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How The Browns Just Opened The Door Wide For A Myles Garrett Bears Trade

By
Erik Lambert
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myles garrett
Jan 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates following a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. The play set a new NFL single season sack record by Garrett. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Myles Garrett has been a topic of discussion among Chicago Bears fans for what feels like forever. It is clear that the superstar defensive end is unhappy. Despite putting together an all-time great career as a pass rusher, the Cleveland Browns have continuously bungled their opportunities to build a winner. Last season might’ve been the last straw. Garrett turned 30 years old in December. His prime won’t last much longer, and now the Browns are about to enter another rebuilding phase with a new head coach and no clear quarterback.

It feels like the perfect time for him to push for a trade. While nothing has been spoken publicly, there are rumors that Garrett and the organization haven’t been in contact since the season ended. That by itself doesn’t say much, but Cleveland just sent up a flare with the latest news. According to Field Yates of ESPN, the team has modified Garrett’s contract to gain some cap flexibility and provide their star with additional benefits. However, a closer inspection makes the intention far clearer.

That contract is now significantly more tradeable.

Myles Garrett has suddenly become possible for the Bears.

While the compensation to acquire the future Hall of Famer would almost certainly be two 1st round picks and more, the contract was always the biggest obstacle. Chicago has been up against the cap since the offseason began, and that hasn’t changed despite moves aimed at gaining flexibility. With Garrett suddenly only costing $9 million against the cap this year, it wouldn’t be a huge task for the Bears to create enough space for him. They could restructure two of their veteran contracts to make room for both him and the upcoming draft class without hurting their future finances.

His cap number for the next three seasons is plenty affordable. The Bears wouldn’t have to make any decisions until 2029. By then, it would likely be far more possible to release him without a doomsday dead money hit. So is the idea worth it? There are precious few players in the NFL like Myles Garrett. We’re talking about one of the greats of the sport. Bruce Smith and Reggie White levels of ability. White was 32 when the Green Bay Packers signed him. Everybody remembers how that went. Garrett is one of the few talents who can instantly transform a defense.

We already know the Bears have explored this.

Right before they traded for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka last year, it was reported they asked about Garrett. Unsurprisingly, the Browns said no. The pass rusher was in the middle of chasing the single-season NFL sack record and Cleveland no doubt hoped he’d break it in a Browns uniform. Things have changed since then. Everybody has accepted that their window of opportunity to chase a Super Bowl likely closed. Deshaun Watson isn’t ever going to regain his old form. Shedeur Sanders is a forlorn hope. If Cleveland hopes to get a serious return in a trade, it must be done now.

This contract maneuver is a first step. Now, more teams should be interested in making a deal happen. Ironically, the Bears might be better positioned than most because they were the only team that hadn’t made any significant additions to the position. Dallas traded for Rashan Gary. Baltimore signed Trey Hendrickson. Philadelphia added Arnold Ebiketie and is rumored to be a favorite for Jonathan Greenard. The competition is much thinner than it would’ve been a month ago.

Chicago White Sox Shock With Unexpected Bullpen Move

By
Craig Rowland
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Mar 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Brandon Eisert against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As we sit less than 24 hours away from Opening Day, the White Sox have officially announced their roster to open the season. This included a few surprising DFA’s, but one of the more interesting moves came a few days ago.

On Sunday, the White Sox announced that they optioned left handed reliever Brandon Eisert to AAA Charlotte.

This is a bit surprising, as Eisert was one of the most heavily used pitchers in Will Venable’s bullpen last season. He ranked 6th in innings pitched on the roster, behind all the starting pitchers and Mike Vasil. Additionally, he had the most games pitched on the roster. To cut him a few days before even finalizing the roster is a bit surprising due to his usage last season.

Last season Eisert went 3–8 with a 4.39 ERA over 69.2 innings. He struck out 74 batters and had an elevated 1.44 WHIP. Despite not having much velocity, Eisert was still able to miss a good amount of bats.

While those stats aren’t overly impressive, he had some very good stretches of baseball. In June, he posted a 3.18 ERA over 11 innings. In August, he posted a 2.19 ERA over 12 innings. However, the rest of the season was up and down for Eisert, as he posted a 6 + ERA in two separate months and a 5+ ERA in another month.

