The 2026 World Series pits the Tampa Bay Rays against the Milwaukee Brewers after the Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians in six games. The blog previews the matchup, highlighting the Rays' strong pitching rotation, Brewers' "Murph Ball" strategy, and key storylines like Freddy Peralta’s AL MVP honor and Chandler Simpson’s clutch runs. It also links to in‑depth analyses from The Athletic, MLB.com, and other experts on managerial moves, player impacts, and unique World Series facts.
The Chicago Cubs let Kyle Tucker walk in free agency last winter due in part to their ability to shift Seiya Suzuki back to right field to fill the void, but there will be no in-house shuffling this time around as Suzuki and left fielder Ian Happ are both set to hit the open market.
The Bleed Cubbie Blue post debates the Cubs' best free‑agent pitcher target after the 2026 season. While Tarik Skubal tops the poll, the author notes owner Tom Ricketts is unlikely to commit the high price. More realistic options are right‑handers Michael King and Freddy Peralta. King, eyeing an opt‑out, posted a 12‑10 record with a 3.21 ERA over 185 innings but saw his strikeout rate dip to 21%. Peralta, fresh off an ALCS MVP performance with the Rays and a 3.25 ERA in ten starts, recaptures his Milwaukee form and could fit Craig Counsell’s system. The article weighs each pitcher’s recent stats and contract implications to gauge the Cubs' chances.
The Cubs are expected to keep pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and assistant Casey Jacobson for 2027, The Athletic reported, after an injury-filled 2026.
The post Report: Cubs Expected to Keep Pitching Coaches Tommy Hottovy, Casey Jacobson for 2027 appeared first on On Tap Sports Net .
“Why not think about the times to come?” – Don’t Stop by Fleetwood Mac I don’t know what’s in the water, but Bryce Harper seems to be a hot topic as far as the Cubs’ future outfield is concerned, and I don’t know why. Harper has a full no-trade clause, and though his contract is …
The post The Rundown: Cubs Trade Speculation Escalates, Kwan Checks Several Boxes, Banner Heads to Orioles, Rays Win AL Pennant appeared first on .
In news that should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows ball, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma reported that the Cubs are expected to retain pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and assistant pitching coach Casey Jacobson. The Cubs had one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball this past season as they dealt with …
The post Cubs Expected to Retain Pitching Coaches, Which Should Not Surprise Anyone appeared first on .
The Guardians are officially in offseason mode after being eliminated by the Rays in the ALCS, and they could be looking to move one of their star players prior to the start of the 2027 campaign. Steven Kwan is projected to earn a little more than $11 million in his final year of arbitration, and …
The post Cubs Mentioned as Fit if Guardians Look to Trade Steven Kwan appeared first on .
Bleed Cubbie Blue breaks down the Chicago Cubs’ upcoming roster moves, listing every player with impending free‑agent status or team options after the 2026 season. The piece covers pitchers Kevin Gausman, Shōta Imanaga, Jacob Webb, David Peterson, and Clay Holmes, as well as position players Michael Conforto, Tyrone Taylor, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki, highlighting contract timelines and potential impacts on the Cubs’ plans.
The Chicago Cubs will keep pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and assistant Casey Jacobson for the 2027 season, according to The Athletic. Hottovy, with the club since 2015 and pitching coach since 2019, and Jacobson, in his role for two years after a stint at Driveline, navigated a rotation plagued by injuries to starters like Justin Steele, Cade Horton, and Edward Cabrera, as well as a struggling bullpen. Despite deadline acquisitions Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman, and Ryan Zeferjahn yielding little return, the staff’s job security hinges on better health next year.
The Cubs signed right‑hander Jacob Webb to a one‑year, $1.5 million deal with a $2.5 million 2027 option. Webb posted a 3.36 ERA and 1.254 WHIP over 68 games, but his season was a roller‑coaster: terrible early numbers (5.06 ERA), a hot stretch (0.51 ERA, 22 Ks in 17.2 IP), then five disastrous outings (15.75 ERA), followed by 24 straight scoreless appearances and a 0.932 WHIP. He finished with three scoreless games and 1.2 clean innings in the Wild Card loss to the Padres, despite eight blown saves that nearly cost Chicago a home‑field advantage. At 33, Webb can flip between elite relief and costly failures, prompting the author to recommend exercising the 2027 option if the Cubs shore up the setup corps.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers predicts the Cubs could avoid major bullpen spending again, raising questions about Jed Hoyer's plans for 2027.
The post recaps recent Cubs commentary and off‑season rumors. It notes Steve Miller’s hiring as VP of International Scouting, warns about a red flag on Michael Soroka, and lists four trade targets the Cubs should watch. Pitching analysis questions Ryan Rolison’s 2026 bullpen role and the timeline for Cade Horton’s 2027 return, while Edward Cabrera’s debut raises concerns. Hitting notes a disappointing 2026 season for Michael Busch and highlights top prospect Josiah Hartshorn’s rise after a strong 2026 campaign. Additional pieces discuss the Brewers’ World Series chances, former manager David Ross’s outlook, and a quirky blues‑musician sidebar.
The Chicago White Sox claim the sole upset of the 2026 postseason, eliminating No. 3 seed Houston as a No. 6 seed in the AL Wild Card Series. While every other series followed expected seed outcomes, the Rays and Brewers dominate the AL and NL respectively, with Tampa Bay dispatching Cleveland after a brief early deficit. The article notes Stephen Vogt’s managerial choices didn’t alter the Rays’ decisive Game 6 win, underscoring the White Sox’s lone surprise in an otherwise predictable playoff field.
