Former MLB Executive Predicts Chicago Cubs Will Live up to Expectations This Season

With the start of the regular season for the Chicago Cubs nearly here, the franchise has high hopes for the year. 

The Cubs are going to be tested right out of the gates in 2025, with their campaign starting against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan. 

There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the upcoming season for Chicago after the strong winter they had. 

Considering the team was able to win 83 games in each of the last two years, there is a considerable amount of talent on the squad already. However, improvements made via trade have likely taken the franchise to the next level.

The National League Central has been won by the Milwaukee Brewers in three of the last four seasons, with the St. Louis Cardinals winning it in 2022. 

Fortunately for the Cubs, they won’t have to worry much about the Cardinals in 2025, with the franchise seemingly heading into a bit of a rebuild. However, the savvy Brewers should never be counted out despite losing some key players this winter. 

For Chicago, they will be seeking their first division title since 2020, and they have an excellent chance to pull it off. 

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently predicted the Cubs will finish in first place of the division this coming season.  

That should come as no surprise following the offseason they had. 

Chicago added an impact player in the middle of their order with Kyle Tucker coming over from the Houston Astros. He will be provide this team with the superstar player they have been lacking for the last few years, instantly improving their lineup. 

In addition to adding the MVP-caliber slugger, the Cubs also added Ryan Pressly to the back end of the bullpen.

Closing out games was a massive issue for the club in 2023 and 2024, but the addition of Pressly should be able to help in that regard. 

While the two major trades were the most notable moves, Chicago also did a nice job strengthening their bench and the depth in the bullpen as well. 

Overall, the team is in excellent shape heading into the season.

Being tested right out of the gate against the Dodgers will be a nice opportunity to see where the team stacks up against the reigning champs. 

In terms of winning their division, the Cubs are deservingly the favorite to win the NL Central.