The Chicago Cubs ended the 2023 season with a mediocre finish, barely being above .500, and missing the playoffs. Many think the Cubs are bound to have another mediocre season in 2024 because they failed to sign Shohei Ohtani, and were pretty quiet in the off-season. I believe they may have a chance at a good season this year. In this article, I will be going over 5 positive things happening for the Cubs.
The Emergence of Justin Steele
Left-handed pitcher Justin Steele had a great season, finishing top-5 in the Cy Young award voting. He improved tremendously in the 2023 season finishing with the 3rd most wins at 16, which is 12 more than his previous 2 seasons in the league. The Cubs are hoping he can pick up where he left off in the upcoming season.
The Re-Signing of Cody Bellinger
Former National League MVP, Cody Bellinger, was the Cubs’ most productive hitter in 2023, providing much-needed power to the Cubs’ lineup. He signed an $80 million dollar deal over three years with opt-outs in year one and two. Bellinger is coming back optimistic stating he was “super happy that it worked out the way it did” (Bellinger, 2023).
The Signing of Shota Imanaga
The Cubs signed Japanese star pitcher Shota Imanaga to a $53 million deal. Widely regarded as the second-best pitcher in Japan, Imanaga finished the 2023 season with a 2.80 ERA in 148 innings, along with a walk rate of 4 percent. This is a great pick-up for the Cubs, adding to their developing pitching roster.
Hiring Craig Counsell
The Cubs added a new manager to their roster, the former Milwaukee Brewers manager, Craig Counsell. During his nine years in Milwaukee, Counsell built a reputation as a manager who could make the most out of the smaller payroll and roster to work with. He became the manager with the most wins in Brewers history, reached the playoffs five out of the last six years, and has posted the National League’s third-highest winning percentage (.555) since 2017.
Seiya Suzuki
The man the Cubs invested five years into before the 2022 season. Consistency has been an issue for Suzuki, but when he gets on a hot streak he can’t be stopped. During September, Seiya carried the Cubs offensively for the whole month. The Cubs are hoping he can pick up where he left off as they fell short of the playoffs.
Although the Cubs didn’t make any huge roster changes during the off-season, they still have a shot next season with this developing roster. These 5 players could make a big difference next season, and could prove that the Cubs off-season wasn’t just a dud. Overall, the Cubs look to be a potential threat if consistency improves as the team develops.
Works Cited:
Bastian, J. (2024, March 12). After finishing strong in ’23, Suzuki aims to be ‘that bat’ in ’24. MLB. https://www.mlb.com/news/seiya-suzuki-seeks-to-continue-being-dangerous-hitter
Bastian, J. (2024, January 11). Cubs finalize 4-year deal with Japanese lefty Imanaga. MLB. https://www.mlb.com/news/shota-imanaga-cubs-deal
Parys, J. (2024, February 28). Cody Bellinger “super happy” to re-sign with Chicago Cubs. CBS. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/bellinger-happy-resign-cubs/
Rogers, J. (2023, September 26). How Justin Steele became the new Chicago Cubs ace. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38490805/justin-steele-became-chicago-cubs-ace
