The Chicago Cubs are in prime position to win the National League Central this year. The division is open for the taking with uncertainties surrounding their biggest rival, the Milwaukee Brewers. But like many contenders, they have question marks. The biggest problems the Cubs have faced in recent years are bullpen depth and inconsistent offense. Those are among the questions we have for Chicago heading into the 2025 season.
Can Shota Imanaga repeat his dominant rookie season?
Shota Imanaga emerged as one of the best pitchers in the National League as a rookie in 2024. In 173 innings pitched, he posted a 15-3 record with a 2.91 ERA. The most eye-popping stat for Imanaga was his strikeout-to-walk ratio: 174 strikeouts to just 28 walks. Out of his 29 starts, he didn’t allow a single earned run in seven of them. If he repeats that type of performance in 2025, he will certainly be a Cy Young finalist, if not win the award outright.
Will the offense generate more power?
The Cubs lineup didn’t generate much power in 2024, hitting 170 home runs, which ranked 20th in baseball. They only have one true 30-home-run hitter on the roster in Kyle Tucker, whom they acquired from the Houston Astros. The Cubs will need veterans Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Dansby Swanson, along with young players Michael Busch and highly-touted prospect Matt Shaw to carry the offensive load.
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What impact will Justin Turner have?
The Cubs turned to Justin Turner after missing out on Alex Bregman. At age 40, it’s hard to imagine Turner having a major impact. However, he’s known for performing to a high standard in the postseason, which is what the Cubs need: an experienced veteran. If nothing else, he can guide the young talent and be a leader in the clubhouse even if he doesn’t play frequently.
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How will back-half of rotation fare in 2025?
The Cubs have three solid starters at the top of their rotation in Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon. But how will the back-half fare?
Chicago signed lefty starter Matthew Boyd to a two-year, $29 million deal. He was limited to just eight starts with the Cleveland Guardians after coming back from Tommy John surgery, with a 2.72 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. He also made three starts in the playoffs, punching out 14 in 11 2/3 innings with a minuscule 0.77 ERA.
With Boyd penciled in as the No. 4 starter, the fifth spot will most likely go to Javier Assad, who made 29 starts for the Cubs in 2024. They also have rotation depth with Ben Brown, Colin Rea, Jordan Wicks, and Caleb Kilian.
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How reliable will the bullpen be?
The Cubs have remade a bullpen that finished 12th in MLB in ERA (3.81), 14th in batting average allowed (.233), 18th in strikeouts (587), and 19th in WHIP (1.29) in 2024. They acquired two-time All-Star reliever Ryan Pressly from the Astros, who saved 111 games in seven seasons with them. However, he’s regressed the last two seasons as his ERA has increased, while his ERA+ decreased.
The Cubs also picked up former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Ryan Brasier, who took the mound 28 times during the regular season in 2024, on top of appearing in eight games in the playoffs. He struck out 25 across 28 innings, with a 3.54 ERA.
Chicago will be heavily relying on Porter Hodge, who had a 1.88 ERA across 39 games his rookie season in 2024. He struck out 52 batters in 43 innings, averaging 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings. The Cubs will need to count on their bullpen if they are hoping to play baseball in October.