A World Series split is the perfect mirror for what the Cubs need next: a rotation that hunts outs, not headlines, and a front office brave enough to buy flexibility instead of false certainty. We dig into the big call around Shota Imanaga’s contract—three years at $57M with a no-trade if exercised versus a leaner path that prefers a $15M pivot year—then lay out how that decision ripples through the entire 2025 build. The question isn’t whether Shota is good; it’s whether the league adjusted to his fastball shape or health blunted the deception, and how much risk the Cubs should carry when Justin Steele and Cade Horton already set the staff’s tone.

From there, we zoom out to identity. Dansby’s power gain must meet better two-strike choices. Nico either adds thump or swipes 40 to keep the offense humming. Michael Busch’s role versus lefties can’t be a shrug. PCA’s winter needs a plan that turns elite defense into six months of impact. We argue that October baseball rewards teams that allocate innings to command-first, put-away arms, not just chase strikeout crowns.

We also survey realistic upgrades. Dylan Cease is electric but expensive and walk-prone; could Tommy Hottovy convert him from a whiff hunter into an at-bat dictator? Ranger Suárez brings fearless sequencing, Verlander tempts on short-term upside, and depth pieces like Colin Rea matter more than fans admit. Add in trade routes—if Owen Caissie or Moises Ballesteros force roster choices—and the path becomes clear: decline rigid commitments, keep options open, and spend where it truly moves October odds.

If you care about how the Cubs catch the Dodgers without copying them, this conversation lays out the map: grit over gloss, flexibility over vanity, and a rotation that competes every count. If this breakdown hit home, follow the show, leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify, and share it with a Cubs friend who loves arguing roster math as much as you do.

Thanks for tuning in!

- Carl & Mahoney