Craig Counsell provides his 2026 Cubs roster outlook at MLB Winter Meetings | Marquee Sports Network

Craig Counsell provides his 2026 Cubs roster outlook at MLB Winter Meetings | Marquee Sports Network

A lot of discussion about Matt Shaw face going on with Jed, you know, especially yesterday. How do you view Shaw’s year and how do you project? Can he be a multi-position player, very good? I mean, I think I think Matt had a very good rookie season. Um, and I think the reason you say that is cuz he he made improvements and he and as the season went on, I think he he got better. We we got a better offensive player in the second half. We got a very good offensive player in the second half. Um, I think, you know, we’d all agree defensively, I think he surprised everybody and made enormous progress as the seasons went on to the point of like plus borderline plus plus third baseman by the end of the season. Those are all great things. Um, and so, you know, I Matt’s going to play a big part in this team. There’s no question he’s going to have a big big role and a big place on this team. I mean, the season, every season kind of brings out its new thing. like you know we were very injuryfree last year from a position player group and that created a lot of continuity with guys playing the same position um a new season can change that and guys that can play more than one position um in some years Nico has played shorts stops one year um he he played second base so if if a guy can play one more than one position and you need it. Great. It’s another option. Yeah, look, I mean, you know, we we had a good regular season. I I’d say it again. You 92 wins is a lot of wins. It is hard to win 92 games in a season. That is a good season. Um the playoffs are a completely different animal and it’s short series. It’s things got to go right. Uh it’s players got to do special things. We got to catch some breaks. Um we’ve got to be healthy at the right times. Um and enough of those things didn’t go right where we we couldn’t we couldn’t advance further unfortunately. Um, and look, you’re you’re going to try to always seek ways to make yourself better. Um, but I I I think you know at this point at this point you’re you’re trying to make yourself better for the regular season because that’s that’s what’s you know we got 162 of those games in front of us and and there you know I think you try to get in the the playoffs absolutely but you know winning the division um gives you that little extra advantage that uh is is obviously still a goal and still creates an advantage. What do you feel like looking better looks like for this team going into next year? Yeah, I mean the from a position player standpoint, I mean know you know the the the loss right now is Tucker obviously. Um the rest of the group is back and um likely with us. So you know we have young players that did contribute I thought in a big way. I thought Moyesus in September, you know, was played like the the he gave us the offensive production of Tucker essentially in in the month of September. Um and and that’s those and between him and Owen who was unfortunately hurt for most of that month. Um those are two important players as we sit right now. Um and so that’s it’s a pretty there’s not much to think about there. There’s obviously bench pieces that are going to be important because I think we were so healthy last year. I think that’s another thing that we have to, you know, really think about. Um got a lot of work to do completing our bullpen obviously. Um and you’re you’re never going to be satisfied with what you have from a pitching perspective. So, um you’re you’re always protecting your depth and protecting the injuries because the injuries are just always a little more significant in that area. Would you like to see if that production? Yeah, I mean I think you’re just trying to fortify the roster as a whole. Um and and so different um you know we can do it you can do it and think about it in different ways. Um but you know I mean I think more depth from the position player standpoint and produ like would would be helpful. Absolutely. Um like I I do think we were again extremely healthy there last year. So more depth there is important. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I I think he’s at the point where if he can help the major league team, he’s going to be in the major leagues. Um, so that that’s, you know, I I don’t there’s not an everyday catching job in the major leagues for him. Um but um you know as constructed right now we we’ve we’ve got room for at bats and I think that’s so I I would prioritize the major leagues right now but that but you know that can change with roster stuff. Well, every every young player is that’s how you have to be. Contending team, but every young player is in a contending team, too. I mean, like you you young players get they have to get chances. Have to get chances and that game and look around the league. I think that’s one thing that’s you have to give your young players opportunities. Um you’re better for giving your team is better for giving your young player oppers opportunities. Um I’m not sure that it helps them. I think it I think um you know they they have you have to it’s a tough league and even even the veteran players can can struggle. So it’s a tough league, but I think um you know I think you you see in giving young the opportunities young players getting is they’re they’re the guys that are going to improve as the season goes and turn into better players and and then turn into very important players on your club. And so you have to be patient with those opportunities and and create those and you have to create the opportunities for players like that for players of that caliber show just what does it mean knowing again next year and just from your perspective how the season ended for him how disappointed he was after that how do you view that I’m I’m really excited about Sha I I I I think he is going to is in a really good place. I think um sometimes not achieving what we want or not getting the opportunities