Today was a bit of a wild ride, with an erroneous initial report that the Chicago Cubs were signing Zac Gallen to a multi-year deal worth $22 million annually, followed by an immediate and firm refutation. Then the original report was withdrawn, and changed to only that the Cubs were hoping to maybe try to sign Gallen. It was weird, given how specific the original report was.
So where do things stand? What’s the real story on the Cubs and Gallen, who reportedly is among the many starting ...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 4 hours ago
| 0 reads
Last week, we learned of the major (and mostly negative/financially pessimistic) changes coming to Marquee Sports Network here at the end of 2025.
In short, the Region Sports Network, co-owned by the Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group, announced its plans to scale back across the organization in a series of cost-saving endeavors. There’s a lot more to it than this, but among the immediate, front-facing fallout was the firings of content director Tony Andracki and reporter Andy Martinez.
...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 9 hours ago
| 0 reads
Well, this was a strange one. I’m glad it took me a few minutes to click publish, because the initial news of the Cubs signing free agent starting pitcher Zac Gallen ( from Bob Nightengale , who has since edited his initial post on X) was shot down almost immediately ( from Jeff Passan and others ).
Still, after yesterday’s news that the Cubs were looking at Zac Gallen , and the specifics from Nightengale, I do believe there’s probably something here.
Zac Gallen to the Chicago Cubs? ...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| about 10 hours ago
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Here we have three easily recognizable Cubs: Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones. It appears to be (and I found that it was) after the fourth player, the only one whose face we can see, has hit a grand slam at Wrigley Field. Here’s the full photo, another one sent to me by BCB […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| about 11 hours ago
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The Houston Astros are hot on the trail of free agent SP Ranger Suarez, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. In his recent article regarding the top 5 free agent starters on the market, Feinsand noted the Astros, Cubs and Orioles as the three teams as the most serious threats to signing Suarez away from […]
From The Crawfish Boxes
| 1 day ago
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The bigger news dropped earlier today, when Mark Feinsand reported that the Chicago Cubs were among the three biggest threats (along with the Astros and Orioles) to sign free agent starter Ranger Suarez this offseason. You can read all about his fit, cost, and attractiveness right here if you missed it.
But at the end of that report, Feinsand also mentioned another guy on the Cubs’ radar … a 30-year-old free agent starter they were also considering at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline … a 2023 ...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 1 day ago
| 0 reads
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another repost of the game recap from a walkoff home run, this one from Chicago-area native Mike Tauchman, who grew up a Cubs fan. Once again, there will be an epilogue after the lightly-edited recap repost. This concludes this offseason series about Cubs walkoff heroes. Mike Tauchman grew up in the […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 1 day ago
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Ranger Suarez Rumors — I know there’s a whole lot of exciting Cubs/Alex Bregman talk out there lately , but don’t let that distract you from the publicly stated and more logical offseason objective: Pitching, pitching, and more pitching.
Last we heard, the Cubs were in on Dylan Cease until his bidding approached $200 million, and that they remain involved in the markets for Michael King and Tatsuya Imai . We also learned that the Cubs can add upwards of $50 million to the 2026 payroll , w...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 1 day ago
| 0 reads
Last offseason, the Cubs were reportedly “in” on free agent third baseman Alex Bregman. They got outbid by the Red Sox. A couple of weeks ago, I posted this article regarding Bregman’s free agency this offseason after he opted out of his deal in Boston. Now, per Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma in The Athletic, […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 1 day ago
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You have to be a little careful this time of year when you see a particular team and a particular player mentioned a half-dozen times in quick succession. Sometimes it means things are heating up, and word is getting around. But sometimes, it only means that a lot of folks started asking questions and shared what they’re hearing. It can build on itself in a way that, on the outside, seems like more and more smoke, but actually is just a lot of well-connected folks hearing the exact same correc...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 1 day ago
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The Orioles traded Andrew Kittredge to the Cubs at the trade deadline last July. Baltimore received a 17-year-old shortstop prospect, and Chicago gained a veteran reliever with a club option for 2026. The Cubs could have kept Kittredge around for the upcoming season, but Baltimore wanted him back. The Orioles reacquired the 35-year-old by sending […]
From Camden Chat
| 1 day ago
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The cold certainly tests your commitment to taking a walk outside every day, no matter what.
Matthew Boyd, in addition to announcing his spot on Team USA , talked on Foul Territory about what happened in Game One of the NLDS, and how, from his perspective, it had nothing to do with pitching on short rest or anything like that:
Matthew Boyd says his rough outing in Game 1 of the NLDS had nothing to do with short rest. "They [the Brewers] just got me." pic.twitter.com/7EBaEbvaCp &m...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 1 day ago
| 0 reads
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths. “Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire. Happy birthday to Cliff Floyd* and other former Cubs. Today in baseball history: Cubs Birthdays: […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 1 day ago
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The Houston Astros announced that they have acquired minor league pitcher Nico Zeglin from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for $250K international bonus pool money. Zeglin, 25, last pitched in 2024. He went 7-0 with a 0.95 ERA in 25 appearances combined for the Cubs Single-A and High-A affiliates, striking out 90 batters and only […]
From The Crawfish Boxes
| 2 days ago
| 0 reads
Episode 41 of the Bleacher Nation Cubs Podcast is officially live!