As we flip the script to 2026, Eisert had a decent Spring Training. In 9 innings, he had a 3 ERA, striking out 12 batter while walking two. This is a pretty good stat-line and it was good to see his K/9 ratio increase from last season.

But, with newly acquired lefty Chris Murphy having a good Spring Training, the pressure was on Eisert to make the team, especially with the White Sox bringing in lefty Sean Newcomb in free agency. This made the last lefty reliever spot in the bullpen a three man race between Eisert, Tyler Gilbert, and Ryan Borucki.

Ultimately, the White Sox opted with Tyler Gilbert over Eisert, as Gilbert also had a very good Spring Training performance, as he had a 3.86 ERA over seven innings. I believe Gilbert’s ability to pitch more than one inning helped him make the roster, as the White Sox have a lot of innings to make up with the injury to Mike Vasil. I also believe the fact that Eisert had minor league options helped make the White Sox decision, as he would not be subject to waivers if he didn’t make the team.

However, it is still a bit surprising that the White Sox moved off one of their most used relievers last season so quickly. They must think that Gilbert and Murphy give them a better chance to win, and they went with it. This just shows the new era of White Sox baseball, as they are clearly not afraid to move on from players and replace them if they have the opportunity. Regardless, I believe that we will see Eisert again this season, as if there is an injury in the bullpen, he will be the first guy called up.

JB Pritzker Finally Provides Hope The Bears Stadium Saga Is Nearing Its End

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears
Gov. JB Pritzker answers questions after signing the Sonya Massey Act at the Illinois State Capitol on Aug. 12, 2025.

The moment is at hand. Or at least it feels that way. The Chicago Bears have been eager to get the megaprojects bill passed in the Illinois legislature for years. Up until a few months ago, the state government had been unwilling to even hear. It looked like things were finally progressing at the start of this month, but things fell apart, and the legislature adjourned without even voting on it. That meant another few weeks of waiting until the end of the month, when the next opportunity arose. General feelings from the team’s side were that they were fast reaching the end of their patience. Another delay might force their hand, leading to a decision to leave for Indiana. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker got the chance to speak on the situation.

He was asked, following a speech on state agriculture, whether a potential vote is close, and he offered some hope. There is a clear sense of urgency among many in the government to get something done. The deal the two sides have put together is considered favorable by both, including the McCaskey family. The challenge now is to see if it gets the necessary votes in the House and the Senate over the next couple of days.

It sounds like JB Pritzker feels there is enough momentum now.

Up until recently, there was a lot of resistance down in Springfield to any deal with the Bears. For some, it was because they didn’t want to give a billion-dollar private organization tax breaks when the state is trying to keep people fed and housed. Others were resistant because they didn’t want the Bears to leave Chicago, feeling they belonged there. However, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that the move is happening. It comes down to a decision of whether people want to keep them in Illinois or let them leave for Indiana.

Considering the Bears have been an Illinois institution for over a century, it would not reflect well on the government to let them walk. That is why Pritzker seems confident the bill will pass. Still, this is politics we’re talking about. People always look to interfere in high-profile situations like this to serve their own ends. That is particularly true in Illinois. SM has been informed that there is optimism that a deal will come together shortly. Results should be expected by the end of Thursday.

Arlington Heights always felt like the endgame.

Make no mistake. Indiana was a very real threat. The Hammond location is just over the state border and still within sight of downtown. There is plenty of land to build on and renovate. The state was ready and willing to provide as much financial assistance as possible. However, Illinois has always been home. George McCaskey would never want his legacy to be the man who moved the Bears out of the state. Using Indiana as leverage finally forced JB Pritzker and the government into serious negotiations.

This took way longer than anybody wanted it to. Team president Kevin Warren deserves plenty of blame for hijacking the process and trying to get a downtown stadium built despite everybody knowing it would never happen. If he’d gone with the Indiana play sooner, the project might already be under construction. Here’s hoping everybody sees sense and puts this nightmare to bed.

White Sox Make Head Scratching Move On Opening Day Eve

By
Craig Rowland
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Feb 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Curtis Mead against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This Spring Training was a bit different for the White Sox, as they had more set in stone going into February than the past few seasons. This led to less of a chance to make the squad for the non-roster invitees, but there were still some pretty intriguing names that were fighting for the last few spots.

