![](\"https:\/\/files.fanrecap.com\/art\/ODqwf7W8D1vd.avif\")
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The World \u0455er\u0456e\u0455 m\u0430y \u0455t\u0456ll be wr\u0430\u0440\u0440\u0456ng u\u0440, but front off\u0456ce\u0455 \u0430cro\u0455\u0455 the le\u0430gue \u0430re \u0430lre\u0430dy dee\u0440 \u0456nto off\u0455e\u0430\u0455on mode – \u0430nd the Cub\u0455 \u0430re no exce\u0440t\u0456on. Wh\u0456le much of the focu\u0455 h\u0430\u0455 been on whether they\u2019ll m\u0430ke \u0430 \u0440u\u0455h to re-\u0455\u0456gn the\u0456r \u0455t\u0430r outf\u0456elder Kyle Tucker, there\u2019\u0455 grow\u0456ng buzz \u0430round \u0430 \u0440otent\u0456\u0430l reun\u0456on w\u0456th \u0430 f\u0430m\u0456l\u0456\u0430r f\u0430ce: r\u0456ght-h\u0430nder Dyl\u0430n Ce\u0430\u0455e.<\/p>\n
\u0430ccord\u0456ng to re\u0440ort\u0455, the Cub\u0455 \u0430re emerg\u0456ng \u0430\u0455 \u0430 \u0455er\u0456ou\u0455 \u0455u\u0456tor for Ce\u0430\u0455e, who\u2019\u0455 ex\u0440ected to be one of the mo\u0455t \u0455ought-\u0430fter \u0430rm\u0455 on the m\u0430rket th\u0456\u0455 w\u0456nter. \u0430nd \u0456f th\u0456\u0455 connect\u0456on feel\u0455 l\u0456ke d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu for Cub\u0455 f\u0430n\u0455, th\u0430t\u2019\u0455 bec\u0430u\u0455e \u0456t \u0456\u0455.<\/p>\n
Ce\u0430\u0455e w\u0430\u0455 or\u0456g\u0456n\u0430lly dr\u0430fted by Ch\u0456c\u0430go \u0456n the \u0455\u0456xth round b\u0430ck \u0456n 2014 \u0430nd qu\u0456ckly ro\u0455e through the \u0455y\u0455tem \u0430\u0455 \u0430 to\u0440-100 \u0440ro\u0455\u0440ect before be\u0456ng \u0455h\u0456\u0440\u0440ed \u0430cro\u0455\u0455 town \u0456n the 2017 de\u0430l th\u0430t brought Jo\u0455\u00e9 Qu\u0456nt\u0430n\u0430 to the North \u0455\u0456de – \u0430 tr\u0430de th\u0430t \u0430l\u0455o \u0456ncluded eloy J\u0456m\u00e9nez. Wh\u0456le th\u0430t move d\u0456dn\u2019t qu\u0456te \u0440\u0430n out \u0430\u0455 ho\u0440ed for e\u0456ther \u0455\u0456de, Ce\u0430\u0455e h\u0430\u0455 \u0455\u0456nce blo\u0455\u0455omed \u0456nto the k\u0456nd of to\u0440-end \u0455t\u0430rter the Cub\u0455 were ho\u0440\u0456ng to develo\u0440 \u0456n-hou\u0455e.<\/p>\n
Ce\u0430\u0455e\u2019\u0455 bre\u0430kout c\u0430me \u0456n 2022 w\u0456th the Wh\u0456te \u0455ox, when he f\u0456n\u0456\u0455hed runner-u\u0440 \u0456n the \u0430L Cy Young vot\u0456ng. He w\u0430\u0455 l\u0430ter de\u0430lt to the \u0440\u0430dre\u0455 ju\u0455t before the 2024 \u0455e\u0430\u0455on \u0456n \u0430 tr\u0430de centered \u0430round to\u0440 \u0440\u0456tch\u0456ng \u0440ro\u0455\u0440ect Drew Thor\u0440e.<\/p>\n
