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CHICAGO -- There is no shortage of storylines surrounding the Cubs as Spring Training gets underway on Sunday with the first workout for pitchers and catchers.

Manager Craig Counsell is beyond the learning curve of a first season in his new surroundings. The schedule will be different, with the MLB Tokyo Series against the Dodgers on March 18-19 in Japan. There is a long list of new faces, highlighted by the arrival of star outfielder Kyle Tucker.

Let¡¯s examine three main storylines to keep following throughout this spring.

1. Tucker, Pressly address major needs

The Cubs partnered with the Astros on a pair of trades this offseason that tackled must-do¡¯s on their winter checklist. Landing Tucker in December gave the Cubs a legitimate star for the heart of their lineup. Reeling in Ryan Pressly in January added a playoff-tested reliever who could step into the closer¡¯s role.

The Cubs gave up a lot for one season of Tucker -- third baseman Isaac Paredes, righty Hayden Wesneski and third baseman Cam Smith (immediately Houston¡¯s top prospect and No. 59 on Pipeline¡¯s preseason Top 100 list) -- but he is the kind of offensive force Chicago has been lacking.

Tucker posted 4.7 bWAR in just 78 games last year for Houston and put up 21.2 bWAR over the 2021-24 seasons (an average of 6.5 per 162 games). In that four-year span, he logged an .888 OPS with a 145 OPS+. And in his injury-shortened showing last season, he had 23 homers, 49 RBIs, more walks (56) than strikeouts (54) and a .993 OPS.

Pressly (acquired for Minor League righty Juan Bello) has fashioned a 2.78 ERA in 47 career playoff games, including notching the clinching save in the ¡®22 World Series. The veteran righty served in a setup role last season but collected 30-plus saves in ¡®22 and ¡¯23, and he immediately provides the most ninth-inning experience on the roster.

Tucker and Pressly are both under contract for the ¡®25 season only, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is also only signed through this season. There is great pressure to reach the playoffs for a Cubs team that won 83 games and missed the October stage in both 2023 and 2024.

2. Rebuilding Counsell¡¯s bullpen

A lack of Major League-ready depth at the outset of last season cost the Cubs dearly when injuries and subpar performances riddled the relief corps in the early months. That made it crucial for Chicago to build up its list of reinforcements this offseason, and spring will create a puzzle for Counsell to solve.

Pressly looks like a shoo-in for the closer¡¯s role, and Porter Hodge¡¯s performance last year should earn him a place in the Opening Day mix. Nate Pearson and Tyson Miller return from the group that helped shore up the ¡®pen last summer, and Julian Merryweather and Keegan Thompson head into camp with no Minor League options.

The Cubs traded for Eli Morgan and Ryan Brasier this offseason and signed veteran Caleb Thielbar. There was also the free-agent signing of Colin Rea, who offers protection for both the rotation and ¡®pen as a swing-man option. From there the Cubs have a lengthy list of other returnees, additions and non-roster arms to consider for a competition that will likely take all spring to sort out.

3. Shaw¡¯s bid for an Opening Day job

Seven players made at least one start at third base for the Cubs last season. Not one of them remains with the North Siders after this offseason¡¯s roster churn. Not only that, sending Smith to Houston in the Tucker deal removed a fast-rising third baseman from the system.

Barring an unexpected development, that has cleared a path for Matt Shaw, Pipeline¡¯s top Cubs prospect and No. 19 on the Top 100, to push for the job. The Cubs signed versatile veteran Jon Berti as a safety net for the hot corner, but the 23-year-old Shaw (picked with the 13th overall selection in the ¡®23 Draft) is in prime position to earn the starting role.

The Cubs will also be monitoring the ongoing comeback of second baseman Nico Hoerner following his October surgery on his right forearm. If Hoerner¡¯s timetable is pushed into the season, the Cubs will have to solve second (a position Shaw, Berti and a few others on the roster can play).