Chicago Cubs Offseason Recap & 2026 Season Preview
With 2026 Spring Training just around the corner, I thought now was the perfect time to take a look back at all the move the Chicago Cubs made this offseason, along with looking ahead to what seems to be an exciting summer on the north side.
Sneaky Big Additions to the Bullpen
· Phil Maton
o Signed a 2-year, $14.5M deal with CHC back in November of 2025.
o 2025 Season Stats (w/ STL & TEX)
§ 61.1 IP
§ 2.79 ERA
§ 4W-5L
o Maton is a veteran right-handed reliever who has been known to be a strikeout machine throughout his career.
o Will likely play a key role for the Cubs as a middle and late inning reliever this season following his impressive 2025 campaign with the Cardinals and Rangers.
· Hoby Milner
o Signed a 1-year, $3.75M deal with CHC back in December of 2025
o 2025 Season Stats (w/ TEX)
§ 70.1 IP
§ 3.84 ERA
§ 3W-4L
o Milner has a reputation of inducing a ton of ground balls and keeping hitters off balance.
o He gives the Cubs a reliable lefty option out of the pen and I believe he will be used mainly in middle relief innings and some situational spots where he can create a matchup advantage.
o He has also spent part of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers, so the Cubs are already familiar with his game.
Acquiring Edward Cabrera: The Perfect High Risk, High Reward Trade
The Cubs made their first major offseason move when they traded for right-handed starter Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins. In return, Chicago sent their top prospect in outfielder Owen Cassie along with two other promising young prospects. Cabrera, a 27-year-old flamethrower with three years of team control remaining through 2028, posted a career-best 3.53 ERA with 150 strikeouts over 137⅔ innings in 2025 and offers the Cubs a front-of-the-rotation arm with an elite strikeout profile and a diverse five-pitch arsenal. His ability to create a lot of swing and miss and generate weak contact adds an element Chicago’s rotation has lacked, potentially boosting the team’s innings and quality starts heading into 2026.
However, I do still believe that this move comes with a ton of risk. Cabrera’s immense upside comes with a long history of injuries — multiple stints on the injured list with elbow and shoulder issues — and occasional control concerns that make his durability unpredictable from season to season.
That being said, I still love this move overall.
Landing a Big Fish in FA with Alex Bregman
The Cubs made another major splash, this time via free agency when they signed star third baseman Alex Bregman to a 5-year, $175M deal that also includes a no-trade clause. This move along with the trade for Cabrera signifies that Chicago is going all in on the 2026 season. Bregman is bringing a proven bat, great plate discipline, and solid defense to the hot corner, providing an instant offensive upgrade to the Cubs lineup at that position. His ability to get on base and drive in runs adds stability and experience to a Cubs offense that is built around a growing young core, while also taking pressure off younger hitters to carry the load every night.
Beyond his on-field production, Bregman adds leadership and postseason experience that the Cubs value as they push toward sustained playoff success. He’s been part of winning teams and understands the expectations that come with October baseball, something that can help shape the clubhouse culture. While the long-term contract carries some risk, the Cubs are betting that Bregman’s consistency and experience will help turn a talented roster into a true contender over the next few seasons.
SP Rotation Looks Very Deep on Paper (but injury concerns still loom)
1. Cade Horton
2. Matthew Boyd
3. Edward Cabrera
4. Justin Steele (when he returns)
5. Shota Imanaga
I strongly believe that while it is highly unlikely, if everybody here can stay relatively healthy throughout the season, it has the chance to be one of the deepest rotations in the majors. Cade Horton is coming off of a phenomenal second half of his rookie season where he finished with an ERA of just 2.67. Matthew Boyd revived his career last year with the Cubs, posting a 3.21 ERA and making his first career all-star appearance at age 34. As I mentioned earlier, Edward Cabrera has a very high ceiling and an electric arm. Shota Imanaga did have an underwhelming 2025 season but is looking to have a major bounce back in 2026. And lastly, Justin Steele will be making his long-awaited return after missing all of last season with a left elbow injury. Again, I seriously doubt that they will all stay healthy and get back to their best form. But if they somehow do, it’s going to be fun to watch.
Projected Opening Day Lineup
Here is what I predict the Cubs batting order will look like on Opening Day this year:
1. Nico Hoerner (2B)
2. Alex Bregman (3B)
3. Michael Busch (1B)
4. Seiya Suzuki (RF)
5. PCA (CF)
6. Dansby Swanson (SS)
7. Ian Happ (LF)
8. Moises Ballesteros (DH)
9. Carson Kelly/Miguel Amaya (C)
The Sportsbooks Like the Cubs in 2026
· FanDuel Odds (as of 2/15/26)
o Win Total O/U: 88.5
o Odds to Win NL Central: +115 (favorite)
o Odds to Win NL Pennant: +900 (4th shortest odds)
· DraftKings Odds (as of 2/15/26)
o Win Total O/U: 88.5
o Odds to Win NL Central: +120 (favorite)
o Odds to Win NL Pennant: +950 (5th shortest odds)
As expected, the Cubs will enter the 2026 season as noticable favorites to win their division. But I think that it is definitely worth noting that around this time last year, they were also the favorite to win it, and yet the Milwaukee Brewers ended up running away with it.
