Last season, Chicago could not resist hiring the man considered to be the best manager in baseball. Although Craig Counsell’s arrival generated excitement, his first season did not deliver a playoff berth. Future market action remains mixed on the Cubs. For the previous three baseball betting odds seasons before 2024, the unfortunate David Ross made methodical progress as manager of the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately, he did not move the needle fast enough. Finally, Ross put the Cubs in 2023 playoff contention, falling just short of the Miami Marlins for wild card playoff position.
2025 Chicago Cubs World Series
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2025 Chicago Cubs Manager and Key Players
Chicago ranks 11th for MLB payroll. Major moves: Acquired OF Kyle Tucker via trade from Houston, Signed SP Matthew Boyd to a 2-year deal, Signed C Carson Kelly to a 2-year deal, Acquired RP Ryan Pressly via trade from Houston, Acquired RP Eli Morgan via trade from Cleveland.
Following years of half-measures and conservative additions, the Cubs finally swung big with their trade to acquire Tucker from Houston. In turn, this gave them the superstar bat their roster has sorely lacked since the Bryant/Rizzo/Schwarber days. Chicago paid a heavy price to get him, but it was refreshing to see this front office finally make an aggressive move that reflected a level of urgency to restore the Cubs’ status as one of MLB’s prominent franchises. Instead of an underwhelming big-market club mired in mediocrity.
The rest of the offseason, though, had shades of previous cautious winters. Despite jettisoning Cody Bellinger’s contract to the Bronx and remaining more than $30 million below the first luxury tax line, the Cubs have remained reluctant to spend big in free agency.
While Boyd is a nice pickup to shore up the back end of the rotation, there were several more impactful arms on the market that the Cubs showed little interest in pursuing. The additions of Pressly and Morgan will help a bullpen that was a clear weak spot in 2024. But that unit still looks a bit thin with spring training approaching.
Craig Counsell shocked the baseball world by leaving his hometown team, the Milwaukee Brewers, for their hated arch-rival Chicago Cubs. Previously, Counsell put Milwaukee in the playoffs in five of his last six seasons with three NL Central Division titles.
In 2023, LF Ian Happ produced 86 runs, 325 doubles, 21 home runs, 84 RBI, and a .791 OPS. Also, Happ was a 2022 NL All-Star. In 2024, Happ produced 89 runs, 25 home runs, and 86 RBI.
LHP Justin Steele is the Cubs’ number one starter. Previously, Steele had a phenomenal 2023 online wagering campaign. Steele was 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. As a result of his performance, Steele was a National League All-Star. In 2024, Steel was 5-5 with a 3.07 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.
2025 Chicago Cubs Team Overview
Ross was looking to return to the Cubs for 2024. Still, when Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell became available, Chicago made a change.
In 2024, the Chicago Cubs had an MLB odds record of 83-79 and were 3rd in the National League Central Division. Offensively, Chicago ranked 13th for runs scored, 18th for batting average, 14th for OPS,18th for home runs, and 8th for stolen bases. Defensively, Chicago ranked 8th for earned run average, 12th for WHIP, 14th for strikeouts, 10th for quality starts, 7th for fewest errors, and 12th for bullpen ERA.