Explore every episode of the podcast The North Side Baseball Podcast

Chicago used its pitching to take three of four from Pittsburgh over the weekend. What arms stood out? Early All-Star results are in with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker leading the way in the National League outfield. Is Ryan Pressly back, and we take a look at the Cubs-Brewers series.

Daniel Palencia has ran with the opportunity to close games for the Cubs. Should he be the guy moving forward? Is a 10+ WAR season in the cards for Pete Crow-Armstrong? What do we make of Cade Horton’s season so far and what can be expected moving forward?

Ryan Pressly has appeared to turn a corner but what do the numbers say? A hat tip to the season Nico Hoerner is putting together so far and a look at the upcoming schedule for the Cubs.

Matt Shaw is starting to figure it out at the plate in his second stint with the Cubs this year. What’s up with the home run problem for Jameson Taillon? Is Seiya Suzuki going to be an All-Star?

The Cubs finished up a sweep of the White Sox on Sunday and called up on of their top prospects in Matt Shaw on Monday for another go. What do we make of Kenta Maeda’s minor-league deal and what’s the current state of the bullpen?

Cade Horton made his highly anticipated MLB debut for the Cubs over the weekend. What did we make of it? How has PCA handled duties at the top of the order and where would the rotation be without Matthew Boyd?

The Cubs will have to make a move in the rotation after Shota Imanaga ended up on the shelf. All signs point towards Cade Horton and a potential debut this weekend against the Mets. Is Pete Crow-Armstrong a runaway All-Star at this point in the season? What do we make of Dansby Swanson’s hot streak since moving down in the order?

Michael Busch has quietly put together a strong first month. How much of it is sustainable and at minimum is he better than we expected? Jason gives a good look at what’s going on for the Cubs prospects in the minors and what has stood out to us so far in the MLB season?

The Cubs acquired Drew Pomeranz and selected his contract. Pomeranz hasn’t pitched in the bigs since 2021. What can he bring to the bullpen? What do we make of the slow start from Dansby Swanson and the ascending Pete Crow-Armstrong?

Justin Steele’s season-ending injury will have quite the domino effect on the rotation. Who could the Cubs target as a trade option? Pete Crow-Armstrong didn’t take Chicago up on a recent extension offer but Cubs fans shouldn’t be worried. The bullpen continues to be a roller coaster ride. Who do we trust the most?

After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got an extension done with Toronto, Kyle Tucker is the premier name for next offseason set to hit free agency. Can the Cubs get something done before that? How concerned should Cubs fans be with Ryan Pressly’s numbers so far? Is the production offensively from the catchers going to keep up?

Chicago’s bullpen had a meltdown Sunday against Arizona. Is it time to panic? What do the numbers say about the season so far for Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw? The Cubs have a little less than a year to sell Kyle Tucker on Chicago and the franchise. Can they do it?

Chicago lost both games against the Dodgers in the Tokyo series. What are the takeaways from the starts made by Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele? What about Ben Brown’s relief appearance? What tweaks could be made to the lineup? A look ahead to the series against the Diamondbacks coming up next week!

Pete Crow-Armstrong is having an incredible spring. How should fans control their expectations? Craig Counsell had an interesting comment about prospect Cade Horton and his timeline. What are the thoughts on the Tokyo series and what bat outside of Kyle Tucker is the most critical this season?

Kyle Tucker was the big offseason acquisition for Chicago. How much pressure will his bat take off the rest of the lineup? Will Shota Imanaga be able to back up his incredible rookie season? Where does the Cubs outfield rank across the league?

Spring training is underway and optimism is swirling around Chicago’s chances to claim the division in 2025. Mitch Widmeier and Jason Ross talk about Cubs prospects to keep tabs on this spring, how Matt Shaw’s game win translate, who the No. 5 starter in the rotation will be and whether or not the Cubs are serious contenders.