Now, as we sit just one day before the White Sox open the season in Milwaukee against the Brewers, they announced their Opening Day roster.

As you can see above, this is a much improved roster, as there are a ton of intriguing young players, specifically in the lineup. The White Sox have not been able to say that for a quite a long time. However, it was the players that didn’t make the roster that caught the attention of most White Sox fans.

It was reported a few days ago that Korey Lee wasn’t going to break camp with the team, so seeing him get DFA’d wasn’t surprising. However, seeing Curtis Mead get DFA’d was quite shocking.

This is kind of out of the blue, as Mead was the headliner in the Adrian Houser trade at last year’s trading deadline. This was due to the fact that he was a former top-100 prospect. Mead started out in AAA with the Charlotte Knights after the trade, but quickly made his way up to Chicago to make his debut for the White Sox. 

Mead had a strong month of August for the White Sox, as he hit .258 with a .312 on-base percentage. He added seven RBIs and one stolen base. This was a solid start for him, as he hadn’t had much consistent playing time in the major leagues.

Mead continued his nice start into the first week of September, as he had nine hits over the first five games. Unfortunately, Mead hit a cold streak, as he only had six more hits from September 6th to September 28th. This tanked his average, as it fell to .220 in the month of September. However, Mead flashed his ability to be a productive major league player. 

Mead had an alright Spring Training, as he hit .233 with a .258 OBP over 10 games, adding two homeruns, two doubles, and four RBIs. He struck out seven times compared to just one walk. However, Mead was productive in the World Baseball Classic, as he hit .357 with a homerun in four games.

It is really surprising to see the White Sox cut ties with Mead so quickly, as he hasn’t gotten much of a chance to establish himself in the major leagues. Additionally, with his prospect pedigree, I would have liked for him to get more run with consistent at-bats.

Now, the White Sox will look for a trade partner, but if they can’t, any team can claim him on waivers. I would imagine teams would have some interest in trading for him, as there could be a few teams interested in letting him play everyday. If nobody trades for him, he will for sure be claimed on waivers.

This move is shocking for a lot of reasons, but when they chose to carry six outfielders, two of which were not originally projected to make the roster, it is even more head scratching. Hopefully the White Sox can find a way to keep him, as Mead could be a very good major league hitter. Otherwise, this seems like it could come back to haunt the White Sox.

Chicago’s Rebuild Timeline Rides On One Western Conference Cinderella Story

By
Ryan Dauterive
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Nov 19, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) celebrates after making a three-point shot during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Many fans in Chicago can admit that the last five years have been a tough product to support. While there have been scattered high points and one playoff appearance sprinkled in, the majority of this decade has been disappointment. From the front-office decisions to ownership’s failure to keep them accountable, to the product on the court, and the finite failure to stack wins and build a successful franchise. As this season winds down, at least having a clear direction moving forward, Bulls fans can hang their hat on the clarity that the organization has gone all-in on a rebuild for the first time since Arturas Karnisovas’s arrival. In parallel with cheering for Chicago to lose to improve their draft positioning and develop young assets, there’s a second storyline worth investing in. Here’s what Bulls fans need to add to their scope of attention as the year winds down, and how they can finally strike some good fortune while riding a team that held the same title odds as Chicago before the season began.

Big Portland Trail Blazers Fans

Any sports fan can relate when they say that rooting for another franchise is widely frowned upon. Chicago to the moon, dismiss any other organizations. Well, for the next month, Bulls fans should pull for the Portland Trail Blazers. Take solace in the fact that they’re in the Western Conference, have little association or history with Chicago, and they can do us a massive favor. If Portland can sneak its way into the Western Conference playoffs and power through the juggernaut field of teams in the Play-In tournament on that side of the bracket, the Bulls will add a second first-round pick to their ammunition toward a rebuild this summer. That selection is lottery-protected, meaning if they don’t qualify for the NBA Playoffs, they would retain the draft slot.

