Injuries & Moves: RHP Bickford signed to Minors deal
This roster moves and injury updates page will be updated throughout the offseason as news happens.
LATEST NEWS
Nov. 26: RHP Phil Bickford signed to a Minor League contract
The Cubs added to their bullpen depth with the 29-year-old Bickford, who has a 4.62 ERA with 210 strikeouts and 73 walks in 189 innings in his MLB career. The righty has pitched with the Brewers, Dodgers, Mets and Yankees in parts of five seasons. Bickford appeared in eight games in the Majors for the Yankees in 2024, while also posting a 3.40 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 16 walks in 50 1/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Nov. 22: Signed RHP Julian Merryweather, C Matt Thaiss and RHP Keegan Thompson to one-year deals to avoid arbitration
Merryweather is coming off an injury-marred '24 campaign, but still has an opportunity to be a key late-inning arm, as was the case in his previous season with the Cubs. Likewise, Thompson enjoyed a solid showing this season (2.67 ERA in 24 games) and will be in the mix for a bullpen job. The Cubs acquired Thaiss from the Angels on Nov. 20 and have him in the fold as a candidate for the backup catching role.
Nov. 22: Tendered 2025 contracts to RHP Eli Morgan, 3B Isaac Paredes, RHP Nate Pearson, LHP Justin Steele
The Cubs and this group will be required to exchange proposed salary figures for '25 on Jan. 9, barring deals to avoid arbitration prior to that date. Chicago has a strong history of avoiding arb, so expect that to be the goal in the weeks ahead. Steele is set to be atop the rotation, while Morgan (acquired on Nov. 20 from Cleveland) and Pearson are in the bullpen mix. Paredes projects to be the Cubs' starting third baseman after joining the team via trade in July.
Nov. 22: RHP Adbert Alzolay, OF Brennen Davis, INF Nick Madrigal, OF Mike Tauchman, RHP Trey Wingenter, INF Patrick Wisdom non-tendered
All six players in this group will now become free agents. Alzolay, Davis, Wingenter and Wisdom were each designated for assignment earlier in the week in moves to add Owen Caissie, Ben Cowles, Eli Morgan and Matt Thaiss to the 40-man roster. Madrigal is coming off a tough, injury-marred '24 season and has multiple players ahead of him on the depth chart. Tauchman has been a solid role player over the past two years, but is the odd man out currently, given the Cubs' outfield alignment.
INJURY UPDATES
2B Nico Hoerner (right flexor tendon)
Expected return: 2025
The Cubs announced that Hoerner underwent successful flexor tendon surgery on his right forearm (performed by Dr. Keith Meister) on Oct. 11. The second baseman will focus on his rehab over the offseason and be assessed at the start of Spring Training in February to determine his next steps. In 151 games in '24, the 27-year-old Hoerner hit .273/.335/.373 with seven homers, 35 doubles, 48 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. He is signed through 2026 and set to earn $11.5 million in '25. (Last updated: Oct. 21)
LHP Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain)
Expected return: 2025
Wicks was placed on the 15-day IL on Sept. 20 due to a right oblique strain, which impacted a different area than a similar setback earlier in the season. The left-hander landed on the 15-day IL with a right oblique strain on June 15 and was activated on Sept. 1. Wicks also dealt with a left forearm strain early in the season. In 11 games (10 starts) overall for the Cubs this year, Wicks posted a 5.48 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 20 walks in 46 innings. (Last updated: Sept. 29)
RHP Cade Horton (right lat strain; No. 2 on Cubs' Top Prospects list, No. 28 overall)
Expected return: 2025
Horton’s 2024 season ended in August after he suffered a setback in his rehab from the right subscapularis strain that sidelined him in May. Cubs GM Carter Hawkins said on Aug. 13 that, "at this point of the year and this point of his career, it's not something that we wanted to push. We feel confident that he'll be ready to rock and roll come Spring Training, and certainly he’ll be part of our plans for next year."
Horton, who was Chicago’s first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in the 2022 MLB Draft, exited his May 29 start for Triple-A Iowa after logging 20 pitches in one inning (two runs allowed) against Louisville. The righty posted a 7.50 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks in 18 innings (five starts) for Iowa, following a four-start stint (1.10 ERA with 18 strikeouts and two walks in 16 1/3 innings) with Double-A Tennessee to begin the season. (Last updated: Sept. 29)