With the start of the 2025 MLB season, two Chicago teams are on opposite sides of the competitive spectrum.
The Cubs are coming off of a competitive offseason, aiming to finally contend in the postseason after missing the playoffs for the last four seasons. Meanwhile, the White Sox are rebuilding following a league-record bad season. They aim to prioritize the development of young prospects for future contention.
This preview examines each team’s season goal and how I expect them to finish in the 2025 season.
CHICAGO CUBS
The Cubs ended the 2024 season with a winning record of 83-79 but were unable to make the National League wild card, falling six games behind the New York Mets. They entered the offseason intending to transform their roster into a contender, and they achieved this to a certain extent.
Their biggest splash came with the acquisition of right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, who notably won the Gold Glove Award in 2022 and the Silver Slugger Award in 2023. Tucker made a massive contribution to Houston’s World Series win in 2022 and in his final year before free agency, the Cubs hope to maximize his impact and win the division.
To make room for Tucker in the outfield, former 2019 MVP outfielder Cody Bellinger was traded to the New York Yankees.
The Cubs also notably lost former starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who had been with the organization since 2012. Hendricks led the league in earned run average (ERA) in 2016 and started the historic Game 7 of the World Series that same year.
After a couple of bad seasons, the Cubs decided to let him walk in free agency. In his place, they signed a couple of veteran starters. The first is Matthew Boyd, who previously pitched for the Cleveland Guardians and put up a 2.72 ERA in 2024 with a 1.13 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). While he has a good pitching arsenal, he has not pitched a full season since 2019.
The Cubs also signed Colin Rea, who pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers last season. Rea had a 4.29 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP last season and was primarily signed as a depth starter.
Infielder Matt Shaw – MLB Pipeline’s No. 19 prospect – will replace former Cub third baseman Isaac Paredes, who was part of the Kyle Tucker trade. Shaw – a former first-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft – looks to fill a hole at third base left open by Kris Bryant’s trade to the San Francisco Giants.
Expectations are high on the north side, with the Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm (PECOTA) predicting a division win. With star power, veteran leadership and emerging young talent in 2025, I expect the Cubs to finish the season with a record of 90-72.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
The White Sox intend to rebound from an abysmal 2024 season that saw them lose a league-record 121 games.
Their biggest signing of the offseason was former Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman, who hit for a .248 average with a .723 on-base plus slugging (OPS) off the bench. He intends to play a bigger role as a starter for the Sox.
The White Sox also appointed Will Venable as their new manager, replacing former manager Pedro Grifol and interim manager Grady Sizemore, who managed the team in 2024. Venable should help bring some fresh leadership to the South Side of Chicago.
The Sox have a bright future ahead of them with top prospects in pitcher Noah Schultz and shortstop Colson Montgomery, who rank No. 16 and No. 39 on MLB Pipeline’s prospect rankings respectively.
Also, the departure of ace pitcher Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox brought catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez to the South Side of Chicago, and all of them are top prospects.
The Sox are projected to finish last in the division and last in the MLB. However, with a slightly better roster and promising young talent expected to debut this season, I expect the White Sox to finish with a record of 65-97.
