball
-- The Ricketts' pockets are bulging with cash

I think this is exactly the type of season in which you buy what's needed, yes even at the expense of the MiLB system. The stars have aligned for Jed.

"Take pie, when pie is passed."
 
#1,237      
He got pushed back again? If that's the case, he probably needs to be put on the shelf for the year. 5+ months with this injury isn't normal.

It'll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline. I'm not sure that I would part with any top prospects for the starters that are out there. The market just isn't very deep.
it will be interesting to see what Jed can/will do

as is, I’m confident they can win the division . but i’m just not feeling that way vs the better teams in the east & west .

they are fun to watch again .
 
#1,238      
it will be interesting to see what Jed can/will do

as is, I’m confident they can win the division . but i’m just not feeling that way vs the better teams in the east & west .

they are fun to watch again .
Yes, with pitching and third base what we have now. Make the right trades and they will be as good if not better than everyone, except maybe the Dodgers.
 
#1,239      
-- We have Tucker guaranteed for an entire season
-- 34-year old Boyd with a superb career year
-- Suzuki with a definite career year
-- Michael Busch has exploded
-- PCA with perhaps a career year (MVP candidate; sorta like R. Sandberg in 1984)
-- Can't imagine our Catchers will repeat their collective season in 2026
-- A bullpen of no-names is Top 5 in all of baseball
-- The Ricketts' pockets are bulging with cash

I think this is exactly the type of season in which you buy what's needed, yes even at the expense of the MiLB system. The stars have aligned for Jed.

"Take pie, when pie is passed."
Completely agree. I wouldn’t gut the system and trade 3 or 4 top 5 prospects, but if one has to go along with multiple in the 10-30 range to get pieces we need then so be it. Cubs have a fair amount of middle infielder types in the 10-25 range that I hope are appealing to other clubs. Just saw this report on one of our top 5 guys and the last sentence says it all. Not saying I want to see Owen go, but some prospects are going to have to.

Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs, 22, AAA

Prospect fatigue has hit Caissie hard at this point, but it is important to remember that he is still just 22 years old. Sure, on the surface, you see a 30 percent strikeout rate. But you also see a strong .280/.388/.556 slash line. So, what to make of Owen Caissie’s performance to this point? Especially after blasting two more home runs on Saturday.

From an exit velocity standpoint, Caissie stands out. His 91.5 mph average exit velocity pairs well with an impressive 113.3 max exit velocity and a 107.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. The 16 percent barrel rate is tops among Triple-A hitters.
While the strikeout rate is up, Caissie’s contact rates are not all that different from what we are used to seeing. A 69 percent overall mark and a 79 percent zone-contact rate are fine. Caissie even has a respectable 24.5 percent chase rate.
The biggest problem is, Caissie is unlikely to find playing time given the Cubs' outfield situation. When Suzuki is locked in the designated hitter spot, Caissie has a big hill to climb. The Cubs are active in the trade market for a starting pitcher, and Caissie could be an attractive chip.
 
#1,240      
Completely agree. I wouldn’t gut the system and trade 3 or 4 top 5 prospects, but if one has to go along with multiple in the 10-30 range to get pieces we need then so be it. Cubs have a fair amount of middle infielder types in the 10-25 range that I hope are appealing to other clubs. Just saw this report on one of our top 5 guys and the last sentence says it all. Not saying I want to see Owen go, but some prospects are going to have to.

Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs, 22, AAA

Prospect fatigue has hit Caissie hard at this point, but it is important to remember that he is still just 22 years old. Sure, on the surface, you see a 30 percent strikeout rate. But you also see a strong .280/.388/.556 slash line. So, what to make of Owen Caissie’s performance to this point? Especially after blasting two more home runs on Saturday.

From an exit velocity standpoint, Caissie stands out. His 91.5 mph average exit velocity pairs well with an impressive 113.3 max exit velocity and a 107.5 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. The 16 percent barrel rate is tops among Triple-A hitters.
While the strikeout rate is up, Caissie’s contact rates are not all that different from what we are used to seeing. A 69 percent overall mark and a 79 percent zone-contact rate are fine. Caissie even has a respectable 24.5 percent chase rate.
The biggest problem is, Caissie is unlikely to find playing time given the Cubs' outfield situation. When Suzuki is locked in the designated hitter spot, Caissie has a big hill to climb. The Cubs are active in the trade market for a starting pitcher, and Caissie could be an attractive chip.
If you trade Caissie you better sign Tucker.
 
#1,242      
PCA certainly is.
“I don't think there should be any question that Seiya Suzuki has earned a spot on the all-star team this year,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I think (leading MLB in RBI) is the epitome of production and capitalizing on what his teammates do in front of him. And I think that's really admirable. I don't think I've ever seen anybody flush baseballs like him.”
 
#1,243      
“I don't think there should be any question that Seiya Suzuki has earned a spot on the all-star team this year,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I think (leading MLB in RBI) is the epitome of production and capitalizing on what his teammates do in front of him. And I think that's really admirable. I don't think I've ever seen anybody flush baseballs like him.”
I agree with PCA
 
#1,244      
Agree. And I don’t think they’ll trade Owen. But depending on SP and contract, I could see them trading Triantos (#5 prospect) or one of their SS prospects (have 3 ranked between 7 and 10) along with prospect in the 17-25 range.
Not sure how valuable Triantos is. I'd say Wiggins and Rojas are the only prospects that are close to untouchable at this point. Move any of the others in the right deal--just not for a #4 starter. Either get someone who can start in game 1 or 2 of the playoffs or don't make the deal.
 
#1,245      
“I don't think there should be any question that Seiya Suzuki has earned a spot on the all-star team this year,” Crow-Armstrong said. “I think (leading MLB in RBI) is the epitome of production and capitalizing on what his teammates do in front of him. And I think that's really admirable. I don't think I've ever seen anybody flush baseballs like him.”
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...reaction-snubs-oversights-takeaways-juan-soto

This guy doesn't even think he bears mentioning, though he does mention Michael Busch. It's wild when the guy leading MLB in RBI's can't even make an article about snubs... Shows why many guys don't want to be DH's.

Tie No Respect GIF by Rodney Dangerfield
 
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