Chas McCormick is still in the Cubs’ orbit, and for now, that’s where he’s likely to stay.
McCormick signed a minor-league deal with Chicago near the start of spring training and, at first, looked like a strong candidate to break camp with the club. Instead, the final bench spots went to Dylan Carlson and Michael Conforto.
Carlson is now elsewhere, while Conforto appears likely to remain for the full season. McCormick, meanwhile, has been grinding away at Triple-A Iowa, and the latest word is that he is not going anywhere.
It looked as though McCormick had opted out of his original deal with the Cubs last week, but he has since returned on another minor-league contract.
Source: OF Chas McCormick is going back to the #Cubs on a minor league deal.
McCormick has an .801 OPS in Triple-A this season. pic.twitter.com/cHTdMjN7lV
- Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) July 6, 2026
His production in Iowa has been solid enough to keep him in the picture. Through 215 plate appearances, McCormick owns a 103 wRC+, which is respectable but not the kind of line that would push Justin Dean out of a major league role. For now, McCormick looks like useful depth, the kind of outfield insurance the Cubs can keep parked in Triple-A and call on if needed.
There still doesn’t appear to be a real path for McCormick to make a meaningful impact in Chicago this season. But that could change if the Cubs move Kevin Alcantara and one of Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramirez before the trade deadline. In that scenario, McCormick could suddenly become a bench option.
The bigger issue hanging over the Cubs is the same one that showed up a year ago: pitching. Last season, they knew they needed help on the mound, targeted a front-line arm, hesitated when the price climbed, and ended up with Michael Soroka as their biggest addition. This year feels uncomfortably familiar, except the need may be even more urgent because of the injuries they’ve already absorbed.
And the market doesn’t sound like it’s getting any friendlier.
"I think it's going to be hard to make a trade for a pitcher. If it's done, the Cubs or the White Sox are going to have to give up a lot of good, young inventory." @MLBBruceLevine joined @mullyhaugh and discussed the trade market. pic.twitter.com/u81ZrV6Gp4
- 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) July 8, 2026
At some point, Jed Hoyer and the front office have to show they’re willing to step beyond the comfort zone. There’s always risk in paying up for pitching, but after years of staring at the same need, doing nothing would be the real mistake.
There was at least a little offensive encouragement on the Bregman front. Just a day after it was suggested he should be moved down in the lineup, he responded with two hits and a pair of RBI. He still isn’t fully back, but his last 17 plate appearances offer a reason for optimism.
Over that stretch, Bregman has five hits, and three of them have gone for doubles. Even better, his slugging percentage sits at .500 in that span. It’s a small sample, sure, but for Cubs fans looking for a spark, it’s something to hold onto.
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