Chicago Cubs: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Cade Horton Keeps Cubs’ Rotation Among MLB’s Best Even Without Free Agent Addition

The Chicago Cubs are one of many teams in baseball this winter looking to improve their starting pitching core. To help ensure that they make it to the MLB Playoffs for a second season in a row for the first time this decade, the team re-signed Shota Imanaga on a one-year qualifying offer.

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The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Chicago Cubs history unpacked, December 5 — Santo, Palmeiro, Floyd.

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.

MLB News / MLB Trade Rumors / December 5

Last offseason's finalists in Alex Bregman sweepstakes are trying to land him again

Bregman opted for the shortest deal to get back to the market, accepting a three-year guarantee from Boston with outs after the first two years.

Five MLB teams that are one move away from contending

New Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray lets his true feelings on the Yankees be known

Pirates, Red Sox both rolling the dice in Johan Oviedo trade

The offseason needs for every MLB team

The '2025 MLB home run leaders' quiz

Cal Raleigh News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Most home runs by a switch hitter' quiz

A Major League switch hitter has hit at least 35 home runs on 35 occasions in MLB history. How many of the switch hitters to reach that milestone can you name in five minutes?

The 'MLB home run leaders since 1997' quiz

The 'Multiple MLB 30/30 seasons' quiz

The 'MLB home run record by position' quiz

Chicago Cubs News / ChiCitySports / December 4

Cubs Showing Interest in Potential Blockbuster Free Agency Signing

The Chicago Cubs have had a relatively quiet start to the MLB offseason. Of course, the recent reports of interest in Dylan Cease ended with the Cubs losing out on him to the defending American League champion Toronto Blue Jays.

Athletics News / Yardbarker

25 MLB players on the brink of stardom in 2026

The stars were out in full force during the 2025 World Series. From Max Scherzer in Toronto to Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and of course, Shohei Ohtani, in Los Angeles, there was no shortage of the game's best under the brightest lights.

Nico Zeglin News / ChiCitySports / December 4

Cubs deal 70-grade changeup arm for international bonus pool cash

The Chicago Cubs, like all other 29 teams, are given a specific dollar amount each year to spend on International Free Agents. During the signing period, teams can allocate as much as they want on specific prospects, typically teenagers who they project could develop into good ball players.

Kyle Tucker News / Larry Brown Sports / December 4

Report: Cubs eyeing a three-time All-Star bat to replace Kyle Tucker

The Chicago Cubs are already appear to have their contingency plan for Kyle Tucker’s departure. Chicago is showing renewed interest in three-time All-Star infielder Alex Bregman, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reported on Thursday.

Dylan Cease News / ChiCitySports / December 4

Chicago Cubs were in on Dylan Cease before being outbid by the Toronto Blue Jays

The Chicago Cubs are in a position where they need to improve their roster this offseason. There are a lot of intriguing options that could be on the team’s radar, but one player chose to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays over them for a simple reason: money.

Alex Bregman News / Chicago Cubs on SI / December 4

Insider's Alex Bregman Reveal Could Change The Cubs' Free Agency Plan

During a December 4 episode of 670 The Score's Mully & Haugh Show, Chicago Cubs MLB insider Bruce Levine got clear on the budget that Jed Hoyer and the front office have to work with in free agency this offseason.

Chicago Cubs News / Chicago Cubs on SI / December 4

MLB Insider Confirms Whether The Cubs Are A Player For Tatsuya Imai

Free agency is well underway, and while there are many starting pitchers who are up for grabs, there are fewer that fit the profile the Chicago Cubs are looking for as they try to bolster their starting rotation.

MLB News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest pitching seasons from the modern MLB era

America's favorite pastime has more memorable performances than any sport. As such, figuring out which pitchers had the best seasons ever is no easy task.

MLB News / MLB Trade Rumors / December 4

Cubs, Phillies, Yankees among teams interested in Tatsuya Imai

The Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball posted ace Tatsuya Imai for major league teams back on Nov. 19. The flamethrowing 27-year-old has until Jan.

Chicago Cubs News / MLB on ClutchPoints / December 4

Starting pitcher says Cubs can win World Series with current roster

The Chicago Cubs are going to be a team to keep an eye on this offseason. With Kyle Tucker atop the free agent rankings, the Cubs are trying to build their roster ahead of the 2026 season.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The '100-scrimmage-yard games since 2023' quiz

The 'Most passing + rushing TD games in a season' quiz

The 'Last pair of 100-yard rushers by team' quiz

The '1,500-receiving-yard NFL seasons' quiz

Michael Busch News / Bleed Cubbie Blue / December 4

Cubs walkoff heroes: Michael Busch, May 7, 2024

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.

Chicago Cubs News / Chicago Cubs on SI / December 4

Cubs' Interest In Top Free Agent Starting Pitcher Confirmed By Insider

The Chicago Cubs enter the offseason with the goal more so than anything of adding to their pitching staff, both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen.

Chicago Cubs News / MLB on ClutchPoints / December 4

Why Cubs must not be ruled out of Tatsuya Imai race

The Chicago Cubs lost in the National League Division Series to the Milwaukee Brewers, ending their 2025 season. That also likely ended Kyle Tucker’s time at Wrigley Field after just one year.

Chicago Cubs News / Chicago Cubs on SI / December 4

MLB Insider Reveals Cubs Budget For 2026 Free Agency Signings

The Chicago Cubs' ownership has been notoriously stringent on their team's spending in the past. This has limited Jed Hoyer and the rest of the Cubs front office's ability to offer top free agents the amount of money it would actually take to sign them in recent years.

Chicago Cubs News / ChiCitySports / December 4

Chicago Cubs linked to high-end free agent starter by multiple analysts

The Chicago Cubs went into the NLDS with only two starting pitchers in manager Craig Counsell’s circle of confidence– Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd (and Boyd started off the series with a rocky performance).

Edward Cabrera News / Bleed Cubbie Blue / December 4

Cubs trade target: Edward Cabrera

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.

Chicago Cubs News / Chicago Cubs on SI / December 4

Cubs Should Pursue This Talented Free Agent To Avoid Making The Same Mistake Twice

With the winter meetings right around the corner for the Chicago Cubs, the team will be focused on trying to make some improvements in order to build on what they accomplished in 2025. While it was a successful season for the Cubs last year, it felt like they could have accomplished more if they had remained aggressive in making improvements.

MLB News / ChiCitySports / December 4