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How A Big Tyrique Stevenson Update Just Shifted Bears Draft Projections

By
Erik Lambert
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tyrique stevenson
Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is injured after catching a twelve-yard pass thrown by quarterback Matthew Stafford (not pictured) against Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) during the fourth quarter of an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears have said they will take the best player regardless of position later this month when the NFL draft kicks off. Some have wondered if that will include cornerbacks. With Naishon Wright leaving in free agency, some people aren’t sure what the starting lineup will look like in 2026. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are sure to remain in the mix despite their injury problems last season. The big question mark is Tyrique Stevenson. His playing time was drastically reduced in the second half of last year, leading some to wonder if he’d fallen out of favor with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

If that is the case, one has to think cornerback is higher on the priority list than people realize. Adam Hoge of CHGO provided an update on that situation.

My understanding is they still view fourth-year corner Tyrique Stevenson as a starter, even though he didn’t finish the 2025 season in that standing. While Wright flashed with takeaways last season, the Bears are betting on Stevenson’s overall ability to cover as he continues to adapt in Dennis Allen’s defense. The team also believes in Terell Smith as a good depth piece and is holding out hope that last year’s fifth-round pick, Zah Frazier, will get in the mix after missing all of his rookie season.

This update lends credence to the belief that Stevenson’s benching was less about poor play and more about the inability to justify keeping Wright off the field. The Bears obviously needed Johnson and Gordon out there once they returned from injuries. The problem was that this forced them to choose between starting Stevenson or Wright. By that point, Wright was near the league lead in interceptions. Giving that up wasn’t something they could justify.

Tyrique Stevenson faces the most pivotal season of his career.

Like fellow teammate Gervon Dexter, 2026 represents a do-or-die scenario in many ways. He’s in the last year of his rookie contract. There have been stretches of really good play from the young cornerback, but also more than a few blunders. His infamous Hail Mary fiasco in 2024 sits at the top of the list, but it goes beyond that. Stevenson, despite his obvious talent, has struggled with consistency and focus. The ability is there. When he’s on, he is a very good cornerback. He only allowed one touchdown last season and none in 13 straight games.

While this revelation likely means the Bears will avoid taking a cornerback in the 1st round, it doesn’t mean they won’t address the position. Not only do they need depth, but they will likely want some insurance in case Stevenson and Terell Smith leave next year. Right now, the odds of him securing a new contract from the team are remote. They already paid Johnson and Gordon. If both return to form, it is almost impossible that Chicago will pay another corner. We already saw they were willing to let Jaquan Brisker leave, who was also a former 2nd round pick.

Season TeamGamesPFF Grade (Def)Passer Rating AllowedRec AllowedPass BreakupsForced Fumbles
2025CHI1364.493.837102
2024CHI1661.288.452121
2023CHI1660.397.864161

It’s clear Stevenson is well aware of his situation.

Recently, he posted a video on social media in which he basically admitted he hadn’t been taking his job seriously enough. Yet now that he is a father, he is beginning to understand the true burden of responsibility. That is why he has been going through intensive preparation ahead of this season, aiming to be in top condition. It’s possible the Bears are aware of this newly dedicated approach and are willing to give him another opportunity to cement his spot in the lineup long term.

That said, Tyrique Stevenson should expect competition. This regime isn’t afraid to push players by adding talent at positions that were supposed to be settled. They proved it last year with Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. Stevenson may have dodged the executioner’s ax for a year, but he’s not out of danger. That sense of urgency he feels is justified. If the Bears are having doubts about him, rest assured, it is the case with other NFL teams as well. Changing that perception will take all year.

A Baby Might Have Unlocked the 2026 Chicago Cubs Offense

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs were supposed to face right-handed starter Drew Rasmussen on Tuesday night, but the Tampa Bay Rays pitcher was scratched four hours before first pitch. Rasmussen thought he would be in the clear to make the start against the Cubs, as he and his wife were expecting their second child later this week, but the couple’s daughter arrived earlier than they thought.

Rasmussen let the team know early in the day that he wouldn’t make the Tuesday night start against the Cubs, as he was headed to the hospital to be with his wife during the birth of their second child.

