Cubs News & Notes: Offseason Snapshot, Happ Talks Bregman Fit, New Signings & More

MLB's Winter Meetings concluded earlier this week, and while Cubs fans didn't see any major deal go down for the team, there's still plenty of time left in the offseason.

The pressure is still on Jed Hoyer and the rest of the front office to fill out the team's 40-man roster, with the Cubs still needing to bring quite a few players on board to complete the squad.

Here's the latest Cubs news and notes from the past few days to catch up on.

Cubs News & Notes

Where The Cubs' Offseason Stands - The Cubs have signed a trio of relievers this offseason, along with bringing back Shota Imanaga, but there's still plenty of work to be done. Here's a look at the newest additions to the Cubs roster, which free agents the Cubs are linked to, which free agents the team could lose, and who currently remains on the roster from last season.

Ian Happ Reveals Why Alex Bregman Would Be A Great Fit - Whether the Cubs are truly in on Alex Bregman remains to be seen, but that didn't stop outfielder Ian Happ from voicing his opinion on the potential benefits of bringing Bregman on board.

During an appearance on Marquee Sports Network, Happ explained how adding Bregman would benefit the lineup. Specifically, Happ commented on how the young players on the team are left-handed hitters, adding that Bregman could counter that.

“The fact that those guys are all left-handed, bringing in a right-handed bat helps you a little bit with lineup construction,” Happ said. “When you have that, you can space out your lefties in between guys that really hit lefties well and make the other manager think twice."

Cubs Add Hoby Milner and Collin Snider - The team made a couple of moves over the past 48 hours that included the signing of two pitchers. Hoby Milner, who spent last season with the Texas Rangers, signed a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the team (plus incentives), while Collin Snider, who spent the last two seasons with the Mariners, signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

Hoby Milner has agreed to a one-year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs, per source. The deal also includes incentives.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 11, 2025

Milner, a ground-ball specialist, went 3-4, posting a 3.84 ERA in 73 appearances (70.1 innings) and tallying 58 strikeouts in 2025. Snider, meanwhile, posted an ERA of 5.47 in 24 games last season. However, in 2024, he posted a 1.94 ERA in 42 appearances.

Cubs Were Devin Williams' Top Choice - The Cubs had one of the top relievers in baseball looking to join the team before ultimately signing with the Mets. What happened? According MLB insider Bruce Levine, the Cubs' offer didn't match the Mets.

"[The] Cubs had a three-year offer for Devin Williams before he signed a three-year deal with the Mets for $51 million. But [the Cubs' offer] wasn't for $51 million. His preference, according to some agent sources, is that he wanted to go to the Cubs. But they didn't approach him with $51 million."

Craig Counsell Sheds Light On Justin Steele's Return Timetable - The Cubs don't know exactly when Justin Steele will return, but manager Craig Counsell knows when they'll have a better idea. Speaking at the Winter Meetings, Counsell said, “I think we'll know in spring training kind of a target area or date. It’s not going to be opening day, but I think it will be the first half of the season.”

pic.twitter.com/Hg1qgyBk3T
— Justin Steele (@J_Steele21) December 8, 2025

Chicago Cubs Acquire Three Players In Rule 5 Draft - The Rule 5 draft concluded on Dec 10, with the Cubs selecting three players in the Triple-A phase. With the 25th pick of the first Triple-A Round, Chicago took right-handed pitcher Adam Stone. They next took Zane Mills from the Cardinals in the second Triple-A round, before selecting Devin Ortiz from the Padres organization in the third Triple-A round.

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