The Reality Of Portland’s Playoff Chances

The good news is that the Blazers will be in the Play-In tournament. The bad news is that they’ll have to go through a combination of the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, or Golden State Warriors. If they can pass the Clippers in the standings, who they trail by half a game, they’ll only have to win one game in Phoenix to qualify for the postseason. The most likely scenario is that they’ll host Golden State, and if they win, visit the loser of the Suns versus the Clippers to battle for the final slot in the dance.

A few more important notes for Chicago include Portland being 4-8 against its three Play-In tournament foes, with a -69 point differential in those dozen games. They also have the second-easiest strength of schedule for the remainder of the year, which should translate into improved seeding heading into the tournament.

Can Deni Avdija carry the Blazers into the playoffs and do the Bulls a massive favor?

White Sox Hand Luisangel Acuña Full Runway to Prove He’s a Core Piece

By
Mitchell Kaminski
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Mar 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Luisangel Acuna slides into home to score a run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Luisangel Acuña will open the season as the Chicago White Sox starting center fielder despite logging just three innings at the position, but recent roster moves suggest the team plans to use him all over the diamond. 

That became official on Wednesday, when the White Sox unveiled their Opening Day lineup with Acuña batting ninth and starting in center field, setting the stage for a pivotal season for the 24-year-old.

What makes Acuña such an intriguing player this season is the fact that he has five years of control. It’s one of the reasons that White Sox general manager Chris Getz decided to pull the trigger on the deal.

“We’re talking about a player with five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game who hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level,” Getz said when discussing Acuña. “We have an opportunity here, and we can provide that runway to show off his talent and his ability.”

After being traded to the Chicago White Sox for Luis Robert Jr, Acuña turned in an impressive spring. In 44 at-bats, he racked up 18 hits, including a home run and three doubles, finishing camp with a .409 average and a 1.003 OPS. 

Acuña’s opportunities in New York were limited by a Mets roster in win-now mode, where playoff aspirations left little room for consistent playing time. With the move to the White Sox, he’ll finally get a chance to play regularly, despite an already crowded infield mix. 

By designating infielder Curtis Mead for assignment, the White Sox now carry three outfielders on the bench in Derek Hill, Everson Pereira and Tristain Peters. That roster construction opens the door for Acuña to see time in the infield as well, logging innings at second base, shortstop and the hot corner when Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery or Chase Meidroth are out of the lineup.

Acuña has all the tools to be a serviceable center fielder after getting time at the position in the Venezuelan Winter League. But even with his speed and athleticism, some growing pains are expected at the position, something the White Sox are willing to tolerate if he can produce offensively. 

Consistent offensive production could also help him earn some more platoon action in the infield. But putting together Spring Training numbers is one thing, having that translate into MLB success is another. 

In his first 109 major-league games, Acuña has yet to live up to his former Top-100 prospect billing, posting a career .248/.299/.341 slash line. While he grabbed headlines this offseason by becoming the first player to hit four home runs in a Venezuelan Winter League game, he has never been regarded as a true power hitter. Although any added pop would be a welcome sign, Acuña’s best asset remains his speed, and to fully leverage it, he needs to reach base at a higher clip. 

While he strikes out at a modest rate, he has failed to generate walks or much hard contact over his first two seasons in New York. In fact, his 35.5% hard-hit percentage would have ranked amongst the lowest in baseball last season, if he had enough at-bats to qualify. 

It’s that limited sample size that makes Acuña such an intriguing piece, given his wide-ranging skill set. By DFAing Mead, whom they acquired for Adrian Houser at last year’s trade deadline, the White Sox are prioritizing upside and flexibility by giving Acuña a full runway to prove he can turn tools into production and potentially become a core piece.

How The Chicago Bears Got A Shockingly Fair Grade On Their Free Agency

By
Erik Lambert
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garrett bradbury
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots center Garrett Bradbury (65) prepares to snap the ball to quarterback Drake Maye (10) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Having followed free agency every year for a long time, it isn’t difficult to surmise how grades are usually formed. The teams that spend the most money tend to earn higher grades. Teams that don’t spend much at all get the lower grades. After watching the Chicago Bears have one of their quiet free agency periods in recent memory, it felt like a bad grade was coming their way. Plenty of fans were upset about it, feeling general manager Ryan Poles should’ve been more aggressive.

