The Cubs are in the midst of a tailspin, but there is still some good news to be had in the rumor mill.
The Chicago Cubs aren't last in the NL Central, that lovely honor goes to the St. Louis Cardinals. But with the Cardinals 8-2 in their last 10 and the Cubs 2-8, Chicago may not be able to defend that position much longer.
They got off to a solid start in 2023 but have since stumbled down the order in the tightly-contested division. Hope is not lost, but there's a clear need to get back on track.
Despite the slump, the recent news and rumors around the team provide some semblance of positivity. Here's everything to know. Today we'll look at Matt Mervis's first home run ball, Stroman extension talk, and Bellinger's injury.
Cubs rumors: Matt Mervis gets his first home run ball back
Matt Mervis hit his first career home run this week. It bounced off the foul pole which provided some hope he would get to keep it, but after it landed back in the field it was thrown into the stands.
Huge fumble there.
Thankfully, according to Meghan Montemurro, first base coach Mike Napoli got the ball back from the fans.
As for what Mervis is doing with the ball, Montemurro reported his mom is getting it, fitting just a few days after mother's day.
Cubs rumors: Marcus Stroman hopes to earn an extension with Chi
Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Marcus Stroman hopes to stay with the Cubs for essentially the remainder of his playing career.
As Lee explains, Stroman can opt out after this season, but would prefer to find an extension that works for both parties. Here's what he said to Lee:
"I've been open with the front office here, been very vocal that I want to be here and I want an extension, that I don't want to honestly make it to free agency," Stroman told the Sun-Times. "But I'm also very confident in my abilities in free agency. I've always bet on myself."
The Cubs have spent as of late, and do have some likely big-money extensions coming down the pipe as well. Justin Steele is a likely extension candidate, and plenty of fans believe he has earned it, though he is under team control the next few years through arbitration. They also just recently signed Ian Happ to an extension earlier this season.
An extension for Stroman could make sense. Though he's far closer to his career twilight than his debut, he's performed admirably this year and has been arguably one of the league's strongest starters, despite looking a bit uncharacteristic for the role.
Stroman, after spending the first five and a half years of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, has been onto the Mets and now the Cubs, and clearly would prefer some stability rather than continuing on as a journeyman.
Stro has been relatively stable, and it might be one of the necessary pieces for the Cubs as they look to remain competitive in a typically testy NL Central. Stroman has relished in the opportunity to play at Wrigley Field, enjoying the unique atmosphere and relationship with the fans at the Friendly Confines.
Cubs rumors: Cody Bellinger expected to return Friday night
Cody Bellinger injured his knee several days ago making a fantastic leaping catch in the outfield to rob the Astros of a home run. Bellinger hit the wall and fell to the ground but was able to secure the ball and subsequently, the out. It was an on-brand moment for Bellinger who has left it all out on the field in this reclamation year.
Bellinger has been out since the incident on May 15, but was available off the bench on Wednesday night. Before that, he was expected to be likely available if the Cubs felt they needed him on Tuesday, too, though that didn't come to bear.
All signs at this point indicate Bellinger, with the extra rest day on Thursday, should be ready to go for Friday night's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bellinger joined the Cubs on a one-year prove-it deal to reset his reputation. After winning NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2019, he looked like an imposter of himself in the three years following with a slash line of .203/.272/.376. This year, he's back in form at .271/.337/.493.
So far, it's panned out as a smart move for the Cubs and a wise change of scenery for Bellinger, who will likely earn himself a decent multi-year contract after this year.
Bellinger has already eclipsed his offensive WAR from last season, and is 20 percent of the way to his defensive WAR from last year. It'll be good for the Cubs to have him back, a needed boost of energy to help them get their mojo back.