CHICAGO — Manager Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs are ready to "Embrace the Suck" for charity this season.

Maddon and the Cubs unveiled on Friday the olive green T-shirts sporting the slogan, a playful nod to the defending champions' uneven play this season. It adds a charitable component involving the military.

"Embrace the Suck" combines two of his favourite terms — "Embrace the Target" and "Try Not to Suck." The later slogan was used last season when the Cubs won the World Series.

Soldiers also use the phrase when dealing with a difficult and tiring task.

Proceeds from the T-shirts will be split between Maddon's Respect 90 foundation and the military.