ESPN finally delivered its breakdown of which teams had done the best work. Unsurprisingly, big spenders like Washington and Las Vegas cracked the top 10. The New England Patriots did as well with their aggressive moves. One would expect the Bears to be well down the list in the 20s range. So it may surprise people to see they sat at a respectable 14th, three spots ahead of Carolina, which spent significantly more money. Ben Solak explained why Chicago’s approach deserves more credit than it gets.

14. Chicago Bears

Key acquisitions and returning players: Coby Bryant, Devin Bush, Garrett Bradbury, Braxton Jones, Neville Gallimore, Cam Lewis

I loved: The Bryant signing. Chicago endured an avalanche of departures in the defensive backfield, as Nahshon Wright (1,177 snaps), Kevin Byard III (1,220), Jaquan Brisker (1,221) and C.J. Gardner-Johnson (612 snaps) have all signed elsewhere this cycle. The Bears needed a starter at safety — a new culture-setter and leader — and Bryant was one of my favorite free agents of the cycle. He’s highly versatile, has explosive stopping power as a tackler and shows great on-field instincts. He’s going to shine for coordinator Dennis Allen.

I didn’t love: How the chips fell at offensive line. The Bears were put in a tricky spot by a brutal patellar injury to left tackle Ozzy Trapilo and then a surprise retirement from center Drew Dalman. Bradbury is a good quick solution at center, but NFC North fans will remember his struggles in pass protection when he was with the Vikings. The Bears still might improve upon him in the draft.

The Chicago Bears got a fair assessment for once.

Solak admits their acquisition of Coby Bryant was one of the best moves in free agency, especially for the $13.33 million per year. That isn’t even in the top 10 among safeties. This is for a guy who just had four interceptions and won the Super Bowl. As for the lowlight, it isn’t even really the Bears’ fault. Ozzy Trapilo blowing out his knee and Drew Dalman retiring were two things completely out of the team’s control. The fact that they managed to find two serviceable band-aids in such a short time deserves some credit.

It hasn’t been perfect, but the team navigated tough circumstances without panicking. Now they head into the draft with a roster that is at least stable, freeing them to go after the best players possible. If they succeed as they did last year, this free agency period will be remembered as one of their best and most disciplined in a long time. Kudos to Solak for giving an honest look at the process rather than just hammering them for not spending enough money.

We’re about to see their draft process tested.

Up until now, Poles has benefitted from picking almost constantly in the top 10 during his tenure as general manager. That makes it easier to land good players. However, only the top organizations manage to do the same despite picking at the back end of the 1st round. Poles got a taste of that in 2022 when he didn’t have a 1st round pick because of the Justin Fields trade. He still came out of it with Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker, and Braxton Jones. Not great but not terrible. This time, he has his own scouting department in place and help from a highly accomplished coaching staff.

Poles promised that the Chicago Bears would not become enslaved to free agency like in previous eras. He aimed to build through the draft and only spend on specific needs. To his credit, he has stuck to that promise for the most part. This past month was further evidence. He is willing to gamble on their draft process to push this team towards a championship. Last year offers hope they’re equipped for the task. We will soon find out how prepared they are for the carnage.

This Should Be the Chicago Cubs Opening Day Lineup

By
Aldo Soto
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Opening Day is here, so let’s do the most annoying fan thing in baseball, which is to argue about the starting lineup. Honestly, the Chicago Cubs have a deep lineup, and most of the time it won’t actually matter who bats where, but for Thursday’s game against the Washington Nationals the Cubs won’t have Seiya Suzuki in right field, which will change a few things.

Suzuki sprained his right knee, sliding into second base during Japan’s quarterfinals game against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic earlier in March. The Cubs officially placed Suzuki on the 10-day injured list this week, so he won’t be around until at least April 1.

One of the big questions left unanswered on the eve of Opening Day for the Cubs is who will start in place of Suzuki in right field? It could be Michael Conforto, Dylan Carlson, or Matt Shaw.

Looking at the team’s final game of the 2025 postseason against the Milwaukee Brewers, and really throughout the team’s playoff run, Craig Counsell’s starting lineup featured a lefty-righty back-and-forth setup 1-8, with Matt Shaw batting ninth and Michael Busch leading off.

