Cubs Coaching Updates Show Pitching Staff Staying, but Two Others Could Leave
Aug 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Augustus Oswald, Site Editor
The latest Chicago Cubs coaching updates point to a staff that is mostly staying put, but not entirely. Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and assistant Casey Jacobson are expected back in 2027, while assistant hitting coach John Mallee and bench coach Ryan Flaherty are drawing attention from other teams. Nothing is official yet. Chicago hasn’t announced Craig Counsell’s 2027 staff, and every move so far is a report or a rumor.
Cubs Coaching Updates Show Pitching Staff Staying, but Two Other Coaches Could Leave
The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma reported that Hottovy and Jacobson are both expected to be retained. Hottovy has been with the organization since 2015 and has been pitching coach since 2019, through Joe Maddon, David Ross, and Counsell. Jacobson was promoted to his role in November 2024.
Aug 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
That decision follows a year in which the pitching staff was hit hard by injuries. Cade Horton needed Tommy John surgery after two starts, Ben Brown’s season ended with a neck injury, and Justin Steele’sreturn from elbow trouble came late. It is hard to assign much blame to the coaches for a staff that lost that many arms. Counsell has also shown he is willing to change his staff when he wants to. After the 2024 season, the Cubs parted with Mike Napoli, Willie Harris, Darren Holmes and Jim Adduci, and Daniel Moskos left for the Miami Marlins. Keeping Hottovy and Jacobson this time is a choice, not a default.
John Mallee Draws Mets Interest
On the hitting side of the Cubs coaching updates, there has been no reported update on hitting coach Dustin Kelly. Mallee is the one drawing interest. The New York Mets are interviewing him for a coaching staff vacancy, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, who cited an industry source. Kevin Long is also a candidate. New York dismissed director of hitting Jeff Albert after an offense that tied for 20th in the majors with 699 runs.
Mallee, 57, has been a hitting coach for the Astros, the Cubs under Maddon, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Angels, and he returned to Chicago as an assistant under Kelly. He is credited with helping develop Pete Crow-Armstrong, whose standout season was one of the biggest stories of the year, on an offense that led the majors in runs, walks, slugging percentage and OPS. An interview does not mean an offer, but it shows how much a successful offense can raise the value of the people behind it.
Ryan Flaherty Is on Managerial Radar
Flaherty, the Cubs’ bench coach, is also in the conversation. MLB.com lists him among the names in the Seattle Mariners’ sights, as part of its look at the managerial market. Seattle and Houston both have vacancies.
Sep 30, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Chicago Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty looks on from the dugout in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
This isn’t new for Flaherty. LWOS’ candidate tracker from last October tied him to the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves, and noted he had interviewed with the Padres ahead of 2024. He stayed in Chicago each time. Those Cubs coaching updates leave the rest of the staff, including Jose Javier, Quintin Berry and Strittmatter, with no reported changes.
The Last Word
The Cubs coaching updates suggest continuity in the area that struggled and possible turnover in two places that helped the team succeed. Keeping Hottovy and Jacobson makes sense if injuries drove the pitching problems. Losing Mallee or Flaherty would be a different kind of cost, because both are tied to a hitting group and a manager’s staff that worked in 2026. None of this is final, and Flaherty’s history suggests interest does not always mean a departure. The Cubs will still have to decide how much they want to protect before other teams make the choice for them.
Main Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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