The 30-year-old pitcher has been one of the more underrated starters in MLB for a while. Injuries have limited the right-hander’s time on the mound, but in 2025, he was excellent, posting a 2.76 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 31 starts with the Rays. Rasmussen has only allowed two earned runs in 10 innings through his first two starts of the 2026 season, while striking out 10 batters, walking one, and only giving up six hits.

So, it was certainly a relief for the Cubs’ offense that they didn’t have to face Rasmussen on Tuesday. As a team, the Cubs had the third-lowest batting average heading into that game at .199, while their combined 84 wRC+ ranked 25th in MLB.

Prior to Tuesday, the Cubs’ offense had five or fewer hits in five of their first 10 games of the season. Well, that changed with the Rays needing to make a last-minute switch on the mound.

The Cubs exploded at the plate with 16 hits against the Rays en route to a 9-2 win.

Nico Hoerner: 2-4, 2 RBI, BB
Alex Bregman: 3-5, R
Pete Crow-Armstrong: 3-5, HR, 3 R
Moises Ballesteros: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Dansby Swanson: 2-5, 2 R
Michael Conforto: 2-3, RBI, R, BB
Matt Shaw: 2-5, RBI

The Cubs had 18 hard-hit balls, which means an exit velocity of 95mph or higher, so they weren’t getting cheated at the plate, as 11 of those went for hits. And thankfully, those balls actually got down for hits, even though the team wasn’t producing results; they were hitting the ball hard through the first 10 games of the season.

The positive regression had to come eventually, and maybe it helped not having to face Rasmussen, who has held hitters to a career .217 batting average against him.

A good night for the Cubs after a very tough day on the injury front, and we talked about it on the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast.

Ex-Chicago Cubs and White Sox Throw Haymakers in Benches-Clearing Brawl

By
Aldo Soto
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OH BABY! We had our first real benches-clearing brawl of the 2026 MLB season, and it featured a couple of former players from the Chicago Cubs and White Sox. Who would have thought that a game in early April between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels would have promoted this, but maybe there’s some bad blood between right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez and right-handed hitting slugger Jorge Soler that we don’t know about.

Both of these guys ended up throwing haymakers at each other, but it looks like Lopez was the one who ultimately landed the major blow on the side of Soler’s head. The fight began in the fifth inning, when Lopez threw a 97mph fastball up and slightly in on Soler that turned out to be a wild pitch. It was such an erratic delivery from Lopez that the ball bounced right back to Atlanta’s catcher off the backstop.

Soler homered off Lopez in the first inning, and in the third, Lopez drilled Soler with a 96mph fastball that obviously didn’t feel all that great. So, things were certainly brewing. Also, Lopez and Soler were teammates on the Braves during the 2024 season.

You’ll see in the clip of the brawl below that Soler did not take his eyes off Lopez after what he thought was an intentional pitch from the righty. Once the play at second base was over after the runner moved up on the wild pitch, Soler slowly made his way to the mound, where he confronted Lopez.

And then the haymakers came out.

A few things stand out here. Braves catcher Jonah Heim wanted nothing to do with the fight and did a terrible job of protecting his guy on the mound. Not only did Heim not get in front of Soler, but he also let him throw a huge first punch, and, luckily for Lopez, it didn’t connect.

By the way, Lopez kept the ball in his hand the entire time, and it turns out that he actually did land a blow to Soler’s head.

But the star of the benches-clearing fight was Braves manager Walt Weiss, who had the perfect tackle in the middle of the scrum to take down Soler.

That’s a football guy.

Here’s the entire fight.

Former Scout Reveals Why The Chicago Bears Must Trade Down From #25

By
Erik Lambert
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ryan poles
Bears general manager Ryan Poles evaluates draft prospects with his scouting department and front office before the 2025 NFL draft

The Chicago Bears haven’t picked in the 20s of a 1st round in the NFL draft since 2013. They managed to snag Kyle Long that year. Since then, it’s been a steady diet of either top 10 picks or no 1st round picks at all. People are curious what Bears general manager Ryan Poles will do. Some wonder if he may wish to trade up, hoping to snag one of the few blue-chip talents in this class. Most believe the team will duplicate what they did last year: stay put at their spot and take the best player on their board.

