Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki has whittled his teams down and the Cubs are reportedly not on it. Andy Martínez and Tony Andracki break down what it means for the Cubs and what comes next.

Plus, the Cubs were busy late in December and early in January, adding the likes of Vidal Bruján, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar and Matt Festa to the team while parting ways with Matt Mervis, Miles Mastrobuoni and Michael Arias.

The addition of Rea brings about several questions for the Cubs rotation while the bullpen is in a curious spot given the sheer number of players without minor-league options.

Spring Training is still a month away but there are interesting roster decisions coming for this Cubs team.

Former Cubs pitcher Steve Cishek was a special guest on the latest edition of the Cubs Weekly Podcast. Cishek joined Andy Martínez and talked about his time in Chicago, his career as a whole and what he’s up to now. Cishek shared what it was like to play for manager Joe Maddon in his tenure with the Cubs.

Later in the pod, Cishek shares an epic story about reliever Pedro Strop during the 2018 playoff hunt and what the righty went through just to pitch. Cishek shared his own story of being available to pitch seemingly every night — he made 150 appearances for the Cubs in his two seasons. He also spoke about what it was like to represent team USA at the World Baseball Classic.

Former Cubs catcher Michael Barrett was a special guest on the latest edition of the Cubs Weekly Podcast. Barrett joined Andy Martínez to discuss his post-playing career and what he’s up to now. He discussed his tenure with the Cubs, what it was like joining a team with playoff aspirations and what it was like to play for manager Dusty Baker.

Later in the pod, Barrett discusses the infamous brawl with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski, what led up to it and what their relationship is like now. Barrett also discussed the importance of pitcher-catcher relationships, the emphasis he put on working with them and what he sees out of backstops today.

On final episode of the Cubs Weekly Podcast: Best of 2024, we revisit conversations with Cubs legends Bobby Dernier, Rick Sutcliffe and Jody Davis of the 1984 team who reached the NLCS 40 years ago.

On the 40th anniversary of that epic season, the trio reflects back on what made that team so special and shared their best Ryne Sandberg stories.

On this edition of the Cubs Weekly Podcast: Best of 2024, we revisit conversations with Cubs legends of the early 2000's. Aramis Ramírez explains what it meant to be inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame and how he found out about the honor, and Derrek Lee reflects back on his monumental MVP caliber 2005 season.

Plus, former catcher Geovany Soto recalled what it was like to catch Carlos Zambrano and some history that he made after catching his no-hitter and so much more.

Thursday afternoon marked a big step in the relationship between Sammy Sosa and the Cubs. The former slugger issued an apology to the organization and then, later, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts issued his own statement, welcoming him back to Chicago and inviting him to Cubs Convention next month.

The Cubs Weekly Podcast recapped the whirlwind day that seemingly brought the icon closer to a return to Wrigley Field. Bruce Levine, Elise Menaker and Andy Martínez recapped the events of the day, including what comes next for both sides. Menaker shared stories of watching Sosa and the impact he had on the fanbase during his dominating run as a Northsider.

Later in the pod, the trio discuss whether this means an induction into the Cubs Hall of Fame is possible — which is announced at Cubs Convention.

The Cubs continued their offseason momentum by trading away Cody Bellinger Tuesday afternoon. Andy Martínez and Tony Andracki react to the deal with the Yankees and break down what the Cubs got in return.

Plus plenty more questions to answer:

-What comes next for the Cubs?

-How do they handle the third base position now and where does prospect Matt Shaw fit in?

-What were initial impressions of Kyle Tucker after his introductory press conference?

-What does the Cubs lineup look like after all these moves?

-How does new catcher Carson Kelly fit into the mix?

We answer these and more on the latest Cubs Weekly Podcast.

The Cubs have pulled off a blockbuster trade. Friday afternoon, the team acquired 2022 World Series champion and 3-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros for infielder Isaac Paredes, right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski and infield prospect Cam Smith. The Cubs Weekly Podcast broke down the seismic trade in an emergency edition of the podcast.

Tony Andracki and Andy Martínez share their thoughts on the trade and what it means for the Cubs. The pair discuss why the Cubs felt the need to pull the trigger now and why — although it’s a heavy price — the Cubs can withstand that kind of deal. Later in the podcast, the duo discusses the ripple effects of the deal and what it means for other players on the roster, like Seiya Suzuki and Cody Bellinger.

The Winter Meetings wrapped up this week and they were a busy one for the Cubs. Andy Martínez was joined by both Bruce Levine and MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian on this week’s edition of the Cubs Weekly Podcast.

In the first half of the pod, Levine and Martínez discuss some of the trade rumors surround the team, Craig Counsell’s new coaching staff and the addition of catcher Carson Kelly to the roster.

In the second half of the podcast, Martínez is joined by Bastian and the two recap the week for the Cubs, including rumors surrounding Seiya Suzuki, Kyle Tucker and more. The two discuss Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki and how the cubs plan to pitch to him to come to Chicago.

The Cubs made their first big move of the offseason this week, picking up starter Matthew Boyd on a 2-year deal. The lefty is coming off a successful end to 2024 with Cleveland but is less than two years removed from Tommy John surgery.

What does his addition mean to the team? Tony Andracki and Andy Martínez break down Boyd and the effects it has on the rest of the Cubs pitching plans this offseason.

Later in the podcast, Cubs reliever Porter Hodge recaps his 2024 rookie campaign. He shares some memories from the year, including the no-hitter at Wrigley Field and a thrilling win in Los Angeles, where he dealt with some breathing issues.