*** Official 2025 Chicago Cubs Thread***
- Thread starter Cyforce
- Start date
They can 100% compete without Tucker because they have a ton of $$$ to spend and will find a replacement.
You mention the things going right but every starting pitcher except Boyd has been injured.
Where does this “elite starting pitcher” come from? No one was able to trade for one this year…
I have to wonder how the looming CBA negotiations and potential lockout impacts the way Hoyer and Ricketts are looking to construct the team?ESPN has the Cubs listed as trade deadline losers. Pretty fair assessment IMO.
MLB trade deadline winners and losers: What we loved -- and don't understand
The 2025 trade deadline has passed. Here's who hit it out of the park -- and who swung and missed.www.espn.com
The moves they made weren't bad but were not the kind of moves that significantly improves the roster either. I agree with the analysis, they needed a big impact SP not only to win the division but to win playoff series too. If this team stumbles down the stretch and does not win the division or even worse misses the playoffs or goes out in a wild card matchup the trade deadline is going to be where they lost the season. I said it before the season even before Steele got hurt that we failed not adding a top half of the rotation pitcher either in free agency or trade and they failed yet again at the deadline too. I am curious what the actual ask (not reported rumors but that actual names that would of got a deal done) was for Gore or Ryan. To me I would have been fine with Caissie and some package going for a guy that is under team control through 2027.
What good is holding onto your top prospects if they don't have a path to the big leagues right now when you either use them to go for it now or you find a path to have them play in the near future. There are no guarantees any of them turn out to be can't miss guys either. I am still skeptical about just how that is going to change next year too without a trade as look at who is still under contract (last year of contract or team control)
C: Amaya (2029) Kelly (2026 with mutual 2027 option)
1B: Busch (2027+?)
2B: Hoerner (2026)
SS: Swanson (2029 w/ NTC)
3B: Shaw (still in pre-arb years)
LF: Happ (2026 w/ NTC)
CF: PCA (still in pre-arb years)
RF: open if Tucker is not resigned
DH: Suzuki (2026 w/NTC)
So if Tucker is not back just 1 regular spot and the bench open for position players
Pitching:
Taillon (2026)
Shota (2027 but has a 2028 club option that surely will be picked up)
Boyd (2026 with 2027 mutal option)
Steele (2027)
Rea has a $6 mil club option for 2026
Assad (2028)
Horton (still pre-arb years)
Kitteredge ($9 mil club option)
Still in pre-arb: Palencia, Kriske, Hollowell, and Morgan is arb through 2027 if they choose to keep him around.
The bulk of the roster turnover is pitching which the Cubs just don't have a lot of MLB ready guys in the system right now really but are loaded with AAA hitters that have no immediate path. Remember when some were calling to trade Hoerner in the offseason to open a roster spot in the infield? As well as he's played I'd rather spend the money to extend him and use Triantos, Long, and maybe even Rojas as a piece in some package to fill another need. Ballesteros I doubt turns into an everyday starting catcher so he's pretty much going to be mostly a DH so why not flip him for pitching as you can fill the DH spot with just about anyone who can also play the field once in awhile too.
One last note. The Mariners gave up their #6, #20 and #22 prospects for Suarez. None were top 100 prospects and MLB has Locklear as the #8 1B prospect just 1 spot ahead of the Cubs Long. Hard to believe the Cubs couldn't come up with some kind of package that included Long and some pitching or even another lower level position player to get a deal done there for the price Seattle got him for. That extension Hoyer got may look bad if this season sputters and they don't make some significant moves in the offseason to fill in the gaps. Hope I am wrong but I'm very disappointed we keep failing to add a significant arm to the rotation where there is a glaring need for one.
Would be nice is spring Tucker would start to show up. He was awful in July. Plus Seiya’s slump is really bad.
Doesn’t seem like anyone is capable of getting a clutch hit right now.
We were close to getting Gore and elite relievers like Miller, Duran, and Doval were available to trade. What makes you think that we will spend money? If we don’t sign Tucker, we will most likely play unproven prospects in the right field.
Are you surprised? I fully expect him to strike out in these situations. At least the runner was not on 3rd base.
Pro-tip, if you want to make this thread feel like less of a negative cesspool, do yourself a favor and mute NazClone and Pharmacy99
I understand the desire by folks for the Cubs to add a top of the rotation arm. But just don't think that was in the cards based on just Merrill Kelly moving at the deadline.
A little disappointed Hoyer didn't have the creativity to add a Mason Miller type closer. But the reality is Hoyer very much an analytics GM and isn't going to give up too much. The other reality there are 25 other GM's like him.
One thing to note, the Cubs did spend at the deadline. Sure the Cubs are only on the hook for a few months, here are contract AAV per Spotrac:
A little disappointed Hoyer didn't have the creativity to add a Mason Miller type closer. But the reality is Hoyer very much an analytics GM and isn't going to give up too much. The other reality there are 25 other GM's like him.
One thing to note, the Cubs did spend at the deadline. Sure the Cubs are only on the hook for a few months, here are contract AAV per Spotrac:
- Rogers: $11M
- Kittredge: $10M
- Soroka: $9M
- Castro: $6.4M
Guy just doesn’t understand situational hitting, either that or he’s just not good enough to do it.
