The countdown continues. One week from today: Fake Baseball.
Ben Brown has the ability to contribute really important innings to this year’s team, but won’t necessarily have to feel the pressure to do so. The team’s depth in both the rotation and the bullpen would allow them to continue letting Brown work as a starting pitcher (which sounds like the plan), where he could perhaps further refine his much-needed third pitch (the changeup) at Triple-A. It’s always possible that, at some point, the Cubs decide the 26-year-old power-righty could simply be too good in relief to keep going that route, but I do understand why the Cubs are holding out hope that he can take a step forward as a starter. He’s got a lot of upside potential there, and this is taking place against the backdrop of several impending starting pitcher departures in free agency after 2026. The reality of a typical season is that, even if Brown stays stretched out at Iowa and never flips into relief mode, he is highly likely to be needed for big league starts this year in any case. Guys get hurt. Spot starts are needed. Double-headers happen. You never rule out a guy like Brown (or Jordan Wicks or Javier Assad) performing so well that you have to keep him in the rotation no matter what, but some of the very best teams out there have a group of guys like that who are (1) big league caliber starters, but (2) have minor league options remaining, and thus (3) get shuttled up and down in a way that maximizes the overall team production at the MLB level. It’s probably not overly fun for these guys to be in that kind of spot, but it is very valuable overall for the 2026 Chicago Cubs to have them."Losing in the playoffs has gotta be one of the worst things I've experienced on a baseball field."Ben Brown says last season left him hungry for more ? pic.twitter.com/UNvPFi3or0
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 13, 2026 Now that the Phillies have FINALLY released Nick Castellanos ahead of the final season of the $100 million contract he signed four years ago, the stories are going to come out that more fully detail why the Phillies were so transparent about the fact that he wouldn’t be on the team in 2026:How the Phillies’ $100 million marriage with Nick Castellanos ended in divorce: t.co/zOl4lrRBLL
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) February 12, 2026 That piece is full of things that don’t exactly paint Castellanos in the most flattering picture, though the one at the top – him bringing a beer into the dugout during a June game because he’d been removed for a defensive replacement and was apparently unhappy about it – is going to get the most attention. That is largely because Castellanos, himself, decided to address that particular story in a handwritten note:Nick Castellanos wrote a thank you to Philadelphia and also a note explaining his side of the "Miami Incident", where he says he brought a beer in the dugout after being benched pic.twitter.com/sURZo2Fi5O
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 12, 2026 Castellanos, who was one of the worst players in baseball last year by WAR, is now available to any team for the big league minimum (the Phillies will be on the hook for the rest of the $20 million no matter what). Maybe a team will take a flier on him as a bat-only guy (assuming he can bounce back on that side), but it’s a little harder to see after that article. Also, since I know there’s still a lot of affection among Cubs fans for Nick Castellanos given his two great months with the team and uniquely candid perspective, I’ll say it: not sure I see the fit. Set aside the fact that he really just can’t be playing on defense anymore, he hit .250/.294/.400/90 wRC+ last year, and just .263/.309/.435/103 wRC+ the three seasons prior. He’s a bat-only guy who can MAYBE hit at a league-average clip. But he’s now a year older (34 next month), he’s an extreme chase guy with plummeting bat speed (a deadly combo), and he hit lefties worse than righties last year. Maybe that last one was a fluke (he’s got strong traditional splits otherwise in his career), but are you going to carry a bat-only guy to only face lefties? When you have only four spots on the bench, with one going to the second catcher and one going to Matt Shaw (and another likely going to a very similar player in Tyler Austin)? I just don’t see it. Very fun memories from 2019, though: Pete Crow-Armstrong always knew he was on a playoff-caliber team, but he still took a lot away from the postseason about what he needs to improve on:"I already know what we can do. I didn't need to experience postseason baseball to know this team is very capable." PCA's confidence in the Cubs doesn't waver ? pic.twitter.com/KKGnVhKLzw
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 12, 2026 Javier Assad’s visa issues were clearly resolved:Great to see Javier Assad has made it to camp!#SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/sOOoezzJ1o
— Scott Changnon (@ScottyChags) February 12, 2026 Not to ignore Assad in conversations like the one above about Ben Brown, it’s just that we’ve already seen that he can succeed in the big leagues as a swing guy (and we’ve already discussed it), so it’s a little less of an either/or discussion for 2026. He is likely to contribute in all kinds of ways. Assad will depart soon, by the way, to pitch for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Speaking of which, the WBC broadcast schedule is out:The 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic U.S. broadcast schedule is here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/lZwNi9t9bM
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 12, 2026 Oof. So it really was just a constant mistake about the guy the White Sox got in the Luis Robert Jr. trade:Getz statement:“So I probably have been getting carried away describing his versatility,” he joked. “He can play every position on the field. Why does it have to stop there? I called Luisangel and told him that even though he’s just right-handed, we still love him.” t.co/eZxkfaUCwq
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 12, 2026 This tweet is a journey:Rob Manfred says MLB is gaining momentum toward allowing players in the LA28 Olympics, while distancing MLB from Casey Wasserman amid scrutiny over his name appearing in Epstein files.MORE: t.co/XxcsvJBo3L pic.twitter.com/G1vxc6G504
— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) February 12, 2026 Art:How do you not love baseball? pic.twitter.com/31CatK5gMC
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) February 13, 2026 And a WBC hype video from Netflix (who has the rights in Japan):2026 ワールドベースボールクラシックNetflix 大会応援ソング稲葉浩志が情熱的に唱う「タッチ」スペシャルムービー解禁！出場する全てのチームへ贈る最強応援ソング❤️?3月5日（木）開幕全47試合 Netflix独占配信！ pic.twitter.com/swrUp3zzzh
— Netflix JAPAN | World Baseball Classic (@netflixjpsports) February 12, 2026 MORE CUBS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN NewsletterOOF! NFL Insiders Say It’s “Not a Great Year For Free Agency” t.co/Nwio02sKi8
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) February 13, 2026Boston Brutality, Ayo Impressing Minny, Derrick Rose’s $7 Billion Venture, and Other Bulls Bullets t.co/Mo2Fc75UUj
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 12, 2026How Did the Blackhawks Get Their Picks in the 2026 NHL Draft? #blackhawks t.co/Jwp2lKrPxe
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 13, 2026Hence then, the article about brown s contribution and role castellanos is free assad arrives and other cubs bullets was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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