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.
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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
Rotowire
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
Rotowire
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.
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Cubs' Trey Wingenter: Booted from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Cubs designated Wingenter for assignment Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for trade acquisition Matt Thaiss. Wingenter, 30, boasts a 30.5 percent strikeout rate but also a 12 percent walk rate over parts of four seasons at the big-league level.
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Cubs' Matt Thaiss: Acquired by Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs acquired Thaiss from the Angels on Wednesday in exchange for cash consideration, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Thaiss was designated for assignment last week and has now found a new home. The Cubs are looking for catching help this offseason, although Thaiss wouldn't necessarily be an upgrade over Miguel Amaya. As things stand right now, he and Amaya could share starts at the position.
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Cubs' Patrick Wisdom: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
The Cubs designated Wisdom for assignment Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the newly-acquired Eli Morgan. Wisdom, 33, fell off to a lowly .171/.237/.392 batting line this season for the Cubs. Rather than pay him a raise in arbitration, the team is removing him from the roster now. Wisdom slugged 76 homers from 2021-23 and still hits the ball very hard when he makes contact, so he should be able to find work with a club that's willing to deal with his strikeout problems.
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Cubs' Eli Morgan: Traded to Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs acquired Morgan from the Guardians on Wednesday in exchange for Alfonsin Rosario, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Morgan boasts a 3.27 ERA over the last three seasons out of Cleveland's bullpen, although his strikeout rate dipped to 20.4 percent in 2024. He has past starting experience but will likely fill a middle-relief role in Chicago.
The Cubs designated Davis for assignment Tuesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Although Davis slashed .214/.359/.469 at Triple-A Iowa in 2024, various injuries limited him to just 55 minor-league games (47 in Triple-A, eight in High-A). His 40-man roster spot will now be handed to top prospect and fellow outfielder Owen Caissie.
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Cubs' Adbert Alzolay: Officially DFA'd
Rotowire
The Cubs designated Alzolay (elbow) for assignment Tuesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in August, Alzolay isn't expected to pitch again until 2026, and the Cubs seemingly would rather use his 40-man roster spot to shield Ben Cowles from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. Alzolay has put up a 3.10 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 81.1 innings over the last two seasons, and there's a good chance he draws some interest from other teams on waivers.
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Cubs' Benjamin Cowles: Receives 40-man spot
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Cowles to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Cowles was acquired from the Yankees at the trade deadline as part of the Mark Leiter deal, though a wrist injury limited Cowles to playing just four games with Double-A Tennessee at the very end of the year. Prior to his injury, the 24-year-old infielder had slashed .292/.372/.471 with 52 RBI across 379 plate appearances. He'll likely be bumped up to Triple-A Iowa for the start of 2025.
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Cubs' Owen Caissie: Selected to 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Caissie to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Caissie spent the entire 2024 campaign with Triple-A Iowa, where he slashed .278/.375/.472 with 19 homers and 75 RBI across 549 plate appearances. The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the most promising prospects in Chicago's farm system, and a strong spring could be all he needs to break camp with the big-league squad.
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Cubs' Adbert Alzolay: Expected to be DFA'd by Cubs
Rotowire
The Cubs are expected to designate Alzolay (elbow) for assignment Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Alzolay might not be ready to pitch again until 2026 after having Tommy John surgery in August, and evidently the Cubs were unwilling to wait out his rehab and also pay him in his second year of arbitration eligibility. The 29-year-old broke out as the Cubs' closer in 2023 and is sure to draw interest via waivers or trade.
