February 2, 2025
Wicks said he has focused on cardio this offseason in order to be able to pitch deeper into games in 2025, as he will potentially start the year in the rotation,
Matt Danielewicz of Marquee Sports Network reports.
ANALYSISWicks dealt with a handful of injuries in 2024, including an oblique strain in late September that ended the lefty's season. With
Kyle Hendricks now gone, the Cubs have some rotation spots to fill, and Wicks and
Javier Assad are options for the back end behind
Justin Steele,
Shota Imanaga and
Jameson Taillon. However, Chicago also added veteran
Matthew Boyd in the offseason, and he will most likely snag a starting spot. That could leave Wicks to handle a long-relief role out of spring training, though he could certainly make starts at some point.