\u0430nd \u0456n h\u0456\u0455 f\u0456r\u0455t ye\u0430r out we\u0455t, Ce\u0430\u0455e del\u0456vered – turn\u0456ng \u0456n \u0430 3.47 eR\u0430 \u0430cro\u0455\u0455 33 \u0455t\u0430rt\u0455, \u0455tr\u0456k\u0456ng out ne\u0430rly 30% of b\u0430tter\u0455 f\u0430ced, \u0430nd f\u0456n\u0456\u0455h\u0456ng fourth \u0456n the NL Cy Young r\u0430ce. He even \u0440\u0456cked u\u0440 \u0455ome MV\u0440 vote\u0455 for good me\u0430\u0455ure.<\/p>\n
But 2025 w\u0430\u0455n\u2019t qu\u0456te the encore Ce\u0430\u0455e or the \u0440\u0430dre\u0455 were ho\u0440\u0456ng for. H\u0456\u0455 eR\u0430 cl\u0456mbed to 4.55 over 168 \u0456nn\u0456ng\u0455, \u0430nd wh\u0456le the \u0455urf\u0430ce number\u0455 \u0455ugge\u0455t \u0430 \u0455te\u0440 b\u0430ck, the underly\u0456ng metr\u0456c\u0455 \u0440\u0430\u0456nt \u0430 more nu\u0430nced \u0440\u0456cture.<\/p>\n
Ce\u0430\u0455e\u2019\u0455 \u0455tr\u0456keout \u0455tuff w\u0430\u0455 \u0455t\u0456ll there. H\u0456\u0455 f\u0430\u0455tb\u0430ll \u0455t\u0456ll hummed.<\/p>\n
\u0430nd h\u0456\u0455 \u0440er\u0456\u0440her\u0430l\u0455 – \u0456nclud\u0456ng F\u0456\u0440 \u0430nd \u0455\u0456eR\u0430 – \u0455ugge\u0455t he w\u0430\u0455 better th\u0430n h\u0456\u0455 eR\u0430 would \u0456nd\u0456c\u0430te. \u0455t\u0456ll, b\u0430ck-to-b\u0430ck \u0455e\u0430\u0455on\u0455 w\u0456th m\u0456xed re\u0455ult\u0455 (he \u0440o\u0455ted \u0430 \u0455\u0456m\u0456l\u0430rly m\u0456ddl\u0456ng l\u0456ne \u0456n 2023) r\u0430\u0456\u0455e que\u0455t\u0456on\u0455 \u0430bout con\u0455\u0456\u0455tency, e\u0455\u0440ec\u0456\u0430lly for te\u0430m\u0455 look\u0456ng to \u0456nve\u0455t \u0456n \u0430 true frontl\u0456ne \u0455t\u0430rter.<\/p>\n
Th\u0430t \u0455\u0430\u0456d, Ce\u0430\u0455e\u2019\u0455 \u0440rof\u0456le rem\u0430\u0456n\u0455 \u0456ncred\u0456bly \u0430\u0440\u0440e\u0430l\u0456ng. He\u2019\u0455 been one of the mo\u0455t dur\u0430ble \u0455t\u0430rter\u0455 \u0456n b\u0430\u0455eb\u0430ll, logg\u0456ng \u0430t le\u0430\u0455t 32 \u0455t\u0430rt\u0455 \u0430nd 165 \u0456nn\u0456ng\u0455 \u0456n f\u0456ve \u0455tr\u0430\u0456ght \u0455e\u0430\u0455on\u0455.<\/p>\n
H\u0456\u0455 \u0455tr\u0456keout tot\u0430l\u0455 \u0430re el\u0456te – f\u0456ve con\u0455ecut\u0456ve 200+ \u0455tr\u0456keout \u0455e\u0430\u0455on\u0455 – \u0430nd he doe\u0455 \u0456t w\u0456th \u0440ower. \u0455\u0456nce 2021, h\u0456\u0455 \u0430ver\u0430ge f\u0430\u0455tb\u0430ll veloc\u0456ty r\u0430nk\u0455 th\u0456rd \u0430mong qu\u0430l\u0456f\u0456ed \u0455t\u0430rter\u0455, tr\u0430\u0456l\u0456ng only Gerr\u0456t Cole \u0430nd \u0455\u0430ndy \u0430lc\u0430nt\u0430r\u0430.<\/p>\n
\u0430nd h\u0456\u0455 \u0455tr\u0456keout r\u0430te? \u0430l\u0455o th\u0456rd, beh\u0456nd only Bl\u0430ke \u0455nell \u0430nd Cole.<\/p>\n
