Cubs Notes: Hoerner Trade Proposals, Skubal's Cost, Latest on Gallen & More

Many players are already hitting the field with spring training workout dates fast approaching. Pitchers and catchers are due to report on February 11th, while position players will follow on the 16th.

The Cubs first game will take place on February 20th against their Windy City rivals, the Chicago White Sox.

Here's the latest Chicago Cubs news and notes from the past week.

Cubs news and notes

Ranking Cubs Most Significant Offseason Acquisitions Ahead of 2026 MLB Season - The Cubs have had a busy offseason, and the moves Jed Hoyer has made have put the team in a great position to challenge for a world title. Here's a look at the five most significant acquisitions the team has made so far.

Fascinating Cubs-Braves Nico Hoerner Trade Proposal Lands Chicago Star Reliever - There's been plenty of speculation around Nico Hoerner trade possibilities, and Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report floated an intriguing proposal that saw Chicago deal Hoerner to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for their new star closer, Robert Suarez.

While it's rare to see a free agent who just signed end up traded before playing a single game, trading one more year of Hoerner for three years of Suarez at a reasonable price is intriguing. But would the Braves really go for it?

Cubs Trade Idea Shows What It Would Take to Land Tarik Skubal From Tigers - The Cubs lack a true ace right now, and the addition of Tarik Skubal would instantly turn them into a true contender. And in a proposal from Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report, he laid out what it would cost the team.

In exchange for Skubal, Rymer suggests Chicago would need to part ways with young infielder Matt Shaw, top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins, and last year's first-round selection Ethan Conrad. It's a steep price, but if Jed Hoyer really believes the time is now, sometimes you need to back it up by putting all your chips on the line.

Cubs Brass Reveal Why Team Is Still Pursuing Free Agent Pitching - While the Cubs have brought in a ton of new pitching talent this offseason, it doesn't appear to be enough for manager Craig Counsell and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

"I don’t think we have enough guys yet. If you think there’s too many, I don’t know what you’re looking at," Counsell said at Cubs Con a couple weeks ago. "We’re now protecting a lot against what can happen. We were fortunate last year. Not much happened, right? We had the big Justin Steele injury, which was obviously significant, but we were pretty fortunate last year. My case is that we don’t have enough."

Craig Counsell | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Anthony Rizzo Become Lead MLB Analyst for NBC Sports - News broke yesterday that former first baseman and Cubs legend Anthony Rizzo would be joining NBC Sports in the broadcast booth as an analyst for the 2026 MLB season.

Rizzo helped the Cubs break the 108-year curse in 2016 and was a leader both on the field and in the clubhouse. During his time in Chicago, Rizzo slashed .272/.372/.489, including an impressive .360/.484/.600 performance during the 2016 World Series.

Insider Says Cubs Still Targeting Top Free Agent Ace Despite Conflicting Reports - Despite rumors in both directions, reports still have the Chicago Cubs connected to Zac Gallen. And the latest came late last week when Jon Heyman again noted the Cubs were still interested in his services.

.@JonHeyman reports that the D-backs, Cubs and Orioles are teams that continue to express interest in free agent starter Zac Gallen. pic.twitter.com/bndDqCNPFy
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 27, 2026

While there are no questions at this point, the link between the two raises the question: Is this a realistic possibility at this point?

Cubs news and notes

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