Chicago Cubs Cement Status As National League Contenders With Latest Acquisition

The Chicago Cubs are seemingly going all in for 2025, and may have cemented their status as legitimate contenders with their latest acquisition.

Nov 8, 2023; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer speaks to the media during the MLB General Manager's Meetings at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the most active teams on the trade market this offseason, and they have not been nothing moves, either.

Adding superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker in December will add a jolt to their offense that has not been bad, but has lacked the offensive firepower necessary to do any real damage against top-tier pitching.

Shedding the albatross contract of Cody Bellinger gave the club more payroll flexibility to make more moves and even start working on a potential extension for Tucker who will be a free agent after 2025.

While those moves were great and of the high-profile variety, the recent trade for reliever Ryan Brasier was not as big of a splash, but could be the one that puts the Cubs in the conversation with the Los Angeles Dodgers (who they acquired Brasier from), the Atlanta Braves, and the Philadelphia Phillies as World Series contenders in the National League.

Tucker is being added to a lineup that produced a .710 OPS in 2024, 13th in MLB. Chicago added Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea to a rotation that combined to produce a 3.77 ERA, sixth in MLB. Brasier will be added to a bullpen that produced a 3.81 ERA, 12th in MLB.

All facets were solidly above average in 2024, though there were no players who put the club over the top.

That will not be the case in 2025.

Even on the defensive side of the ball, the Cubs finished 2024 with the seventh-fewest errors in the sport. While errors are subjective, making them not a great measure to assess defensive prowess, no one can deny how great of a team they are with the glove.

While others in the National League Central have remained mostly stagnant, Chicago has gone out this winter and made the moves necessary to put this club over the top.

Their efforts have certainly not gone unnoticed, and assuming the roster remains mostly healthy, they should not go unrewarded.

The Cubs are even rumored to still be in on free agent Alex Bregman, and while adding the veteran third baseman is not a necessity, it would be just one more point of reference for the front office going all in for 2025.

It is an exciting time in Chicago with the season just around the corner.

After years of mediocrity following the 2016 World Series, the Cubs certainly look to be gearing up for another run at the crown, and they just might do it.