Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full), plus one player is on the 60-DAY IL 

26 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, ten players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, three players are on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 4-12-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 7
* Michael Busch 
Garrett Cooper
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 10 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 3
Julian Merryweather, P
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Padres @ Cubs: Pomeranz vs Lackey (Game 33)

Submitted by CTSteve on

Do over!
SD (14-20): LHP Drew Pomeranz (3-3, 2.12)
CHC (25-7): RHP John Lackey (4-1, 4.02)
First pitch: 7:05pmCT

Lackey beat the Nationals on Friday (7 IP, 2 ER, 11 Ks, 1 BB). The Padres are 24-95 (.253) against him. Amarista is 4-9, and Myers is 2-6.

Pomeranz won against the Mets (5 IP, 0 ER, 5 Ks, 3 BBs) his last time out. He was 5-6 with a 3.66 with Oakland last year, mostly from the bullpen. The Cubs are 3-16 (.188) against him. Heyward is 1-1, and Fowler is 1-2.

An off day tomorrow, then the Pirates come to town—looking for some revenge, no doubt.

Go, Cubs!

Tags
2016 Season Game Thread

Comments

Submitted by billybucks on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:28 pm

Cubs just hit the one-fifth mark of the season at 25-7. Some fun projections: Cubs: 126-36. Rizzo: 50 HR 100 RBI Club: Rizzo, Zobrist, Bryant, Russell. 100 Run Club: Rizzo, Zobrist, Bryant, Fowler. Arrietta: 30-0 Bryant: 150K. Heyward: 0 HR. billybucks record in games attended: 0-5.

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Submitted by RWN on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:53 pm

Actually as I continue to crunch the historical numbers from 1903 to present every team that was at 80% winning percentage at the 30 game mark, has been in the WS, 7/9 won it. Yet since the playoff era only two teams have qualified, 1/2 won it. But under that mark the entry is not assured, still crunching but the historical benchmark continues to hold up. Normal regression at this start is somewhere around 104 win season.

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:06 pm

CLE/HOU going to the 16th...tied 3-3. they're running out of pitchers...things are getting interesting.

Submitted by Eric S on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:30 pm

Pomeranz + Joe West makes this 1-0 lead look pretty large. Pomeranz' fastball command has been very sharp, really setting up his plus curve. Baez last at bat very reminiscent of 2014

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Submitted by billybucks on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:17 pm

He needs to talk to Addy about hitting to RF. He is trying to pull everything and is helpless against anything off-speed. After Heyward (bat, anyway), clearly the biggest disappointment of the year so far. He needs to go down and learn to hit to RF. Not happening up here.

Submitted by billybucks on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:04 pm

Too bad Joe decided to sit his two hottest hitters -- Zo and Addy. Combined, they reached base 7 times in the opener. I get it, though -- Zobrist is 35 and Russell has a history of leg problems. Short-term pain for (hopefully) a long-term payoff.

Submitted by billybucks on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:33 pm

Jorge, get on the bus to Iowa now. He has no clue up there -- pulling out and trying to pull everything. He can only hit mistakes.

Submitted by The E-Man on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:47 pm

I was shocked that Soler was in on-deck. Really wanted Riz just to hit the ball anywhere. Lackey pitched a terrific game and deserved better

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:53 pm

lackey pitches his best game as a cub...brings his whip down below 1.00 (0.97)... nothing else about this game is worth talking about.

Submitted by billybucks on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:58 pm

Cubs have now lost 2 series this year -- both at home, against mediocre-or-worse teams from the West (Rockies was the other). Weird. And, Fernando Rodney throwing 97mph at age 39, having worked the afternoon game? How's that PED testing program coming, guys?

Submitted by billybucks on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:31 pm

Soler is quickly turning KB into an everyday OF. Cubs have had a lot of luck and big hits over the last week -- they were due for a bad game with the bats. Game 1 was the killer.

Submitted by The E-Man on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:51 pm

In listening to Maddon (Madden) post-game, he is not giving an inch on Soler. Said, "he had a bad game, that's all". Not one reporter pressed him on his consistent failures this year (offense and defense), nor how he could benefit from a stint in DesMoines. Any person needs to see at least see SOME progress in order to keep being motivated. This isn't luck. He could benefit from a step back now, in order to come back improved. Its just hurting the team. Perhaps when Caesar comes back, this will resolve.