It’s not that simple for Thursday because, for one, Suzuki is out, and, for two, instead of Kyle Tucker in the middle of the lineup, rookie Moises Ballesteros will be the starting DH. Although Ballesteros flashed some great bat-to-ball skills during his brief stint with the Cubs in 2025, the left-handed hitter isn’t expected to be in the middle of this year’s lineup, at least not out of the gate.

This was my original Opening Day lineup.

However, I do want to make a few changes for what I think Counsell will end up doing on Opening Day without Suzuki.

  1. Michael Busch
  2. Alex Bregman
  3. Ian Happ
  4. Pete Crow-Armstrong
  5. Nico Hoerner
  6. Moises Ballesteros
  7. Carson Kelly
  8. Dansby Swanson
  9. Michael Conforto

I still don’t love it, but it kind of keeps the lefty-righty order for the most part. Plus, Conforto can be easily pinch-hit for if there’s a need for it against a tough lefty, and fans won’t have to worry about Busch ever coming out because Counsell has already said the first baseman has earned the playing time against left-handed pitching.

I like Busch at leadoff because he was a monster against right-handed pitching in 2025. He posted a 151 wRC+ and hit 30 home runs off righties. Set the tone early and make the opposing starter uncomfortable against a very good hitter that provides a huge power threat.

But let’s hear it from the rest of you. How would you write out the Cubs Opening Day lineup?

3 Questions Surface As Chicago Cubs Release Opening Day Roster

By
Aldo Soto
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Feb 22, 2026; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Dylan Carlson (5) hits against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have released their Opening Day roster for the 2026 season, and although fans pretty much knew who was making the team after a few injuries, it’s no less remarkable who ended up on it. Usually, and in the Cubs’ case in recent years, there will be pitchers who were claimed off waivers or came into camp on minor league deals who ultimately win a spot in the bullpen, but this time around, three non-roster invitees on the position side grabbed spots on the 26-man roster.

The Cubs are relatively healthy heading into the regular season, but they won’t have right fielder Seiya Suzuki until at least April 1. Suzuki sprained his right knee while playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, which opened up an unexpected spot on the roster. Tyler Austin’s knee surgery that was announced mid-spring training also created more competition for the bench, and that’s how the Cubs got to Michael Conforto, Dylan Carlson, and Scott Kingery all making the Opening Day roster.

That leads to the first question as we look at the Cubs’ Opening Day roster.

Who Gets Released When Seiya Suzuki Returns from IL?

The Cubs placed Suzuki on the 10-day injured list, which is retroactive to March 22. That means, if his recovery goes smoothly, then Suzuki can return to the active roster on April 1.

At first thought, it seems obvious that Kingery would be immediately designated for assignment once Suzuki comes back from the injured list. However, the main reason Kingery made the roster is that the Cubs were intent on carrying an extra infielder to begin the year. Yet, that could be tied to Matt Shaw being one of the main options to fill in for Suzuki in right field during the first week of the regular season, which would leave the Cubs without another infielder on the bench.

Carlson is the only other player on the active roster with meaningful experience playing center field, so he does seem like the safe choice to keep, as he would slot into the backup role to Pete Crow-Armstrong. Conforto was awful in 2025, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so who knows if his decline will continue or if he bounces back, but he’d be the other left-handed bat who could be called upon to step up if rookie Moises Ballesteros struggles.

Kingery is the obvious answer here, but we’ve seen wilder things. That being said, if Kingery does stick around for longer than Suzuki’s absence, then something went wrong.

Who Should Start in Right Field?

The Cubs will begin the regular season with three games at home against the Washington Nationals, who announced their starting rotation. The Nationals will have three right-handed starters going up against the Cubs at Wrigley Field: Cade Cavalli, Miles Mikolas, and Jake Irvin.

Naturally, Conforto seems to be the likeliest starter in right field. He has the best track record among the three options, he’s a left-handed hitter, and besides Carlson, he’s actually played right field in his MLB career. Carlson seems like a defensive sub rather than a starter early on, which leaves Matt Shaw as the main competition for early starts while Suzuki continues his recovery.