The Chicago Cubs are fighting a federal injunction that bars the Wrigley View Rooftop from selling tickets to Wrigley Field events, and the rooftop owners are now appealing the summary‑judgment ruling. The legal clash could have broader ramifications for revenue sharing and collective bargaining in baseball, as both parties prepare for a likely rooftop‑focused lawsuit ahead of upcoming CBA negotiations.
The latest BCB After Dark post invites Cubs fans to a fire‑lit, free‑entry night in St. Petersburg, FL, featuring a live set by Philly Joe Jones and his sextet. The author revisits the recent poll on whether the Cubs should chase Japanese Triple‑Crown star Teruaki Sato—61% voted yes after the Hanshin Tigers announced his MLB posting. A photo from the ALCS Game 6 between the Rays and Guardians adds a baseball backdrop, while the writer also riffs on classic horror TV, highlighting the 1969 Night Gallery pilot starring Joan Crawford. The piece blends game updates, fan engagement, and pop‑culture chatter for night‑owls and Cubs supporters alike.
Several other candidates were also interviewed.
Some people call him the space cowboy; some call him the gangster of love. Some people call him Maurice, ’cause he speaks of the pompatus of love. But now they call Steve Miller the Cubs’ new VP of international scouting after serving in a similar role for the Rays since 2019. Francys Romero was the …
The post Cubs Hire Steve Miller as New VP of International Scouting appeared first on .
The Cubs' Mesa Solar Sox wrapped a chaotic AFL week 2‑2, improving to 4‑6 overall. Kade Snell emerged as the breakout prospect, posting a .286/.459/.321 line with four walks, a steal and four RBIs in eight games, highlighted by a 2‑for‑3 showing on Wednesday and a three‑walk night on Thursday. Fellow Cubs Juan Cabada struggles at .167, while Harrison Feinberg shines at .385. Pitching notes: Jhon Cabral remains spotless in 2.1 innings, whereas Anhuar Garcia’s ERA inflates to 6.75 after a rough outing. The week was marred by rain and a power‑failure postponement, leaving the Solar Sox to play only four games.
The Baltimore Orioles are sticking with Mike Elias, but after another substandard campaign, the team’s president of baseball operations must move with an uncomfortable sense of urgency heading into the offseason. Aggressive roster moves can be challenging for organizations that are so reliant on homegrown talent to succeed, and a looming strike only exacerbates that […]
The post Orioles turn to Cubs for GM hire after disappointing season appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The author admits a misjudgment about Michael Conforto’s signing, noting how he quickly outlasted Dylan Carlson, who was released after a brief stint. Conforto seized a bench role, posting a .240/.331/.469 line with 15 homers in 271 at-bats and delivering a dramatic walk‑off homer on May 4. The piece highlights his solid defensive work, compares his production to Kyle Tucker’s despite fewer chances, and mentions his athletic lineage—father a Penn State football player and mother an Olympic gold‑medalist. At 34, Conforto earned $2 million in 2026, and the writer suggests a modest $5 million deal for 2027.
As first reported by Jeff Passan, the Orioles have hired Jared Banner to be their new GM. No relation to the gamma-irradiated scientist who turns into a green rage monster, Banner rose to the role of assistant GM with the Cubs after joining the organization as VP of special projects in 2021. He was subsequently …
The post Assistant GM Jared Banner Leaves Cubs for GM Role in Baltimore appeared first on .
The Baltimore Orioles officially appoint Jared Banner, a former Cubs assistant GM, as their new general manager, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Banner brings a decade of player‑development experience from stints with the Red Sox, Mets (where he served as executive director of player development) and the Cubs, highlighted by his role in acquiring Pete Crow‑Armstrong. While Mike Elias retains overall baseball‑operations authority as president of baseball operations, Banner is expected to bolster the Orioles’ struggling development pipeline. The move signals the O’s commitment to faster talent growth after two disappointing seasons.
The Baltimore Orioles announce Jared Banner as their new general manager, joining president of baseball operations Mike Elias on October 19, 2026. Banner, 40, arrives from the Chicago Cubs, where he served as assistant GM after stints with the Red Sox and Mets in player development roles. He will oversee day‑to‑day baseball operations, player development, coaching and performance, while collaborating with Elias on strategy and talent acquisition. Elias, who was promoted after the 2024 season, praises Banner’s multi‑department success as the team looks toward 2027 and beyond.
The Baltimore Orioles are hiring Jared Banner as their next general manager, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The post celebrates October 19 in baseball lore, kicking off with a birthday shout‑out to Mordecai Brown and highlighting the Cubs’ 2016 NLCS win over the Dodgers (10-2) where rookies Julio Urias and Ross Stripling started and Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo broke long homer droughts. It then flashes back to historic moments: Allie Reynolds joining the Yankees in 1946, Nellie Fox’s 1949 White Sox trade, the Dodgers’ “Blue Monday” NLCS win in 1981, and key World Series games from 1991‑1999. Recent milestones include the Red Sox’s 2004 ALCS comeback, the Rays’ 2008 ALCS win, the Dodgers’ 2017 NLCS clincher, the Astros’ 2019 ALCS walk‑off, and the Yankees’ 2024 ALCS Game 5 victory on Juan Soto’s three‑run homer.