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Submitted by crunch on Wed, 05/11/2016 - 05:19 pm

maddon shouldn't have to throw any player under the bus, even if they've earned it, unless that player responds to that kinda stuff. soler's issues runs deeper than public accountability of his issues at the plate. that said, yeah, he probably could use a few weeks+ in AAA seeing regular ABs because he's not doing the big league team much good playing 3-4 times a week...poorly.

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Submitted by Old and Blue on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:31 am

Contrary to everyone else but Soler doesn't learn a thing going down to the minors, where he'll just get the calls instead of not getting the calls. He's got to learn to adjust to what MLB pitchers are doing with him. At first, they were getting him out on low outside sliders, which he was always swinging at. He adjusted. Now, they're getting him out by painting the inside corner. I trust Maddon more than you guys. Of course, there's the real possibility that Soler will be the prospect that doesn't make it. They can't ALL make it. But we aren't finding that out by sending him to the minors, where he will rake.

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Submitted by The E-Man on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:15 am

"Getting the calls" has nothing to do with pulling his head out, not understanding pitchers (doing his homework, as it were), not understanding situations, swinging wildly on most pitches. He has seemed lost and even the best players found "new life" after going back to the minors.

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Submitted by hellfrozeover on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:27 am

Agreed -- Rizzo had to go back to the minors despite having nothing more to prove in AAA and it did wonders for him. Even Baez looks a bit better now (though he still is flawed) after getting beat up in the majors and going back down. Send him so he can play regularly and get some confidence back, then when he starts tearing the cover off the ball let's see if he can do better in round 2 in the majors. On a side note, getting Montero back should be a big lift for the team.

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Submitted by Ryno on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:31 am

Let's answer the question, "What does Jorge Soler do well?" The answer- Like many of those players from the Hendry era, when he does make that rare, good contact, he knocks the crap out of the ball. But that's the extent of Soler's talents. He's a mess in the outfield, he has terrible plate discipline, and is prone to long slumps, and a lot of strikeouts. If I had to guess, I'd say he'll be sent down to the minors when Sczcur returns. I think Kalish will probably stay in Chicago.

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Submitted by Arizona Phil on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:11 am

RYNO: I agree. Soler goes down when Szczur returns. 

The thing about sending Soler to Iowa isn't that he has something to learn there, but rather it would be to help him get his confidence back and put up some good numbers, making him more attractive in a trade either at the deadline or next off season. Because I just don't think Soler has a future with the Cubs. 

Soler's value is as an every-day RF, where his plus-arm is a virtue even if the other aspects of his defense are not. But he isn't going to play RF with the Cubs even if Fowler leaves after the season, because the next Cubs CF will be Albert Almora Jr, not Heyward moving to CF with Soler playing RF. 

As I have mentioned before, Soler has one minor league option left, and it's a 4th minor league option, so Optional Assignment Waivers would not need to be secured before he can be sent down. And once he is optioned to the minors, the Cubs (or whichever club to which he is eventually traded) would gain an extra year of club control (making him a free-agent post-2021 instead of post-2020) if he spends at least 45 days on Optional Assignment to the minors once he is sent down, although it will not affect when he is eligible for salary arbitration unless he spends more than 90 days in the minors (spending more than 90 days on Optional Assignment would likely take him under the "Super Two" cut-off post-2017).  

This matters because Soler has a clause in his contract where he can opt-out if he is eligible for salary arbitration, but the opt-out does not make him a free-agent, it just allows him to request salary arbitration (which could mean more money for him - TBD).  

Of course the Cubs can't send Soler down just to gain an extra year of club control, but gaining an extra year of club control would be a by-product of sending him to Iowa (if he remains on optional assignment for at least 45 days), and that would likely increase his value in a trade, should it come to that. 

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Submitted by John Beasley on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:53 am

Do you know if Soler's ability to opt into arbitration gives the Cubs the right to nontender him under arb rules? It would be an odd scenario but is theoretically possible that he tries to get paid more but the Cubs decided he is not worth the price.

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Submitted by johann on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:27 am

He's actually a Theo acquisition and player discipline and taking walks is actually something he's always been good at. He's in a slump, needs to get better with breaking pitches and maybe a stint in the minors would help him but I think people are overreacting just a bit. Kalish, for example, swings at a lot more pitches out of the zone. I realize it's a what have you done for me lately league but Id be pretty confident laying money that Soler will be a much better long term player than Kalish or La Stella. Stella, by the way, has mediocre starter #s. .335 OBP and.358 SLG for a .693 OPS. Short term as he swings a hot bat he might be fine but I think it'd be a big mistake to rely on him starting long term.