we want or uh not performing how we want is the best teacher for us and and it is the best motivator for us. Um and I think SH is going to take his lessons from last year and and be a be better for them. Um, and so I’m I’m very optimistic about what we’re going to get from Shota. Yeah, I I I agree with that a thousand%. I I I think Shota got off track last year. There’s no question about it. He he got off track. Um and and I but I but you know maybe maybe one of the reasons we were collectively unable to help him get back on track is that it was so close that it’s it was hard to see. Um, and I think sometimes just a step back and you’re out of competition and a little perspective um, helps you get back to that place. U and, and a challenge frankly, right? Um, and the challenge of the struggles um, helps you have a little clarity on getting back to your best self um, and maybe a better self even. Um, and so someone who um the the diligence and and the intelligence that he approaches pitching and problems around pitching, I think he’s he’s going to come back from this uh with a lot of success. Whether Tucker continues or not, we saw all the things that he brought to the table in the first half, but the way he insulates himself Um, is that difficult? Was that difficult for you and the staff to be able to try to help him? Not that he was distant as a person, but just insulated as a player. No, I mean, I think we we’re all individuals and we all are are um have had success in our own way. Um, and I think it’s up it’s up to coaches, frankly, to to meet the players in those places and help them um with ways they’ve had success. Obviously, suggest ways different ways to have success and and new ways and other paths. Um, but that’s that’s absolutely part of it. Um, and it it’s from a coaching standpoint, it’s it’s I you love dealing with the different personalities. That’s what makes it so much fun and unlocking all all different sorts. Um, so you know, Kyle Kyle’s had a recipe for success uh that’s been that is very effective and will continue to be. What’s your stance on team Canada? Yeah, I mean we’ve got a bunch of players that are I think in the consideration mode right now for their the WBC. Um, so I I think in in general the WBC is a it’s a great experience for a lot of guys. Um, and uh, for some I’ I’d recommend against it, but for most I think it’s a great experience. [Laughter] Yeah. Um, no. No, no, no. How did things kind of get off track? Well, up until September. Yeah, I I think sometimes I think the injury got him off track. Um and sometimes the I think we had a period of some results covered up some things, but I think they were there. Um and uh and and then you know they kind of showed themselves. What was that? Tell us that interview like considering how it ended with um no I mean I think just that I mean I think it’s you know Shod was is is looking forward to how I’m going to be better like that that’s why you know then that’s why you’re optimistic too um it it’s it’s look what’s next what’s next what’s next I think that’s show’s mindset is what’s next um how am I going to get better um how am I going to get you know put myself in a place that I should be so Um, you know, he’s got some I think he feels like he has something to prove. Um, and um, you know, that that’s that’s a great mindset for an athlete to be in. We talk a lot about field ads being a home field advantage or disadvantage or lock it out of your mind. Just go play your game. But in reality, has has the game at Wrigley changed for these players? the two years you’ve been there has have been more positive as a manager and the coaching staff that feel like it was a stigma to the offense. Yeah, I I I think we’ve u I don’t think it’s changed over the two years. I I think it sometimes I think just when you acknowledge that something is there, it’s it’s just that’s acceptance and that makes you perform through it. And I think we did a good job of acknowledging circumstances last year and um collectively acknowledging, you know, and it’s for an offensive thing and sometimes it’s a pitching thing. I mean, Colin Ray had a number of starts where, you know, the wind is just he had a how he had a two starts the wind howling out and and you you know, your job in those starts is like just get a number of outs. Get get somehow get me deep deep enough into the game where we can put the game together for today and the next couple days. And that’s that’s your job. You’re going to give up six runs. Um but but you got you got 15 outs. Um so I think I think as a team um and as a group, you know, you it’s conditions aren’t always fair and they create stat lines that aren’t maybe deserved or earned or whatever. They’re just they just happen. Um but the name of the game is to is to win. Um, and I think our guys accepted that and and that’s why we played really well at home or one of the reasons that Yeah. I mean, he’s then he’ll catch. Yeah. Um, simple as that. I mean, I I think he I think he’s absolutely going to catch games. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think he’s got to he’s got to be better than the other two guys, but I think other than that, he’s he’s Yeah, he’s he’s I’m comfortable with it. Yes. How do you Yeah. How do you look at us? Yeah. I mean, I mean, I think he’s going to pitch leverage innings. Um, you know, we’ve got a it’s a bit of an empty some empty spots down there. So, it’s right now it’s a it’s a bit hard to tell you how the bullpen is going to work truthfully. