Three things to watch in April | North Side Territory

As the Cubs get into the flow of the season, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney spot some of the early trends and share what they’re looking for in the first month. The rotation, led by Matthew Boyd, is always a focus and moving in the right direction. Right field remains a question m…

How Pete Crow-Armstrong’s deal with the Cubs came together

It’s never easy for Crow-Armstrong to hide his emotions, but it was almost impossible during Friday’s news conference at the Wrigley Field office building, where the Cubs heralded his six-year, $115 million contract extension. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney take you inside the roo…

What’s going on here? Explaining the Cubs’ big moves

In one financial quarter, the Cubs committed $431 million to Nico Hoerner, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, solidifying them as building blocks at Wrigley Field. Is this a new way of doing business? Yes and no. With direct insights from the key players involved in the negotiations, The Athleti…

Extension Week continues for Cubs and Nico Hoerner

Opening Day at Wrigley Field was kind of dud, but the Cubs delivered a six-year agreement with Hoerner, a homegrown Gold Glove second baseman and a fan favorite for his style of play. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney look into the motivations for this deal, how the front office has …

What you need to know about Pete Crow-Armstrong’s contract extension

With Opening Day being treated as a deadline, the Cubs and Crow-Armstrong’s camp came together to finalize a six-year, $115 million deal that solidified him as a new face of the franchise. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney take you inside the negotiations and explain what each side w…

What we’re hearing about Moisés Ballesteros plus scouts on the Cubs’ pitching staff

Nearing the end of spring training, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney open their notebooks for some information on how the team is coming together. Why did Cubs manager Craig Counsell tell his hitting coaches to stay away from Ballesteros? And what’s the story behind this elite hitti…

Daniel Palencia’s huge WBC moment and more Cubs pitching notes

What did the Cubs really think of how Team Venezuela handled their closer? The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain Palencia’s rise through the organization and onto the stage of an electric championship game. As the Cubs welcome key players back from the WBC, the focus will be gett…

Is Seiya Suzuki still in the Opening Day picture?

Near the end of a relatively smooth spring training, the Cubs are dealing with some uncertainty. The club continues to monitor Suzuki, who injured his right knee while playing for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, making it questionable whether he will be able to start the season on time. T…

Cubs roster outlook: Cade Horton’s next level, bullpen questions and more

With Opening Day fast approaching, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney analyze some of the decisions that club officials will be facing before the Cubs pack up and leave Arizona. The Cactus League numbers won’t reveal much about Horton, one of the sport’s best young pitchers. But how t…

Matthew Boyd earns Opening Day assignment at Wrigley Field

Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney break down the latest news from Cubs camp, where Boyd returned after his stint with Team USA. The Athletic’s Cubs beat writers explain why naming the Opening Day starter was a relatively straightforward decision and what that means moving forward. Plus a look at Pe…