When it comes to Cubs baseball, there was a great bounty of gifts to be thankful for in 2025. From a thrilling playoff run to the return of legendary players like Anthony Rizzo back into the fold, you’d have to be a turkey not to find something to like about where this franchise is, and where it could go. So, while you loosen your belts and take part in whatever timeless holiday traditions you call your own, take a look at five big things Cubs fans have to be thankful for. 

1. Cade Horton: Near or at the top of every Cubs fans’ wish list is a Dylan Cease-type top-of-the rotation starting pitcher. Should that happen, that pitcher will work great in concert with the magnificent Cade Horton. Before succumbing to a rib injury at the end of the 2025 season, the 24-year-old righty helped his squad stack wins in the second half. Racking up 11 wins and pitching 118 innings in the majors, Horton got to 147 total frames, setting the stage for what should be an unfettered 2026. Many believe it was Horton, not the Braves’ Drake Baldwin, who was most deserving of the National League’s Rookie of the Year honors. North Siders are lucky to have him, and he certainly figures to keep the Cubs in the playoff mix for years to come.

2. The Cubs are a Playoff Team: Though in retrospect, it feels as if the Cubs barely scratched the surface of what could be in 2025, they roared back into the postseason for the first time in a long time. The North Siders have a strong young core, mixed with some veteran talent that has yet to reach its full potential. In disposing of the San Diego Padres at Wrigley, and taking the Brewers to the brink, this squad’s playoff showing suggested that this could just be the beginning for club looking to refill the tank and make another run in 2026. 

3. Pete Crow-Armstrong: To be honest, all of baseball should be thankful for the Cubs’ Gold Glove center fielder. His offensive production disintegrated in the second half, but his presence never did. Crow-Armstrong is a tremendous ambassador for the game and a bright young star the organization should want to keep around. If he stays on the track of growth and maturity, he’ll no doubt provide even more core memories for the Wrigley faithful. 

4. Michael Busch: The anticipation of blockbuster offseason free-agent signings is an exercise in anxiety. Around this time of year, getting caught up in what you don’t have is as easy as scooping a second helping of mashed potatoes and gravy onto your plate. The fan base would love a reunion with slugger Kyle Schwarber, but in Michael Busch, they’ve already got one of the shiniest gifts under the tree. With 34 homers and an .866 OPS during the regular season, Busch lit up scoreboards in 2025. At 28, he’s five years Schwarber’s junior. He arrived on the North Side of Chicago as an overlooked talent, but his poise, performance, and defensive prowess leave baseball fans in Illinois (and beyond) no choice but to take notice. 

5. Craig Counsell: A couple years ago, when the Cubs plucked their current skipper from Milwaukee, I thought it was a shrewd but necessary move. He’s a “put your money where your mouth is” type of manager who, whether you agree with his choices or not, doesn’t stand idly by while the game happens around him. Counsell and his staff turned Matthew Boyd into an All-Star ace who did more than just ensure his squad stuck around a couple games longer in the playoffs. At the end of the underwhelming 2024 season, Counsell famously proclaimed that his should be a 90-win ball club. He proceeded to go out and get 92 victories the following season. He’s a great dude to have at the helm of this organization, and I think the best is yet to come. 

So there you have it, Cubs fans, if that list doesn’t warm up your heart just a little bit, make yourself a cup of coffee. The North Side of Chicago is a baseball epicenter, with growth ahead. While we still may have visions of World Series rings dancing in our heads, there’s much to be thankful for on this day—and every day.