Cubs unveil touching commemorative jersey patch honoring Ryne Sandberg

As tributes continue to pour in honoring the late Ryne Sandberg, the Chicago Cubs have unveiled a jersey sleeve patch that the team will wear for the remainder of the 2025 season, featuring the #23 and his signature in a blue rectangle.

Sandberg passed away Monday at the age of 65 after a two-year battle with cancer and, almost instantaneously, the tributes started coming in from Cubs players new and old, fellow Hall of Famers and generations of Cubs fans who always saw the legendary second baseman as synonymous with the storied franchise.

“He's kind of the blueprint for what it means to be an amazing Cub,” Chicago second baseman Nico Hoerner said, “as far as the way he carried himself, obviously through his career and everything he achieved, but just how selfless he was in his time with us, too. It was never about him, ever. It was just true love for the game of baseball.

Emotions running high as Cubs fans mourn the late icon Ryne Sandberg

Flowers, hats, flags and other items were placed on Sandberg's bronze statue outside Wrigley Field on Gallagher Way as fans came to pay tribute to the 10-time All-Star and 1984 National League MVP. Thursday's trade deadline, ahead of which the Cubs are expected to be one of the busiest teams in the league, has been completely overshadowed by a tremendous sense of loss felt by members of the organization and fanbase.

Chicago returns home this weekend for a homestand that gets started Friday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles, and, already, the grounds crew has a '23' etched into the center field grass. It will undoubtedly be an emotional weekend at Wrigley Field as Sandberg will be honored, both officially and unofficially.

Sandberg played all but 13 of his more than 2,100 MLB games in a Cubs uniform and was the centerpiece of the franchise for the better part of two decades. A true five-tool player, the Spokane, Washington native quickly became known for his quiet demeanor and hard-nosed work ethic and, to this day - as Hoerner noted - he remains a perfect example of what it means to be a Cub.