Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
•Mar 14, 2025
Cubs vs Tigers — Tonight, the Cubs are playing their first of two exhibition games in Tokyo, this one against the Hanshin Tigers at the Tokyo Dome. Julian Merryweather is “starting” for the Cubs, and here’s the lineup standing behind him. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Ian Happ, LF Seiya Suzuki, DH Kyle Tucker, RF Justin Turner, 1B Matt Shaw, 3B Dansby Swanson, S Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF Miguel Amaya, C Jon Berti,…
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
•Mar 14, 2025
We know that the adjustment for Japanese players coming over to the States to play in MLB is about a lot more than just facing a different set of players and working with a new set of teammates. The life change is so significant, and when you think deeply enough about that change, it becomes impossible not to be all the more impressed by whatever baseball accomplishments guys like Shōta…
Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
•Mar 14, 2025
If you’ll allow me to ignore the recent slate of starting pitcher rumors — Cubs negotiating with Lance Lynn and/or considering a trade for Dylan Cease? — I’d like to talk about the starting rotation — specifically, who is taking the final spot when the Cubs finally break camp after Tokyo. Because according to the latest reporting, Ben Brown might have a better shot than we initially realized. As we know,…
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
•Mar 14, 2025
The Chicago Cubs’ first Spring Breakout prospect game last night wasssssss … cancelled. Rained out, for the second year in a row. A rainout in the spring in Arizona almost never happens, so the odds of back-to-back Spring Breakout games getting rained out would seem QUITE low. At least this year there is a second one for the Cubs, who’re scheduled to face Angels prospects tomorrow night. Fingers crossed. Some…
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
•Mar 14, 2025
Clearly, the Chicago Cubs were just trying to use the Lance Lynn talks as leverage to acquire Dylan Cease at a better price! I kid, though with pitching talk back on the menu, the last remaining bits of the free agent market and a hypothetical Cease trade, for some teams, are probably not wholly disconnected. Jon Heyman reports that upwards of nine teams have shown interest in a Dylan Cease…
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
•Mar 14, 2025
Happy Pi Day, which should be celebrated with pie. That’s an order. The Cubs had their first workout at the Tokyo Dome, which is really cool to see: https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lkcijqkilk2x Fans have been consistently entering into the Tokyo Dome as the Cubs start their first workout.Great vibe here as they cheer for anything as simple as a wave from one of the players. Lower bowl filing up. Impressive!#MarqueeInTokyo pic.twitter.com/wZ4tIeayPo— Alex Cohen…
Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
•Mar 13, 2025
Hey, everyone. The third episode of The Bleacher Nation Cubs podcast is officially live! In this episode, we look ahead to the Tokyo series against the Dodgers, discuss whether or not Seiya Suzuki should get a start in right field, and contemplate the value of defensive vs offensive WAR for a player like Pete Crow-Armstrong. Our game, this time, was a look back at the 2000 Tokyo Dome lineups between…
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
•Mar 13, 2025
Apparently those rumors about the Cubs considering an additional free agent starting pitcher weren’t coming out of nowhere, and the specific mention of Lance Lynn (and Kyle Gibson) wasn’t either. Bob Nightengale reports on X that, “The Chicago Cubs, looking for starting rotation depth, have now entered negotiations with veteran Lance Lynn on a one-year, MLB contract.” Like I said when the rumor first popped up, it’s not as if…
Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
•Mar 13, 2025
Each year, I like to take one final temperature check on myself before the start of the regular season. Hopefully, it’s a useful/enjoyable read for you, but it’s also just like a little diary entry for myself to revisit halfway through/at the end of the regular season. For example, take a look at what I said before Opening Day last year: It feels to me like Jed Hoyer and the…
Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
•Mar 13, 2025
So, there’s the decision. We knew it was coming soon, and it’s not unexpected. But it’s still the concerning culmination of a process that has seen the Rays so close to finalizing a new stadium deal in the Tampa Bay area, after more than a decade of work by interested parties, only to have it blown away in part because of a freak weather event. Oof. Here’s the team’s statement:…