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Submitted by Charlie on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:24 pm

In the minors and at times in the majors Soler has shown the ability to hit for both power and average and to control the strike zone. If there's reason for Soler to go down to Iowa, it's that Baez and La Stella have earned playing time at 3B and that Soler needs consistent plate appearances. When he gets hot and those two cool off, we'll all be whining about Baez K-ing and La Stella's inability to drive the ball.

Submitted by First.Pitch.120 on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:41 am

Soler > Rizzo (?!?!) Through 618 mlb plate appearances (including playoffs): Soler BA-.261/OBP-.327/SLG-.433/HR-20/RBI-78/SO-173/BB-53 Rizzo BA-.237/OBP-.318/SLG-.409/HR-24/RBI-75/SO-137/BB-57 I still like the idea of Soler going to Iowa to get his groove back, but the numbers really make you take a step back. * Actually it is the first 619 PA for Rizzo b/c I didn't split out the 4 PA's from the game where he reached 618.

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Submitted by johann on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:58 pm

They brought up a stat about Rizzo that he has the 2nd most HRs in the NL since 2013 behind Stanton. I almost feel like he doesn't get quite enough recognition in baseball for his evolved play and all around importance to this team.

Submitted by billybucks on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:51 pm

Cuban LHP Gerardo Concepcion gets moved up from Tenn to Iowa. at Tenn: 17.2 IP, 5H, 2BB, 0.51 WHIP, 0ER, 0R, 17K. Not familiar with him, but, wow! He did turn 24 in Feb., so maybe he's a little old for AA? And, his numbers at Tenn last year were awful.

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Submitted by VirginiaPhil on Fri, 05/13/2016 - 05:53 am

I've been watching Concepcion in the box scores, and he's been spotless in relief. If he performs as well at Iowa, they will have him and two other late-inning relievers (Spencer Patton and Felix Pena) knocking on the door. To me that's good, because I'm not happy with the 8th-inning situation right now. Ramirez seems to be damaged, and Strop and Grimm struggle to find a consistent release point for their fastballs. They have great "stuff," but a fastball is supposed to be a standard inventory item for a pitcher, isn't it? We all saw this movie when Marmol was the leading man. Speaking of box scores, a young starter in the Cub system--Trevor Clifton, 21, 6-1, 170, R-R, 12th round 2013--actually had one of those box-score performances that jump out at you yesterday. 6 innings, 4 hits, 10 strikeouts, the rest zeroes. I'm pretty sure that's the first two-digit strikeout total I've seen on the farm this year. Ryan Kellogg struck out 8 in 6 innings on 4/28 for South Bend. He's 6-6, 230, lefty, 5th rounder last year out of Arizona State. Might be one to watch.

Submitted by cubbies.4ever on Thu, 05/12/2016 - 05:29 pm

They signed him in 2012 to MLB contract out of Cuba similar to the way they did Soler before the INTFA rules MLB implemented. I think it was a 5yr $6 MIL ($1.2AAV). But he sucked so bad that they outrighted him off the 40 man and have been eating his "dead" contract ever since.

Recent comments

  • Cubster (view)

    per Tribune: Suzuki MRI results pending from yesterday so we should get a timetable for return later today.

  • crunch (view)

    suzuki says he injured his oblique running to 1st, not swinging.  okay.  it's gonna be that kind of 2024 cubs year, huh?

    i would say that's good news compared to screwing it up swinging, but i'm not familiar with the recovery time of people screwing up their oblique by running.

    right side is at least different from his left side oblique injury last year.

  • crunch (view)

    5 IN A ROW!

    hack wilson, ryne sandberg, sammy sosa, christopher morel, and michael busch.

  • Cubster (view)

    A bit more Jewish take on one of my favorite Cubs, Kenny Holtzman. His 9-0 season while serving in the National Guard and being available to pitch on weekends was one of my coolest teen recollections. 

    https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388554

  • Cubster (view)

    Suzuki out with oblique strain. Canario indeed is called up. No word on Morel so that might be a red herring (or a red digit).

    AZ lineup is posted but Counsell is always late to post his lineup.

  • crunch (view)

    You have to C it! (tm)

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Best hitter: IL with oblique strain

    Second best hitter: hasn’t looked the same since jamming his right hand during a swing

    Third best hitter: playing through a sore hammy

    Best pitcher: IL after one start 

    Second best RP: IL after 1.5 weeks

    Noice 

  • crunch (view)

    suzuki 10d IL.

    right oblique strain.  ow.  that's generally more than a 10d thing.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

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  • crunch (view)

    cooper and morel are on the field doing pre-game stuff so it's not them...

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