It’s boring, but you can’t argue with the result from last year. That is how they ended up with Colston Loveland. However, one person believes that would be a mistake. Greg Gabriel is a former scout and scouting director with decades of NFL experience. He’s been evaluating prospects ahead of his draft for weeks. Based on what he is seeing, the Bears won’t have any good options available at #25 overall. Anybody they take will be a reach. The best thing for them to do is work the phones and try to move down.

The Chicago Bears have valid reasons to move down.

For one, they’re operating without any 5th or 6th round picks. It stands to reason Poles might like to find a way to recoup those somehow. Besides that, the team still has multiple starting jobs left in limbo after last month’s purge. They need another safety to replace Jaquan Brisker, another starting linebacker, a left tackle, and help at both edge rusher and defensive tackle. Tackling all of that with just seven picks is difficult. Moving down to acquire one or two more would be helpful. Besides, experts believe there isn’t much difference between a player picked #25 and one picked #35 this year.

It all comes down to how far the Bears would be willing to move down and what they could get in return.

Year Team Moving DownOriginal PickNew PickWhat Team Moving Down Received
2025Houston TexansNo. 25No. 34Picks No. 34, No. 99, and a 2026 3rd-round pick
2024Jacksonville JaguarsNo. 17No. 232024 5th-round pick, 2025 3rd- and 4th-round picks
2024Dallas CowboysNo. 24No. 292024 3rd-round pick (No. 73)
2024Buffalo BillsNo. 28No. 322024 3rd-round pick (No. 95) and 7th-round pick (No. 221)
2022New England PatriotsNo. 21No. 292022 3rd-round pick (No. 94) and 4th-round pick (No. 121)
2022Baltimore RavensNo. 23No. 252022 4th-round pick (No. 130)
2021New York GiantsNo. 11No. 202021 5th-round pick, 2022 1st- and 4th-round picks
2020New England PatriotsNo. 23OutPicks No. 37 and No. 71
2020Miami DolphinsNo. 26No. 302020 4th-round pick (No. 136)
2019Seattle SeahawksNo. 21No. 30Two 2019 4th-round picks (No. 114 and No. 118)

Based on recent history, the Bears are likely looking at a 4th-round pick for dropping to the bottom of the 1st round and a 3rd-round pick for slipping to the top of the 2nd round. The latter would give them five total picks on day two of the draft. That would certainly allow them to attack multiple needs in what is considered a sweet spot for this class.

We know this regime isn’t afraid to move around.

Poles was the one who moved down from the #1 overall pick. That took a lot of guts since teams don’t normally do that. If he was willing to sacrifice the most prized selection in any draft, there is no way he’d be queasy about moving down from #25. Everything comes down to who’s available when the clock starts and how many teams might be willing to move up. Often, the best way to work a deal is to have a notable quarterback still available. In this case, we’re likely talking about Alabama’s Ty Simpson.

There could also be interest in one of the wide receivers. Those two positions seem to generate the most action. The Chicago Bears must make sure they’re okay with the possibility of someone on their board not being available once they move down. Recent rumblings suggest the team brass isn’t overly enthusiastic about what their options will be at that spot. That suggests they are quite open to the idea of moving down.

Why Ben Johnson Reportedly Has Matt LaFleur Raging Behind Closed Doors

By
Erik Lambert
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ben johnson
Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Packers head coach Matt Lafleur share an icy handshake after Chicago's overtime win.

Ben Johnson didn’t arrive like your normal new head coach. When he stepped to the podium for the Chicago Bears in his introductory press conference, one thing was made clear from the outset. Everybody else outside of Halas Hall was officially the enemy. None more so than the Green Bay Packers and Matt Lafleur. Johnson didn’t even bother hiding his dislike for the Packers head coach, stating he always enjoyed beating him twice a year when he was with the Detroit Lions. It was a comment that caught many by surprise, including Lafleur.

It didn’t take long to recognize that animosity was building fast between the two, as evidenced by their frosty handshakes after all three of their games last season. According to Adam Hoge of CHGO, the truth is Lafleur was even more furious about Johnson’s comments than he’s been letting on in public.

