Cubs Earn Strong Grade in Offseason Report Card

The Chicago Cubs have had a busy offseason. From signing third baseman Alex Bregman to trading for starter Edward Cabrera, the Cubs have made major upgrades to their roster.

With the offseason nearing a close and spring training coming up quickly, Jim Bowden of The Athletic put together grades for all 30 teams this offseason.

Unsurprisingly, the Cubs were given high marks for their offseason and were given an 'A' as they hope to reclaim the NL Central and compete for a championship.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Why did Bowden give the Chicago Cubs an 'A'?

"The Cubs have had arguably their best offseason since president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer took over in November 2020. They bolstered their starting rotation by acquiring Edward Cabrera, who has three years of team control remaining. They rebuilt the bullpen, adding five new relievers. But they made their biggest splash with the Alex Bregman signing," Bowden said.

"In addition to what he brings to the field, Bregman gives the Cubs an instant upgrade in team leadership and clubhouse culture. They lost Kyle Tucker in free agency but still have one of the best defensive outfields with Gold Glovers Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong."

Bowden gave Hoyer his flowers for how he's reconstructed this Cubs team into a contender. Bregman is an instant needle-mover who will change the complexion of the team and the clubhouse. The Cubs have also upgraded the rotation significantly with Cabrera.

Jed Hoyer | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Losing Tucker in free agency hurts, but Chicago is well prepared with Crow-Armstrong, Happ, and Seiya Suzuki. Crow-Armstrong especially had an astounding +24 Outs Above Average in 2025, per Baseball Savant.

While Bowden is quite bullish on the Cubs' moves, some questions remain for this team.

"Will starting pitcher Justin Steele (elbow surgery) be able to return to the active roster during the first half of the season and regain the form that had him in the ERA title race when he suffered the injury last season?"
Jim Bowden, The Athletic

While Steele is expected to begin the season on the IL, he is expected to rejoin the team at some point in the first half of the season.

While it's not clear what Bowden meant by the "ERA title race" comment, considering he had a 4.76 ERA in four starts during the 2025 season before his injury, he was in contention during the 2023 season when he had a 3.06 ERA and a 3.07 ERA in 2024.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Cubs are predicted by Bowden to finish first in the division, an expected one given all the moves Chicago has made. When you add in what the reigning division champion Milwaukee Brewers have done this offseason, it makes the Cubs a true contender in the National League.

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