CHICAGO -- Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong was among the bundled-up fans at Soldier Field to witness the Bears’ wild, comeback playoff win over the Packers on Saturday night. As Da Bears were beginning to rally in the third quarter, news broke that the Cubs had reached a deal with star free agent Alex Bregman.
In the aftermath of the Bears’ victory on the field, and the Cubs’ big win in free agency, Crow-Armstrong posted on his Instagram story: “Bears and BREGMAN. What is my life?!”
Once official, the Bregman signing will bring an impact bat to the Cubs’ lineup and have a ripple effect on the infield picture and overall roster. Let’s dive into some of the ways in which the major acquisition by the North Siders shifts the landscape on and off the field for the ballclub.
1) What does this mean for third base?
The Cubs already have a third baseman in hand in Matt Shaw, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made a point to sing his praises during the Winter Meetings. Of course, that endorsement did not guarantee Chicago was closing the door on adding at that position.
Shaw is still just 24 years old and, while he had a strong second half (11 homers, .522 SLG and .839 OPS) and was a Gold Glove finalist, he turned in an inconsistent season overall. The reality is Shaw is still developing at the Major League level, and Chicago has him under control through 2031.
Bregman can take over as the starter at third base, alongside veterans Dansby Swanson at short and Nico Hoerner at second. Shaw, meanwhile, can offer manager Craig Counsell a contingency plan at multiple infield positions as a super-sub.
2) Could the Cubs now trade Shaw or Hoerner?
In theory, yes, the Cubs’ sudden depth around the infield could make Shaw or Hoerner trade candidates. That said, using them as potential trade pieces made more sense when Chicago needed an impact starting pitcher. The Cubs solved that item on their winter to-do list earlier this week by trading for righty Edward Cabrera.
Hoerner is eligible for free agency after ‘26, while Shaw is under control for six more seasons. That makes Shaw an extremely valuable player on the trade market, but he also gives Chicago a built-in replacement at second if an extension is not in Hoerner’s future. And again, keeping both players for this year creates a better (and deeper) roster.
3) What does the bench group look like now?
One issue Counsell wanted to address for ‘26 was to have a better pool of reserves to find ways to get lineup regulars more rest. Consider this: Six players appeared in at least 150 games last year for Chicago, tying a single-season club record set in 1968. Without a strong bench, Counsell relied heavily on his main nine, while being fortunate to not have injuries impact the group too much.
Shaw would immediately upgrade a backup group that also includes newcomer Tyler Austin (signed this winter to help as a part-time first baseman and outfielder). Barring Chicago acquiring an outfielder, former Top 100 prospect Kevin Alcántara (No. 4 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 for the Cubs) projects as a backup for all three spots. Cubs top prospect Moisés Ballesteros (No. 53 overall) is the third catching option behind the main tandem of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya.
4) How does Bregman fit into the Cubs’ lineup?
As things stand, there is no competition for any position. Michael Busch is at first base, with Hoerner at second, Swanson at short and Bregman at third. The outfield has Ian Happ in left, Crow-Armstrong in center and Seiya Suzuki in right. One of Kelly and Amaya would be behind the plate, while Ballesteros handles the main designated hitter duties.
Adding Bregman’s right-handed bat gives Counsell a few ways to create balance throughout the order against righty pitchers, plus the option of stacking righty bats against lefty starters. Busch, Crow-Armstrong and Ballesteros are left-handed hitters, while Happ brings a switch-hitter into the mix. The rest of the group hits from the right side.
Busch ended the season as the Cubs’ main leadoff hitter. If Counsell were to stick with that plan, Bregman could easily slot in as the No. 2 hitter or bat cleanup. Chicago could alternate left-right for the most part with righties hitting back to back just once somewhere in the order. And Counsell would now have the ability to better use the DH slot as a way to rotate guys on and off the field to keep players fresh.