Watching the Chicago Cubs fall short of the playoffs for the past two seasons has been an excruciating experience for Cubs fans. Based on the number of resources they had to work with compared to the other teams in their division, it seemed as though the Cubs should have run through the division.
Also, the team itself seemed to underperform. This is evident from their Pythagorean record for the last two seasons. Based on those numbers, the Cubs should have won 88 games in 2024, and 90 games in 2023. If you compare the Cubs saga to the Star Wars franchise, the 2025 season could be likened to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
1 – Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong could lead the new core
Pete Crow-Armstrong was a far better player at the end of the 2024 season than he was at the beginning. Crow-Armstrong’s OPS for thefirst half of the season was .582. In the second half, it was .736. If he just maintains what he did in the second half of the season, he’s a star.
Digging in a little deeper, Crow-Armstrong had one home run through June. He added nine more before the season was over. Crow-Armstrong also hit .292 with men in scoring position while hitting only .202 with the bases empty. He seems to have the ability to bear down in certain situations.
Michael Busch’s rookie season was defined by adjustments, with Major League pitchers seemingly having the advantage during the second half. Given Busch finished 2024 with a wRC+ of 119 and 21 home runs, there are plenty of reasons to believe there is another level to unlock in 2025. Beyond the offensive numbers, Busch flashed Gold-Glove potential at first base and figures to be a long-term fixture at the position for the Cubs.
2 – The Cubs will have a better roster in 2025
I like Cody Bellinger a lot, but Kyle Tucker is clearly an upgrade. And last year third base was a black hole for the Cubs.
At this time, Matt Shaw seems to be the favorite to open the season as the Cubs’ starting third baseman. I’m guessing that he will be an upgrade over Morel and Paredes.
While Kyle Hendricks was one of the greatest pitchers in Cubs’ history, he was terrible for most of the 2024 season. Matthew Boyd figures to be an upgrade. Plus, the Cubs still seem to be searching for another high-quality starting pitcher and have the assets in both money and prospects to land one.
Eli Morgan should help the Cubs’ pen, but here’s another area they will probably spend some money on. One player I’m looking forward to watching in 2025 is Ben Brown. Brown excelled as a starter and reliever in 2024 before being sidelined by injury. His return to form in 2025 would be a huge boost to the staff, either as a starter or out of the pen.
3: There’s more of a sense of urgency in 2025
In 2023 and 2024, there seemed to be a sense of apathy in the organization. Last season, the team was slow to address issues in the bullpen and at third base. In 2023, that was also the case. During this offseason, there has been a concerted effort to improve the team. I also assume that the team will be quicker to shore up positions of need during the season.
Leave a Reply