People around the league are still trying to figure out where that beef came from and how real it is. Well, it’s surely real now, but I would say most of the true hatred is really one-way: from the Packers’ head coach in the direction of the Bears’ head coach. 

From what I understand, LaFleur was completely caught off guard when Johnson stoked the flames at his introductory press conference in January 2025. And he didn’t like it. But Johnson had a purpose, and it sure worked. He’s in LaFleur’s head. 

This makes you wonder if Johnson knew exactly what he was doing. One thing he recognized is that nobody had ever challenged LaFleur directly before. The Bears’ head coach may have sensed that, for all the Packers’ head coach’s offensive brilliance, he might not have the mental fortitude to be directly challenged.

Ben Johnson is using a classic psychological tactic.

One of the things that helped Lafleur dominate the Bears for so long is the obvious mismatch between himself and previous Chicago head coaches. It certainly didn’t hurt that neither of them was as committed to the rivalry as others might’ve been. Hell, he and Matt Eberflus were friends. Johnson had no intention of letting Lafleur off that easily. He felt the best way to attack the Packers was to take their focus off the games and put it on him. Having Lafleur angry at him for his comments meant he wouldn’t have his full attention on winning football games.

This was a tactic the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons of the 1980s used to perfection. They knew their physical style of play got under opponents’ skin, eventually leading to retaliation. Once the focus became more on the fight than the game, the Pistons had the advantage. Ben Johnson is doing much the same thing. Go back and listen to how Packers players talked after the Bears’ overtime win at Soldier Field. They were more interested in getting revenge for what they felt was an injustice. It was all about shutting Johnson up and taking retaliatory shots. In hindsight, their massive collapse in the playoff rematch shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Johnson had no intention of letting Lafleur dictate the rivalry.

His declaration last year was a message that every game moving forward would be war. If Lafleur wanted to maintain his customary dominance, he’d have to fight for it. His usual tactic of building big leads and expecting the Bears to crumble won’t work anymore. Once that became apparent, the Packers coach didn’t know what to do. His growing hatred of Johnson only made matters worse. It’s one thing for a guy to talk trash about you. It is entirely another for him to talk trash and beat you on top of it.

That can drive a man crazy. Now you begin to understand why Lafleur didn’t take long to embrace hating Johnson. The losing is bad enough. Getting zero respect on top of it? That is brutal. Don’t expect the Bears head coach to change his tactics. He’s made it clear he isn’t in this business to make friends. Everybody else in the NFL is standing in his way of a championship. That makes them obstacles. Obstacles that must be destroyed. There is none bigger than Green Bay, and Lafleur is their leader.

Luol Deng Is Already Pushing A Karnisovas Replacement On The Bulls

By
Erik Lambert
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luol deng
Sep 30, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Raptors Vice-Chairman and Team President Masai Ujiri addresses the media at Scotiabank Area. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Arturas Karnisovas is out as Chicago Bulls VP of Basketball Operations. Celebrations are happening in the streets for fans. They’ve been pushing for this for years, realizing some time ago that Karnisovas was ill-equipped for the job. Now with an abundance of cap space and maybe two 1st round picks, there is a golden opportunity for the Reinsdorfs to remake their franchise. All they have to do is hire the right person to lead the way. Former Bulls legend Luol Deng is already working hard to push one name to the front of that line.

Former Golden State president Bob Myers is the hottest name on the circuit this year. The architect of the Warriors dynasty seems like such an easy sell for the Bulls. However, Deng believes another name should be the priority. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times had more.

If Donovan leaves and the front office has to be attended to first, a name to pay attention to is former Raptors executive Masai Ujiri. A source said that former Bulls forward Luol Deng has suggested Masai several times this season. Hiring Ujiri would mean Deng becoming general manager.

Ujiri was the architect of the 2019 Toronto Raptors NBA championship team. He and the franchise parted ways in June of last year, and the former exec has been busy helping establish the new Toronto Temp in the WNBA. He’s still only 55 years old and certain to get an opportunity soon. Deng believes it should be in Chicago.

Luol Deng isn’t wrong to push this idea.

