Kelly signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Cubs on Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Over 91 games between Detroit and Texas in 2024, Kelly slashed .238/.313/.374 with nine home runs and 37 RBI. While his numbers may not jump off the stat sheet, he'll still give plenty of competition in spring training to Miguel Amaya, who managed just a .645 OPS last season.
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Cubs' Matt Shaw: Path to third base job
Rotowire
Shaw has a path to the Cubs' third base job following the trade of Isaac Paredes, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Between Paredes no longer being around and Nico Hoerner's (elbow) status for the start of the season in question, Shaw looks to have a good shot to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster. The top prospect slashed .284/.379/.488 with 21 home runs and 31 stolen bases between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in 2024.
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Cubs' Kyle Tucker: Joins Cubs via trade
Rotowire
The Cubs acquired Tucker from the Astros on Friday in exchange for Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Whispers of Tucker being available surfaced just a few days ago, and a deal came together quickly. Tucker has blossomed into one of the game's best players, slashing .289/.408/.585 during an injury-shortened 2024 regular season. He will turn 28 in January and is slated to reach free agency next winter, but given the price they paid to acquire him, the Cubs will presumably attempt to lock him up with a long-term contract extension.
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Cubs' Gage Workman: Selected in Rule 5 draft
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Workman with the 10th pick in the Rule 5 draft Wednesday, JJ Cooper of Baseball America reports.
This is the portion of the draft where players selected are somewhat likely to be returned to their original team rather than stashed in the majors all season, and that may end up being the case with Workman. He is a good defender at third base and can handle second base and shortstop as well. Workman slashed .280/.366/.476 with 18 home runs, 30 steals and a 27.5 percent strikeout rate in 126 games at Double-A, but it's worth noting that Workman had logged 183 games at Double-A prior to 2024. He's heading into his age-25 season and has zero experience above Double-A, so he'll likely play sparingly for as long as the Cubs stash him in the majors.
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Cubs' Seiya Suzuki: Agent informed of interested teams
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Suzuki's agent, Joel Wolfe, said he was told Monday by Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer which teams have expressed trade interest in his client, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Suzuki has a full no-trade clause and Wolfe noted that "it's a small universe" when discussing the locations to which his client might approve a trade. Wolfe also said Suzuki does not want to be a full-time designated hitter, which is how he finished last season with the Cubs. Suzuki slashed .283/.366/.482 with 21 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 2024.
Swanson underwent surgery to address a core injury in early October, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Going under the knife immediately after the end of the regular season should allow Swanson to return in 2025 without missing any time. The 30-year-old infielder slashed .242/.312/.390 with 16 homers, 66 RBI and 19 steals during his second season in Chicago and is expected to remain the Cubs' everyday shortstop next season.
Cubs' Matthew Boyd: Inks $29 million contract with Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs signed Boyd to a two-year, $29 million contract Monday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
He can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. Boyd didn't sign with the Guardians until June of this past season following rehab from Tommy John surgery but went on to collect a 2.72 ERA and 46:13 K:BB in 39.2 regular-season innings. He then added 12 frames of one-run ball in the postseason. Boyd -- who turns 34 in February -- hasn't made more than 15 regular-season starts since the 2019 campaign.
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Cubs' Brooks Kriske: Links up with Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs signed Kriske to a minor-league contract Tuesday, the pitcher announced on his X account.
Kriske, who turns 31 in February, spent the 2024 season at the Triple-A level split between the Yankees and Orioles organizations, holding a 3.39 ERA and 81:35 K:BB over 58.1 frames. The righty reliever has been roughed up in 20 major-league appearances, posting an 11.22 ERA and 25:17 K:BB across 21.2 innings.
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Cubs' Ben Brown: Cleared for normal offseason
Rotowire
Brown (neck) has been cleared for a normal offseason throwing program, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic report.
Brown's final appearance of the 2024 season came in early June, as he was eventually shut down with a benign area of concern in his neck. However, after recently undergoing a scan on his neck he has been given the go-ahead to proceed with his regular offseason routine. Brown could be in the mix for an Opening Day rotation spot with the Cubs.
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Cubs' Phil Bickford: Inks minors deal with Cubs
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Bickford signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Bickford spent the majority of 2024 with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, where he logged a 3.40 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 50.1 innings. His minor-league success didn't translate to the bigs, however, as he gave up eight earned runs in just 8.1 frames with New York. Now with the Cubs, the 29-year-old righty will likely begin 2025 as bullpen depth at Triple-A Iowa.
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Cubs' Eli Morgan: Reaches deal with new club
Rotowire
Morgan agreed to a contract with the Cubs to avoid arbitration Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The Cubs acquired Morgan from the Guardians on Wednesday, and he should serve as a key member of their bullpen in 2025. He's suffered from some inconsistency during four big-league seasons, though he posted a 1.93 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 42 innings in 2024.
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Cubs' Matt Thaiss: Reaches deal with Cubs
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Thaiss signed a one-year deal with the Cubs on Friday to avoid arbitration, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
After the Angels designated Thaiss for assignment Nov. 14, he was traded to the Cubs on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations. Unless the Cubs make another move in the offseason, Thaiss is projected to serve as the backup catcher to Miguel Amaya. Thaiss slashed .204/.323/.299 with two home runs and 16 RBI over 186 plate appearances during the 2024 regular season with the Angels.
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Cubs' Keegan Thompson: Avoids arbitration
Rotowire
Thompson agreed to a contract with the Cubs on Friday to avoid arbitration, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Thompson has bounced between Triple-A Iowa and the big leagues for the last two seasons, but he was effective out of the bullpen across 30.1 innings for the Cubs in 2024 by maintaining a 2.67 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. His control (14.2 BB%) will likely keep him from a high-leverage role, but he should contribute as a reliever in 2025.
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Cubs' Julian Merryweather: Avoids arbitration
Rotowire
Merryweather (knee) agreed to a one-year, $1.225 million contract with the Cubs on Friday to avoid arbitration, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Merryweather missed the majority of last season due to rib and knee injuries. He wasn't very effective when healthy, logging a 6.60 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 15 innings. He'll officially stick around for another year in Chicago, though there is still no word on if he'll be ready for spring training after undergoing surgery on his right knee in late September.
