Nick Madrigal is on the move again, this time landing with the Tampa Bay Rays on a minor-league deal over the weekend.
For the former Cubs infielder, it’s been a fast-moving month. He got back to the majors for the first time since 2024, only to be designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels after 15 games. The Angels’ decision didn’t exactly come with much logic attached, and Madrigal’s brief run in Los Angeles at least showed he still had something to offer.
In that stretch, he posted a .273/.385/.295 slash line with a wRC+ of 102. That was better than anything he put together in three seasons with the Cubs, even if it still looked very much like the familiar Madrigal profile: contact, some on-base ability, and very little impact power.
The Rays clearly saw enough to take a shot. That’s usually how Tampa Bay operates - if they want a player, they believe there’s something there to work with. At minimum, Madrigal gives them another option in the infield as they sit atop the American League East.
For the Cubs, though, Madrigal’s path is a useful reminder of how tricky it can be to evaluate certain types of hitters. By the end of his time with the White Sox, it was obvious he was more of a singles hitter than a potential star.
Chicago then brought him in, but he quickly lost the second-base job and moved to third. He held up okay defensively there, but the lack of slug made it hard for him to justify an everyday role.
His original rise is the part that still stands out. When the White Sox took Madrigal in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft, the expectation was that he might grow into the next Jose Altuve. That never came close to happening, and it’s a cautionary tale when projecting college bats.
The Cubs, at least lately, have done a better job in that department. They’ve leaned into drafting college hitters with high upside, even if that approach has come at the expense of pitching development. In Madrigal’s case, the lesson is pretty clear: avoid overvaluing college bats with obvious limitations.
In Other News...
Cubs May Already Have A Carson Kelly Backup Plan Brewing
Carson Kelly has given the Cubs exactly what they hoped for this season, settling in as a reliable force behind the plate and making himself one of the more appealing catchers headed toward free agency. The problem for Chicago is that a strong year from Kelly only sharpens the next question, because the front office is juggling more than one roster need and cant treat catcher as the only item on the list.
If Kelly prices himself into a different tier this winter, the Cubs may need a cleaner backup plan than simply hoping everything works out. The organization has internal options it can sort through if he departs, but it is also keeping an eye on the future at the position, where the 2026 draft could offer a long-term answer and help shape what Chicago looks like behind the plate in the years ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Sent Another Message To The Brewers And The Central
The Cubs kept rolling with another tight win over Milwaukee, outlasting the Brewers 4-3 in extra innings and backing up Sundays victory with a second straight statement against the division leader. Chicago has now won 8 of its last 10, and the timing matters, because the club is trying to turn a strong stretch into something more meaningful in the NL Central race.
The pitching staff did its part again, piecing together 10 innings with 12 strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed while the offense found enough late to push ahead. Seiya Suzuki came through in the 10th with a clutch two-run single, and the Cubs even had to manage a late Brewers push before finally closing the door, a reminder that this kind of momentum only counts if they can keep stacking nights like this. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Fans Are Running Out Of Patience With Alex Bregman
Alex Bregmans first season with the Cubs has been short on the kind of impact Chicago expected, and the unease around his bat has only grown as the summer has worn on. He has struggled to produce in big spots, especially with runners in scoring position, where the numbers have sunk well below what a middle-of-the-order hitter is supposed to provide.
The frustration is not just about missed chances at the plate, either. In a recent game against the Brewers, Bregman drew heat for the way he handled a ground ball in the box, a moment that fit the broader concern around his season: the Cubs are still waiting for the version of him that changes games, not the one who keeps leaving fans wanting more. [Read more 🡒]