Shaw is entering his second year in the majors, but he’ll be in a new role in 2026. After being the starting third baseman throughout his rookie year, Shaw will now be a utility player, which includes some time in the outfield. He looked shaky in right field during spring training, so that could make Craig Counsell a bit apprehensive to use him right out of the gate.

Yet, fans look at Conforto’s 2025 numbers with the Dodgers and want nothing to do with him in the starting lineup. Shaw has much more upside than Conforto at this point in their careers, which is why some Cubs fans want him out in right field over the veteran. We’ll see if Counsell rolls the dice or plays it safe with Conforto this week against the Nationals.

How Will Ben Brown Be Used Out of the Bullpen?

The only question on the pitching staff coming out of spring training was who was going to get the final bullpen spot, and in what ended up being a bit of a shocker, it was Ben Brown.

The hard-throwing righty was being built up as a starter for most of spring training, but then a week before Opening Day, Brown came into a game and pitched an inning of relief. He’s had mixed results out of the bullpen in his first two years in the majors, and while the idea of Ben Brown as a starting pitcher is still possible, the Cubs obviously love his arm talent enough now to use him as a reliever to begin the 2026 season.

However, will the Cubs actually commit to using Brown as a one or two-inning reliever, or will he be used as a bulk guy, coming in out of the bullpen for 3-4 innings at a time in case a starter gets into trouble early in an outing? Colin Rea is already the long man in the bullpen, so is Brown potentially lined up to be a high-leverage bullpen arm?

That’s one to keep an eye on. Brown has developed a new pitch, adding a sinker to his pitching arsenal in 2026, in hopes of sticking around as an option in the starting rotation. For now, that will be on hold, but there’s no doubt that his skillset can end up being a lethal weapon for Counsell to use out of the bullpen.

The Adrian Houser Trade Has Aged Badly For The White Sox

By
ChiSoxFanMike
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Feb 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Curtis Mead against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It didn’t take long for last year’s Adrian Houser trade to age poorly for the White Sox. Curtis Mead, the centerpiece of the return from the Rays in that trade, was designated for assignment this afternoon as the team unveiled their Opening Day roster. As one of the final cuts, his future with the team is now uncertain.

The hope was that Mead, a former top 100 prospect with the Rays, would blossom with a change of scenery and more consistent playing time in Chicago. It didn’t play out like that. Across 41 games with the White Sox following the trade, he slashed just .240/.280/.304 in 132 plate appearances. He performed slightly better this spring, but it ultimately was not enough to secure his spot. The construction of the White Sox roster also did not work in Mead’s favor. With Lenyn Sosa locked in as a right-handed-hitting infielder, it always felt like a long shot that Mead would make the team given his somewhat redundant skill set. The White Sox really needed only one of them, and Sosa got the job based on the improvements he showed last season.

The team will now either have to find a trade partner for Mead or place him on waivers. It’s possible he could remain with the organization and go to Triple-A if he goes unclaimed, but the White Sox now risk losing him altogether by DFAing him.

Still a Glimmer of Hope

Despite the Mead news, the deal isn’t a complete loss yet. Right-handed pitchers Duncan Davitt and Ben Peoples were also in that trade, and both will likely start the season in Triple-A Charlotte as depth options. Davitt in particular could see time on the South Side later in 2026. While his 5.03 ERA in nine starts with the Knights is nothing special, he recorded a 1.30 WHIP in 48.1 innings, striking out 45. With the White Sox starting rotation full of question marks, Davitt could get his chance if he gets off to a strong start with Charlotte.

Lose/Lose Trade as of Now

As for Houser, he also did not live up to expectations with the Rays. After dominating in 11 starts with the White Sox prior to the trade, he put up a mediocre 4.79 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in ten starts with Tampa Bay. The Rays ended up winning only 77 games and as a rental, his stay in Tampa ultimately ended up being a short one. He departed the team following the 2025 season, signing a two-year/$22 million contract with the Giants this past winter.

The Adrian Houser trade looked to be a win for both teams at the time it was made. The White Sox were able to flip a low-cost acquisition for three young players, while the Rays got a pitcher having a great season to boost their playoff chances. In hindsight, however, it’s safe to say the trade has been a bust for both teams to this point.

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