A Potentially Annoying Signing by Cubs Rival
The Milwaukee Brewers have earned this reputation, taking the annoyance title away from the St. Louis Cardinals because as we’ve seen throughout the past seven years or so, it doesn’t matter how talented you think their players are, they just find a way to win. A lot of times that means taking players, who haven’t necessarily been all that good and then they suddenly have career years with the Brewers.
Well, as much as it was nice to see backup catcher Reese McGuire give the Cubs a solid effort in 2025, you know it’s going to be painfully annoying this year if he gets called up by his new team that just so happens to be the Brewers.
McGuire played in 44 games with the Cubs in 2025, and while his overall numbers weren’t anything special, the left-handed batter certainly gave the team stability behind the plate. The veteran filled in for Miguel Amaya, who first suffered an oblique injury in May and then missed the rest of the season because of an ankle sprain in his first game back from the injured list in August.
The catcher hit nine home runs and posted a .688 OPS in 140 plate appearances for the Cubs as the backup and it will be disgusting when McGuire goes on an insane stretch with the Brewers in 2026. McGuire is a career .248/.293/.374 hitter, so get ready for his upcoming Andrew Vaughn type stretch after Milwaukee seemingly suffers a setback if William Contreras gets hurt.
I hate it, but that’s how things have gone with the Brewers. It’s inevitable.
The Cubs did have the opportunity to bring McGuire back after the 2025 season ended, but the catcher became a free agent after he was non-tendered by the Cubs back in November.
McGuire has played in 399 MLB games from 2018-25. Prior to his season with the Cubs McGuire played for the Toronto Blue Jays, White Sox and Boston Red Sox. A solid, veteran presence to have around and as the Cubs saw last season, can be very much serviceable in case of emergency.