In this week’s episode, Brett and I talk about the potential hurdles for any PCA extension this offseason, the upcoming Winter Meetings (and what we want the Cubs to do), as well as the free agent starting pitcher market as a whole. We also get into Kyle Tucker’s meeting with the Blue Jays, why the Cubs aren’t expected to be involved in those talks, and the expectation that bullpen additions are still coming soon.
Aft...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 2 days ago
| 0 reads
Although there are a handful of high-quality free agent starters available to the Cubs after they whiffed on Dylan Cease (Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez chief among them), the majority of their rumored focus seems to fall on two guys: Michael King and Tatsuya Imai.
The former is a little bit older and often injured, but has already had significant big league success. The latter has just as much (if not more) upside and is younger, but hasn’t proven himself in the big leagues yet. He’ll ...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 2 days ago
| 0 reads
Because the needs at the front of the rotation are so acute, and because the pitching market is relatively much stronger than the positional market, it seems unlikely that the Cubs will splurge on a big-name bat this offseason like Alex Bregman.
That isn’t to say the Cubs couldn’t benefit from a short-term upgrade or two on the offense, but, if you’re choosing from among the areas where the Cubs could get the most bang for their free agent buck, it’s the rotation and the bullpen first. Th...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 2 days ago
| 0 reads
Yesterday, we learned that the Chicago Cubs were in the running for free agent starting pitcher Dylan Cease … right up until his total commitment approached the $200 million mark. Whether that makes you feel any better about the Cubs payroll/financial intentions this offseason is up to you, but I won’t blame the skeptics among us. Even after Bruce Levine confirmed the Cubs’ involvement in the process ( they were reportedly one of seven teams bidding on Cease ), we know talk is cheap.
But ...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 2 days ago
| 0 reads
EDITOR’S NOTE: Once again, this is a repost of the game recap from this exciting walkoff homer that Michael Busch hit against the Padres. Busch, of course, had a breakout season in 2025 and hopefully will be a 30-homer man for the Cubs for several more seasons. Busch’s home run was hit just as it […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 2 days ago
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It hasn’t been my intention to launch an Obsessive Michael King Watch, and we’re not quite there yet, but I’m aware I’m bringing up his name a whole lot lately. To be fair, he’s been raised in connection to the Cubs quite frequently , and I feel duty-bound to mention it!
The latest comes from Bruce Levine in a hit on 670 The Score, where he confirms that he’s heard about the Cubs’ interest there:
The Cubs like Michael King and will continue to monitor his free agency, Bruce Levine to...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 2 days ago
| 0 reads
So if you didn’t like yesterday’s idea for the Cubs to trade for Sandy Alcanatara, perhaps you’d like his teammate Edward Cabrera better. Like Alcantara, Cabrera was the subject of trade rumors at the deadline last July. And like all the useful starters around then, none was traded because the asking prices were too high. […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 3 days ago
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We cover the coverage like PCA covers center field. Scott Kingery is the newest Cub, signed to a minor-league deal. Likely that puts Willi Castro in the rearview as they’re at least superficially the same kind of player. Nicky Lopez is reportedly a Rockie. Anthony Kay is a White Sock. The Winter Meetings are almost […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 3 days ago
| 0 reads
We’re so glad to see you here at BCB After Dark: the hippest afterparty for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the cold. We can check your coat for you. Please tell us if you need anything. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 3 days ago
| 0 reads
The last decade has been a journey for Matthew Boyd, from trying to break through as a young starter with the Tigers, to suffering injuries and trying to make it back with the Mariners as a reliever, to returning to the Tigers as a starter, to having surgery and making it back with the Guardians, to breaking out as an All-Star with the Cubs this past season.
He’ll return to the Cubs’ rotation in 2026, hopefully as effective as he was in 2025, and maybe a touch better able to sustain the c...
From Bleacher Nation | Chicago Sports News, Rumors, and a Reasonable Level of Obsession
| 3 days ago
| 1 read
EDITOR’S NOTE: With these walkoff homers getting more recent, you likely remember them well. So again, I present to you the BCB recap of Christopher Morel’s exciting walkoff homer against the White Sox. The recap is lightly edited, and there’s an epilogue about Morel that follows. As baseball fans, each and every one of us […]
From Bleed Cubbie Blue
| 3 days ago
| 1 read