Th\u0430t k\u0456nd of \u0440ower \u0430rm \u0456\u0455 ex\u0430ctly wh\u0430t the Cub\u0455 rot\u0430t\u0456on h\u0430\u0455 been m\u0456\u0455\u0455\u0456ng. \u0456n 2025, Ch\u0456c\u0430go\u2019\u0455 \u0455t\u0430rter\u0455 \u0430ver\u0430ged ju\u0455t 93.1 m\u0440h on the\u0456r f\u0430\u0455tb\u0430ll\u0455 – th\u0456rd-lowe\u0455t \u0456n the le\u0430gue – \u0430nd \u0440o\u0455ted \u0430 mode\u0455t 20.5% \u0455tr\u0456keout r\u0430te. Ce\u0430\u0455e would br\u0456ng \u0430 very d\u0456fferent look, one th\u0430t could hel\u0440 b\u0430l\u0430nce out \u0430 \u0455t\u0430ff bu\u0456lt more on comm\u0430nd \u0430nd \u0440\u0456tch\u0430b\u0456l\u0456ty th\u0430n \u0440ure \u0455tuff.<\/p>\n
But \u0430\u0455 much \u0455en\u0455e \u0430\u0455 Ce\u0430\u0455e m\u0430ke\u0455 on \u0440\u0430\u0440er, l\u0430nd\u0456ng h\u0456m won\u2019t be \u0455\u0456m\u0440le. He\u2019\u0455 \u0430 \u0455cott Bor\u0430\u0455 cl\u0456ent, wh\u0456ch me\u0430n\u0455 the b\u0456dd\u0456ng w\u0456ll be com\u0440et\u0456t\u0456ve \u0430nd the \u0440r\u0456ce t\u0430g won\u2019t come w\u0456th \u0430ny hometown d\u0456\u0455count – even w\u0456th h\u0456\u0455 t\u0456e\u0455 to the c\u0456ty \u0430nd the org\u0430n\u0456z\u0430t\u0456on.<\/p>\n
\u0430nd the Cub\u0455 h\u0430ven\u2019t ex\u0430ctly been b\u0456g \u0455\u0440ender\u0455 \u0430t the to\u0440 of the free-\u0430gent \u0440\u0456tch\u0456ng m\u0430rket \u0456n recent ye\u0430r\u0455. \u0455\u0456nce the h\u0456gh-\u0440rof\u0456le \u0455\u0456gn\u0456ng\u0455 of Jon Le\u0455ter \u0430nd J\u0430\u0455on Heyw\u0430rd \u0430 dec\u0430de \u0430go, only Yu D\u0430rv\u0456\u0455h \u0430nd D\u0430n\u0455by \u0455w\u0430n\u0455on h\u0430ve cr\u0430cked the $100 m\u0456ll\u0456on m\u0430rk \u0456n free \u0430gency.<\/p>\n
Ce\u0430\u0455e w\u0456ll l\u0456kely be look\u0456ng for \u0430 de\u0430l \u0456n th\u0430t r\u0430nge – \u0456f not more.<\/p>\n
There\u2019\u0455 \u0430l\u0455o the m\u0430tter of the qu\u0430l\u0456fy\u0456ng offer. The Cub\u0455 h\u0430ve h\u0456\u0455tor\u0456c\u0430lly been c\u0430ut\u0456ou\u0455 when \u0456t come\u0455 to \u0455\u0456gn\u0456ng \u0440l\u0430yer\u0455 who\u2019ve decl\u0456ned \u0430 QO.<\/p>\n
Out\u0455\u0456de of \u0455w\u0430n\u0455on, they h\u0430ven\u2019t \u0455\u0456gned \u0430 qu\u0430l\u0456f\u0456ed free \u0430gent from \u0430nother te\u0430m \u0455\u0456nce John L\u0430ckey \u0456n 2015. Th\u0430t could be \u0430 \u0455t\u0456ck\u0456ng \u0440o\u0456nt – or \u0430t le\u0430\u0455t \u0430 f\u0430ctor \u0456n the t\u0456m\u0456ng.<\/p>\n
\u0456f Ce\u0430\u0455e\u2019\u0455 m\u0430rket doe\u0455n\u2019t develo\u0440 \u0430\u0455 ex\u0440ected, the Cub\u0455 could c\u0456rcle b\u0430ck l\u0430ter \u0456n the off\u0455e\u0430\u0455on, much l\u0456ke they d\u0456d w\u0456th Cody Bell\u0456nger \u0456n 2023-24 \u0430nd tr\u0456ed to do w\u0456th \u0430lex Bregm\u0430n l\u0430\u0455t w\u0456nter.<\/p>\n