After all, Ujiri built a champion where nobody thought it was possible, and he did it with a series of sharp scouting moves and two bold trades. He drafted four-time All-Star Pascal Siakam and defensive stalwart OG Anunoby while also landing All-Star Fred VanVleet as an undrafted free agent. Then came the big swing. He sent highly popular DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio for Spurs star Kawhi Leonard, despite knowing there was a probability he could leave for free agency after one season. The finishing touch came later that 2018-2019 season when Ujiri acquired center Marc Gasol from Memphis.

Every step of the process demonstrated a man who understood where and when to make moves while doing a good job of finding talent in the draft. This shouldn’t have been a surprise. After all, he’d already done it before in Denver before going to Toronto. He was the architect of the Carmelo Anthony trade to New York that netted Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and a 1st round pick that became Jamal Murray. It’s crazy to think the foundation for that organization’s eventual championship in 2022-2023 was started by Ujiri.

The Bulls seem intent on casting a wide net.

Michael Reinsdorf said they will hire a search firm to assist with the search. This was something they didn’t do back in 2020, and it led to Karnisovas. It is highly possible that Ujiri will be one of the candidates they look at. What isn’t known is how much influence Luol Deng still has with the organization. The two-time All-Star was brilliant for several years in Chicago, earning strong admiration from ownership and the rest of the organization for his dedicated, relentless style of play. Even so, that admiration might not be enough to accept his input on such an important hire.

It’s obvious he has a personal stake in this since he and Ujiri share a close bond from their work in expanding basketball in Africa. This would be his ticket out of South Sudan and back to the NBA. It is worth noting that the Reinsdorfs have never put an African-American man in charge of all basketball operations in their entire history of owning the franchise. So Ujiri would be a significant departure. A justifiable one, of course, but something worth noting as the process unfolds.

Chicago Cubs Ace Out for the Rest of 2026 Season

By
Aldo Soto
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Sep 9, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton (22) walks to the dugout after pitching against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Well, this fucking sucks. There’s no way around it. The Chicago Cubs are worse off now as manager Craig Counsell confirmed the unfortunate news that fans have been dreading since Friday. Right-handed starting pitcher Cade Horton will miss the rest of the 2026 season after only making two starts.

Horton will undergo elbow surgery.

The 2022 first-round pick previously had Tommy John surgery when he was at Oklahoma. In his rookie season, Horton posted a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings and finished runner-up in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

At this point, a second Tommy John surgery has not been confirmed for Horton. There’s a chance he gets the same elbow procedure that Justin Steele had in April 2025. Steele, who is set to return in late May or early June, had a UCL revision repair in his pitching elbow that ended his season last year.

The Cubs are currently dealing with two injured starters in the rotation, as Matthew Boyd was also placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week. Boyd and the Cubs expect him to only miss the minimum time on the injured list. Javier Assad, who is starting Tuesday, was called up to replace Boyd, while Colin Rea will be slotting into Horton’s turn in the rotation until further notice.

(Previous Update)

The ominous pre-update to the real update on Cade Horton dropped on Tuesday morning, and it was pretty much the last thing anyone wanted to see. Things sound bad for the right-handed pitcher as the Chicago Cubs are seemingly preparing for the worst.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers was on the Kap & Hood Show on Tuesday, when he shared the latest intel on Horton’s injury. The Cubs placed their second-year starter on the 15-day injured list this past weekend after he left his start on Friday because of forearm discomfort.

After having an MRI, it sounds bad for Horton and the Cubs.

The 24-year-old was the team’s best starting pitcher in the second half of the 2025 season, and there were high expectations for him this year. Now, all we can do is anxiously wait for the ha

Craig Counsell’s Latest Lineup Choice Is Pissing Off Chicago Cubs Fans

By
Aldo Soto
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Jun 2, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (30) looks on from the dugout before a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

I bet a lot of Chicago Cubs fans were happy to see Ian Happ out of Tuesday night’s starting lineup, but then they immediately got pissed off when realizing who was replacing him in left field. The Tampa Bay Rays had a last-minute pitching change as Drew Rasmussen was scratched because he’s going to the hospital to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Right-handed pitcher Mason Englert will be the opener.

