Chicago sits in fourth place in the NL Central, a division many analysts still consider one of the strongest in baseball this year.
The Cubs announced a roster move, re-signing veteran outfielder Dylan Carlson to a minor league contract after he was designated for assignment and elected free agency last week. He joined the Triple-A Iowa squad as he works his way back to the majors.
Carlson’s MLB career spans seven seasons and multiple clubs. In 570 games, the 27-year-old outfielder owns a .233 batting average with 43 home runs and an OPS+ of 91. His best year came in 2021 with the Cardinals, when he posted 18 homers and 31 doubles in 149 games.
Since 2021, Carlson has had limited playing time and, notably, struggled to secure regular at-bats. He hit .203 in 217 at-bats with the Orioles in 2025, underscoring the challenge of sticking as a regular, though the Cubs view him as valuable organizational depth for potential MLB opportunities.
The Cubs remain off to a solid start at 12-9, and will host the Philadelphia Phillies in a four-game series at Wrigley Field. Chicago took two of three from the Phillies earlier in April, and sits 7-5 at home this season, with a 7-3 record over its last 10 games.
