Cubs Begin Spring Training Hungry for More After Wild-Card Series Win and Major Offseason Moves

The Chicago cubs opened spring training with a heightened sense of urgency after returning to the postseason and earning a wild-card series victory. That playoff taste, combined with high-profile roster moves, has reset expectations for a deeper run this season.

Cubs roster makeover: Bregman arrival, Cabrera added, Tucker departs

Front and center in the offseason narrative is the addition of Alex Bregman. After previously choosing another club in his first trip through free agency, Bregman re-entered the market and signed a five-year, heavily deferred deal worth $175 million to join the organization. That commitment is framed as a pillar move intended to bolster a veteran core that has grown together over recent seasons.

The rotation also received reinforcement with the acquisition of a hard-throwing right-hander in Edward Cabrera. Meanwhile, a year after the front office added a prominent outfielder who arrived with one season remaining on his contract, that player has since moved on to a different team this winter, leaving the club to recalibrate its outfield and roster construction.

Those shifts create a clearer veteran identity for the roster: established position players paired with rotation pieces meant to provide stability and innings. The front office’s pattern this offseason has tilted toward experience that can contribute immediately to a team seeking postseason momentum.

Process, continuity and the push for a deeper postseason run

Members of the club framed the objective plainly: deeper playoff aspirations begin with daily process. Long-tenured players emphasized familiarity inside the clubhouse and the value of returning a core that understands one another’s offseason goals and areas of focus. That shared knowledge has contributed to an internal push to "raise the level" as a group heading into a long season.

Pitching continuity is a notable element of the club’s outlook. A left-hander who is entering his second season with the team—after having moved among multiple clubs in prior years—provided a steady presence last season and achieved a first All-Star selection at age 34. That late-career breakout has been framed as a source of dependability within the rotation and a building block for this spring.

At the same time, patience and process were highlighted as essential. The organization and players stressed that talk of championships must be translated into day-to-day diligence—preparing one game at a time and focusing on incremental improvements rather than headline goals alone.

What to watch in camp and the path forward

• Integration of new additions into the existing veteran core and clubhouse culture.
• Rotation roles and how the hard-throwing right-hander fits alongside returning starters.
• Lineup construction after offseason turnover in the outfield and a major infield signing.
• How continuity with established players influences early-season consistency.

Spring training will be the first extended look at how the club blends its veteran nucleus with new reinforcements. The team’s postseason return and subsequent wild-card series victory have amplified expectations internally; the stated priority is to convert that momentum into a deeper postseason run by focusing on process, continuity and steady daily improvement.

Recent developments indicate an elevated standard within the organization; details about spring roles and performance will emerge as camp progresses and can shape how realistic the club’s deep-playoff ambitions prove to be.