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I look the bullpen is, you know, we we we talked about this earlier this week like you know our what we thought about our bullpen going into the season and maybe just reread it maybe what we thought we were wrong. We were pretty wrong on it. Um we ended up pitching pretty well. Um but I think at the start of the season it maybe wasn’t the guys that we expected to to do it. So, it it it just shows I think it’s um it’s get a bunch of good arms um and and kind of see you know what happens and have have enough abilities to pivot when you have to um during the season and and so I think part of that absolutely this this year will be um you know Porter had a rough season. It’s bounce Porter Hodge season bouncing back. Um that’s that’s going to be important. Yeah. Defensively, um and offense. Yeah. I mean, I think I think Se had a really good season. I think he finished it with a with excellent, you know, his last, you know, it’s funny like Seya really struggled in August and the first half of September really struggled. Um, and then maybe the second half of September and through the playoffs was was absolutely excellent. Excellent. Um, so I and I very happy for Seiya how he how he performed in the playoffs. I think he was he was a very dangerous hitter. um and I think showed what he can what he can really do and the impact he can have. So, and then the other then the other just I think defensively he I think he played very well this season. Um he obviously he had less chances and and you know did spend the bulk of the first half of the season in the DH spot, but the second half of the season with with Kyle’s injury, he he played significant innings in the outfield and and did a really good job. talked to him after he still kind of digest. What are you hoping he takes away from what do you envision a realistic evolution for him this off season into next year? Well, I I mean I think I I think it’s a season that you’d kind of expect from Pete. I mean that’s Pete, right? It’s it’s like there was we saw some incredible things. We saw some we saw some stretches where he was an out, you know, at the plate. Um, I think his defense was, you know, incredibly consistent and and brilliant throughout the season. Um, and I think really the goal is to just it’s just to keep improving. Um, how the season plays out, I don’t I don’t know how it’s going to play out. I don’t know if it’s going to be a streaky season or a consistent season. Um, but just to to improve um, and to to never be satisfied with kind of where you’re at and always seek to the seek yourself going to the next level. Um, that’s that’s what I’ what I’d want from Pete. Um, and as long as that quest, you know, never kind of burns out and you keep that alive, like he’s going to get to better places and and great places. Um, yeah. I mean, everybody has their own kind of intangible qualities. I mean, Nico’s um, great at like some really things that I think pe other people think they’re good at and they’re not as good at it. Like, and I’m I’m not talking about just players. I’m just talking about people. It’s like like um like when you say like show up every day and like complete every rep, like that is Nico. Like every rep is completed perfectly. Like that’s who Nico is. Um and that seems like well that’s an easy that’s easy. Everybody can do that. I do that. Well, you don’t do it, you know, like but I think so I would put Nico at like one of the at the top of the list for how he does that. Um, and it in a sport like baseball, like it it with so many games and so many moments, um, it it it shows up a lot. And I think, um, you know, it’s a great trait to have and it’s what’s made Nico a, um, a very, very good baseball player. Is there any part of these that like kind of informs your conversation with Jed on the off season or is it really as simple as like regular season now and then you know maybe at the trade deadline then yeah I mean look I mean I think this is you’re probably asking about pitching there uh to me um but you know and and that’s why I think you you can always just say like there’s never enough pitching and that that’s why you make those cliche That’s why I give it that cliche answer. Um, but yeah, I mean, I think if you look at what happened to us in the playoffs, it as we if we would have had to keep going, I think is where it would have got daunting. I don’t think it was daunting for the for the first two series. And I don’t think it necessarily affected us for the first two series if you had to keep going. um you know and and you know Cade was scheduled to come back and start pitching but it it would have been difficult. Yeah. So that so I think Yeah. but some of that is like you just gota you got to have enough guys and the time of the season and the injuries and things like that they they add up as as the season goes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But that’s what you’re always guarded against. And and I think you see, you know, there’s it’s you see teams like Atlanta who had significant like starting pitcher injuries and what it can do to a season. Um and and that you think about that. Absolutely. In that context, you like knowing will be coming back. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I I think that’s an important part of the season and that and but it’s also something for us to just consider is that the the starting pitcher injuries are it’s it’s sign they can be very significant and they can there’s very few position player injuries that keep you out for the season and there’s just there’s it happens more on the starting pitcher side and but getting a a player back of that caliber um is important. Absolutely. It is important. Does he have the same Yeah. Yeah. I mean nothing has changed. I mean, it’s, you know, it’s not going to be opening day. Um, and after that, I think I think I I really don’t want to speculate kind until we get to spring training and see where he’s at as as we get I think we’ll know in spring training kind of a, you know, kind of a target area of dates there. Um, but yeah, it’s not going to be opening day, but I think I think it’ll be the first half of the season. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music]

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell addresses the media at the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., and shares how he views the structure of the Cubs’ roster through the offseason and more.

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Craig Counsell provides his 2026 Cubs roster outlook at MLB Winter Meetings | Marquee Sports Network