Happ has either been slugging or striking out through the first 10 games of the season, as the switch-hitter has four home runs and two doubles, leading the everyday players with a .550 slugging %. However, Happ is also No. 1 in strikeouts on the Cubs with 18, which includes 11 in his last 22 plate appearances. Monday’s series opener against the Rays was filled with several moments that were used by Happ’s haters and defenders.

First, Happ missed a ball that led to a run in the third inning. Yet, as bad as it looked, that ball only had a 25% catch probability.

Then, later on, Happ made a great diving catch that saved a run from scoring.

At the plate, Happ was the only Cubs player to reach base two times, as he walked and doubled. Yet, even after hitting a leadoff double in the sixth, Happ couldn’t stay clear of criticism as he didn’t score on Carson Kelly’s double to right-center field. Luckily, it didn’t end up costing the Cubs because Michael Busch hit a sac-fly, and Happ scored anyway.

We’ll see if it’s a full, off day for Happ, but Cubs fans can’t believe that Craig Counsell is starting Michael Conforto in left field.

Conforto has looked awful at the plate, and although it’s only an 11-plate-appearance sample, it’s been beyond ugly. The left-handed batter is 1-for-9, with five strikeouts and two walks. For some reason, the Cubs are refusing to give Dylan Carlson a start in the outfield early in the season. It might have only been spring training, but you would have thought that Carlson’s good showing in the Cactus League would have bought him at least one start by now, especially when you consider how bad Conforto has looked.

The offense has been brutal through 10 games, so Conforto starting isn’t at the top of the issues, but it certainly isn’t going to make fans any less pissed off.

Blame the Manager? The Chicago Cubs Suck All Around Right Now

By
Aldo Soto
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I get it, it’s the easy, knee-jerk reaction to blame one guy in the dugout, but let’s be real here, the Chicago Cubs flat out suck right now. Sure, yell at Craig Counsell after pinch-hitting Michael Conforto for Miguel Amaya or not using certain relievers in high-leverage spots recently, but the guys who are supposed hit aren’t, and the guys who are supposed to stop the other team from scoring aren’t really doing that either.

Monday’s 6-4 loss was the latest example of how miserable the Cubs have been to watch. The offense put up little fight against a struggling starter and was then shut down by the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen. Jameson Taillon ended up with a quality start, allowing only three earned runs over six innings. Yet, there was still some frustration seeing him immediately surrender a 2-0 lead. At the very least, Taillon was able to get back on track and kept the team in it after it looked like it could get ugly in the middle innings. Unfortunately, the bullpen gave up more runs.

The Cubs are 4-6, and so far, they’ve displayed many more concerns than the manager.

As a team, the Cubs enter Tuesday night’s game against the Rays with an 84 wRC+ (25th in MLB), and the bullpen has allowed eight home runs (5th most in MLB), so forgive me if the manager isn’t at the top of my shit list through 10 games.

The Offense Stinks

So, 25th in MLB with an 84 wRC+, and if you’re more of an OPS+ person, then the Cubs are 22nd with an 87 OPS+. At a .199 batting average, the Cubs are the third-worst hitting team in baseball, and they’ve hit the sixth fewest home runs, with 10.

Right now, the Cubs are averaging 4.1 runs per game, and it gets much worse when you consider that they scored 10 of their 41 runs in one game, the second game of the season against the Washington Nationals. Some of that has been brutal-hitting conditions in Chicago and Cleveland, but Monday’s game in Tampa Bay also marked the fifth time this season the offense hasn’t recorded more than five hits.

Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong, who combined to hit 65 home runs in 2025, have zero in 83 plate appearances so far this year. Meanwhile, the Cubs have exactly two qualified hitters with above-average results on offense, Nico Hoerner (143 wRC+) and Ian Happ (132 wRC+). Add in Miguel Amaya too, as he’s 5-for-12, but he’s only had 15 plate appearances in 10 games.

You certainly hope that Seiya Suzuki’s return changes the dynamic of the lineup, as the right-handed hitting slugger is expected to come back on Friday. Yet, these guys also have to step up because the numbers are flat-out ugly.

