Major League Baseball is already laying out the 2027 spring training calendar, even if the real question hanging over everything is whether that calendar survives intact.
On Friday, the league announced that spring training is set to begin on February 19. For Cubs fans, that means the Cactus League opener against the Athletics is technically on the books.
In practice, though, there’s a very real chance the schedule gets pushed back if the expected work stoppage hits. There is a chance the game happens as planned, but the odds are not exactly encouraging.
That’s the backdrop for a lot of the league’s procedural schedule drops right now: the numbers are out there, the dates are out there, and the reality may end up being something else entirely.
While that was unfolding, Pete Crow-Armstrong found himself at the center of a different kind of Cubs headline.
During Chicago’s win over the Brewers on Thursday, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Bulls forwards Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis were in the building supporting Crow-Armstrong. The Cubs even highlighted the moment, and it underscored just how intertwined Chicago’s sports scene feels at the moment.
Crow-Armstrong’s season has put him on a star track, with the National League MVP conversation now attached to his name. Williams is expected to be one of the biggest stories of the upcoming NFL season, and if Buzelis and Wilson can help push the Bulls back into relevance, Chicago could be looking at a huge year across the board.
Crow-Armstrong said the support from the other Chicago athletes means a lot.
“I think it’s just huge having guys show up and support each other, and then what I think everybody doesn’t see is that we genuinely like each other, as well. pic.twitter.com/ICk40zbbzT
The Cubs’ catching picture may be a bigger long-term concern.
Carson Kelly has been viewed as a likely free-agent departure this offseason, and while Chicago would like to keep him, the market may make that difficult. If Miguel Amaya is supposed to help fill that gap - even if only as a short-term option before Owen Ayers arrives - the Cubs may need to rethink the plan.
Amaya’s defense still gives him value behind the plate, especially in handling a pitching staff. But the bat has not taken the step forward Chicago has been hoping for.
Since July 1, he has posted a .681 OPS. Since August 1, he is hitting .175/.283/.325, and his plate appearances have looked as rough as the numbers suggest.
That matters because the Cubs could be facing more offensive turnover than they’d like. Kelly, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki are all mentioned as possible departures, which would leave a lot of production on the table. If Chicago wants a softer landing for Ayers next season, it may need to look for a veteran catcher with more offensive upside to work alongside Amaya.
In Other News...
Cubs May Have A New Shortstop Prospect Fans Need To Watch
The Cubs already got real value back from the Jefferson Rojas trade, with Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor both settling in nicely after arriving from the Mets. But the deal also left a little more room for the next wave of infield talent to matter, and Angel Cepeda has started to look like one of the names worth tracking in the system. In High-A this season, the young shortstop has taken a meaningful step forward and put himself into the conversation among the organizations deeper crop of middle-infield prospects.
Chicago still has other shortstop options in the pipeline, so nothing is settled and no one is handing out a future job based on one strong stretch. Even so, Cepedas development is exactly the kind of thing that can change a farm systems outlook over time, especially for a club that has already shown a willingness to move a prominent prospect when the major-league return makes sense. For Cubs fans, it is another reminder to keep an eye on the lower levels, where the next shortstop conversation may already be taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Edward Cabrera Is Making The Cubs Bullpen Question Even Tougher
The Cubs have been keeping a close eye on the rehab paths of Justin Steele, Shelby Miller and Edward Cabrera as they try to bolster a bullpen that figures to matter a lot over the seasons final stretch. Steeles first game appearance in nearly 18 months came in a rehab start, while Miller is nearing the point where he should be able to handle pitching on consecutive days, giving Chicago some hope that reinforcements could arrive in time to help.
Cabrera, though, has complicated the picture. His latest rehab outing did not go well, and for a team already sorting through a late-season relief mix, that makes his path back to meaningful major league work far less straightforward. The Cubs are still monitoring the situation, but the uncertainty around Cabrera only adds another layer to a bullpen decision that was already difficult enough. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Could Face Costly Pressure In A November They Can't Misplay
As the postseason calendar starts to give way to the offseason rumor mill, the Cubs are already being pushed into a familiar kind of winter scrutiny: who should they chase, who should they keep, and who might look better on paper than in a lineup card. Early speculation has centered on a mix of potential targets and familiar names around the roster, with Ian Happ, Casey Mize, Colin Rea and Randy Arozarena all surfacing in discussions about what the next version of the team could look like.
The larger backdrop is what makes this November feel loaded. Activity is expected to pick up before the current collective bargaining agreement expires, and the possibility of a lockout is hanging over the league, which only adds pressure to every front office decision. For the Cubs, that means the margin for error is thin, because the wrong move now could ripple well beyond this winter and into a more uncertain stretch for roster building. [Read more 🡒]