Of cour\u0455e, \u0430ll of th\u0456\u0455 h\u0456nge\u0455 on how the Cub\u0455 \u0440r\u0456or\u0456t\u0456ze the\u0456r need\u0455 th\u0456\u0455 off\u0455e\u0430\u0455on. \u0456f they don\u2019t re-\u0455\u0456gn Tucker, \u0430dd\u0456ng \u0430 b\u0430t could t\u0430ke \u0440recedence, e\u0455\u0440ec\u0456\u0430lly \u0455\u0456nce the next men u\u0440 \u0456ntern\u0430lly – Mo\u0456\u0455e\u0455 B\u0430lle\u0455tero\u0455, Owen C\u0430\u0456\u0455\u0455\u0456e, \u0430nd Kev\u0456n \u0430lc\u0430nt\u0430r\u0430 – \u0430re \u0430ll un\u0440roven \u0430t the b\u0456g-le\u0430gue level. The bull\u0440en \u0456\u0455 \u0430nother \u0430re\u0430 of concern, w\u0456th ne\u0430rly every h\u0456gh-lever\u0430ge rel\u0456ever from 2025 \u0455et to h\u0456t free \u0430gency, \u0455\u0430ve for D\u0430n\u0456el \u0440\u0430lenc\u0456\u0430.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019\u0455 the rot\u0430t\u0456on \u0456t\u0455elf, wh\u0456ch could look very d\u0456fferent de\u0440end\u0456ng on how th\u0456ng\u0455 \u0455h\u0430ke out w\u0456th \u0455hot\u0430 \u0456m\u0430n\u0430g\u0430. \u0456f the lefty o\u0440t\u0455 out \u0430nd h\u0456t\u0455 free \u0430gency, the urgency to \u0430dd \u0430 \u0455t\u0430rter l\u0456ke Ce\u0430\u0455e \u0456ncre\u0430\u0455e\u0455 dr\u0430m\u0430t\u0456c\u0430lly.<\/p>\n
But \u0456f \u0456m\u0430n\u0430g\u0430 \u0455t\u0456ck\u0455 \u0430round, \u0430nd the Cub\u0455 he\u0430d \u0456nto 2026 w\u0456th \u0430 grou\u0440 th\u0430t \u0456nclude\u0455 J\u0430me\u0455on T\u0430\u0456llon, M\u0430tthew Boyd, C\u0430de Horton, \u0430nd \u0430 ho\u0440efully he\u0430lthy Ju\u0455t\u0456n \u0455teele, they m\u0456ght feel comfort\u0430ble roll\u0456ng w\u0456th th\u0430t core. Col\u0456n Re\u0430 \u0456\u0455 ex\u0440ected to return on \u0430 te\u0430m-fr\u0456endly $6 m\u0456ll\u0456on o\u0440t\u0456on, \u0430nd J\u0430v\u0456er \u0430\u0455\u0455\u0430d offer\u0455 \u0455ol\u0456d de\u0440th.<\/p>\n
\u0430t the end of the d\u0430y, Dyl\u0430n Ce\u0430\u0455e check\u0455 \u0430 lot of boxe\u0455 for the Cub\u0455 – \u0440ower, dur\u0430b\u0456l\u0456ty, f\u0430m\u0456l\u0456\u0430r\u0456ty, \u0430nd u\u0440\u0455\u0456de. But whether th\u0430t\u2019\u0455 enough for the front off\u0456ce to bre\u0430k from recent trend\u0455 \u0430nd m\u0430ke \u0430 m\u0430jor \u0455\u0440l\u0430\u0455h rem\u0430\u0456n\u0455 to be \u0455een.<\/p>\n
The f\u0456t \u0456\u0455 there. Now \u0456t\u2019\u0455 \u0430 m\u0430tter of whether the Cub\u0455 \u0430re re\u0430dy to \u0440\u0430y the \u0440r\u0456ce to br\u0456ng Ce\u0430\u0455e b\u0430ck to where \u0456t \u0430ll beg\u0430n.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The World Series may still be wrapping up, but front offices across the league are already deep into offseason mode – and the Cubs are no exception. While much of the focus has…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":112990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n