Carson Kelly: 89 wRC+
Matt Shaw: 87 wRC+
Michael Busch: 68 wRC+
Alex Bregman: 59 wRC+
Dansby Swanson: 46 wRC+
Pete Crow-Armstrong: 42 wRC+
Moises Ballesteros: 17 wRC+

As a team, the Cubs are in the middle of the pack with a 7.7 barrel %, but a 45.9 hard-hit rate that is the third-highest in MLB suggests they’re due for positive regression.

Bullpen Has a Home Run Problem

Caleb Thielbar and Daniel Palencia are the only relievers who have not given up any runs out of the Cubs’ bullpen through the team’s first 10 games. Colin Rea has allowed two runs, but I’ll give him a pass because he’s pitched 6.1 innings in his two relief outings.

The overall ERA isn’t awful, as the Cubs’ bullpen comes in at 4.50, 11th in MLB, but allowing eight home runs in 38 innings brings the home rate to the fourth-worst HR/9 in baseball. Most of them have also been back-breaking for the Cubs.

March 26:
Ben Brown gives up a 2-run HR, the Cubs’ deficit goes from 5-2 to 7-2 in the 4th inning (Cubs lose 10-4)
March 29:
Hoby Milner gives up a 2-run HR, the Cubs’ deficit goes from 4-2 to 6-2 in the 8th inning (Cubs lose 6-3)
April 3:
Hunter Harvey gives up a solo HR and a 2-run HR, tied 1-1 games goes to a 4-1 deficit in the 7th inning (Cubs lose 4-1)
April 5:
Jacob Webb gives up a solo HR, 4-3 Cubs lead goes to tied game in the 8th inning (Cubs lose 6-5)
April 6:
Phil Maton gives up a 2-run HR, the Cubs’ deficit goes from 4-3 to 6-3 in the 7th inning (Cubs lose 6-4)

Ben Brown has appeared in three games; he’s given up runs twice. Phil Maton has appeared in four games; he’s given up runs twice. Jacob Webb has appeared in four games; he’s given up runs twice.

For some reason, the Cubs have had the unfortunate trend of having a shitty bullpen early in the season before turning it around, and actually being elite for the majority of the year for the past three seasons. So, fingers crossed that it happens again in 2026, because so far these guys have not inspired much confidence, aside from Thielbar and Palencia.

Chasing Greatness: Are Connor Bedard’s Early Years Better Than Patrick Kane’s?

By
Isaac Nielsen
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Nov 6, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) checks Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Connor Bedard didn’t find the back of the net in Monday night’s game against the Sharks despite logging seven shots, but with a secondary assist, it was another night in the points column for the 20-year-old. With the assist, he reached 200 points in his 215th career game, the seventh-fastest to reach the mark in Chicago Blackhawks history.

That 215 number happened to be the exact same as the amount it took Patrick Kane to hit that mark. It’s not the first time that Bedard and Kane have been tied in the record books like this—for example, each had 146 points in his first 164 games played. In fact, their stat lines are eerily similar:

It’s somewhat surprising that Bedard has more goals at this point than Kane—it feels like he’s been more of a playmaker than a pure scorer. The comparisons certainly don’t stop there. Bedard was a few months younger when he was drafted first overall than Kane was when he was taken at the top of the 2007 NHL Draft.

But who was better in their first 215 games? It’s hard to say. On one hand, Kane was drafted into a way better situation, with players like Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook already in the lineup. By comparison, the 2023-24 Blackhawks were pretty bleak—Seth Jones was probably the biggest star, with Philipp Kurashev being the only other player with more than 37 points (54).

On the other hand, Kane’s teams obviously had way more success, picking up 40 wins in his rookie year to Bedard’s 23. We’re also seeing a slight uptick in scoring leaguewide from when Kane was a teenager due to a variety of factors.

So where do we land on the Bedard/Kane debate? The answer is that it’s too early to tell. For now, I’d give the edge to Bedard because he’s done more with less, being thrown into a tougher situation and keeping pace in scoring. But we won’t know the real answer until Bedard has a real linemate, like how Kane started with Toews and Sharp for a while early in his career. Is Anton Frondell that answer? Roman Kantserov? Maybe even Frank Nazar? Once Chicago can work out that question, we’ll be able to answer the question everyone will eventually be asking. Who’s better: Bedard or Kane?

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