Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

42 players are at MLB Spring Training 

31 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE at MLB Spring Training, and nine players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 
11 players are MLB Spring Training NON-ROSTER INVITEES (NRI) 

Last updated 3-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 17
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
Daniel Palencia
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

NRI PITCHERS: 5 
Colten Brewer 
Carl Edwards Jr 
* Edwin Escobar 
* Richard Lovelady 
* Thomas Pannone 

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

NRI CATCHERS: 2  
Jorge Alfaro 
Joe Hudson 

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

NRI INFIELDERS: 3 
David Bote 
Garrett Cooper
* Dominic Smith

OUTFIELDERS: 5
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

NRI OUTFIELDERS: 1 
* David Peralta

OPTIONED:
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, RHP 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, RHP 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Sometimes It Feels As If We're Dropping Like Flies

Saturday, 10 AM UPDATE: Bruce Levine's ESPN AM-1000, Talkin' Baseball radio show from this saturday morning has updates on Soriano's injury saying it's just a jammed finger and not a dislocation. Also, Lilly's knee symptoms are related to a meniscus problem and Dempster may just miss one more start.

Also he interviewed Oneri Fleita (Cubs VP of Player Personnel) who comments on all things in the Cubs minor league system as well as the recent rule 4 amateur draft, saying 2nd round pick LSU infielder DJ LeMahieu is close to signing.


A dark cloud seems to loom even with a two game winning streak after tonight's 3-1 win vs the Gnats.  So I ask, is dropping like flies worse than dropping flys?

This is not following Lou Piniella's script for the 2nd half of the season:

1) Get Healthy and Stay Healthy

2) Score runs

The "Road to Wrigley" game with the Iowa Cubs vs the Vegas 51's isn't coming until August 9th but it looks like the Iowa Cubs will be staying with their parent club just a bit longer, as two more Cub starters are possibly out for days and maybe more.

 

 

 

In the friday night 6-2 win against the Nationals, Alfonso Soriano dislocated his right little "pinky" finger (his throwing hand) in a base running mishap during the 4th inning. He singled to center on a play where DLee was on second but Lee rounded third and held there based on a strong but high throw to the plate by Nyjer Morgan. The catcher, Josh Bard caught the throw well in front of the plate then caught Soriano half way between first and second in an 8-2-6-4 putout. On the replay you can see that Soriano jammed his hand sliding into the base and he pulled on the finger right away apparently reducing the dislocated knuckle. The Comcast telecast also showed Soriano getting treatment from trainer Mark O'Neal as soon as he got back to the dugout but he stayed in the game and even batted again (he grounded out to 3B in the 6th and walked in the 9th). This type of injury doesn't swell until a few hours later but once the swelling develops the finger stiffens up making it hard to grip things (like a baseball or a bat).

From beat writer Paul Sullivan in the Tribune:

He (Soriano) popped it back in and continued to play, but the finger swelled up overnight. Soriano was scratched from the starting lineup Friday night and is expected to miss at least a couple more games.  "I don't have power in my hand because I can't grab the bat," he said.

Gordon Wittenmeyer/Sun-Times:

Soriano said he’ll play with pain in the finger as long as the swelling goes down enough for him to grip a bat again. He anticipated missing only one game, though manager Lou Piniella said he thought it might take ‘‘a few days.’’

Since it's his throwing hand there is a chance he will miss more than the initial mention of a game or two but it's all about swelling and stiffness as these simple PIP (proximal interphalangeal) joint dislocations are usually stable once reduced and it looks like Soriano provided the best treatment by reducing the injury immediately.  Things that complicate a dislocation include adjacent fractures of the phalanges, flexor or extensor tendon damage, collateral ligament injuries or a tear of the volar plate (part of the joint capsule). I'll assume none of the bad stuff happened here. I'm not expecting a DL stint but even that is possible if he can't comfortably swing a bat in a few days.  Lou Piniella was quoted, "I think it'll probably be a few days. I don't think it'll go down in one day." Color this as a few days off but the medical staff will know more in a day or two.

On top of some recent positive updates regarding Ryan Dempster (great toe fracture) and Geo Soto (left oblique strain) feeling much better and looking more like they will miss the minimum 2 weeks we get news that Ted Lilly has a sore knee which has bothered him much of the season. It didn't have any adverse effect in his last start, a 5-2 win against the Cardinals. Lilly pitched a strong game getting the "W" while going 8 innings giving up a measly 4 hits and one run. He was slated to pitch this Saturday in Washington but they've pushed back his start so that Randy Wells will go Saturday and Kevin Hart will get recalled for the Sunday game. Manager Lou Piniella in a pregame chat with the media just said he had some swelling in the knee. The media is running the gamut from just a few extra days to a mention of a DL decision looming. As of now, there really isn't a diagnosis for his knee problem so they will just wait and see how it feels by monday before a decision is needed.

Carrie Muskat at cubs.com:

"When he came back here [Thursday], his knee was bothering him, and the last couple starts he's had, it's bothered him somewhat," Piniella said. "We'll see."

Paul Sullivan/Tribune:

Lilly is scheduled tentatively to pitch Monday night in Philadelphia, but in essence the Cubs are only buying some time before deciding whether or not to put the left-hander on the 15-day disabled list.

Gordon Wittenmeyer/Sun-Times:

Lilly, the Cubs’ lone All-Star, has pitched through knee discomfort for much of the season. He returned from the break with the knee flaring up.

There has been no mention of an MRI but if this lingers, I'm sure that's on the agenda. Hopefully it's just a pushback of his start although getting an assignment in Philly isn't something that even the Ted Lilly Supercomputer wants to tabulate.

Comments

where are they know? Jeff Samardzja , obviously lou has 4 pitchers ahead of him could he be sent down? I just wish they would make up there mind starter,reliever give him a role keep him there,or trade him to the bears.

where are they know? Jeff Samardzja , obviously lou has 4 pitchers ahead of him could he be sent down? I just wish they would make up there mind starter,reliever give him a role keep him there,or trade him to the bears.

Bruce Levine said this am on his radio show that his sources said Soriano didn't have a PIP dislocation, just a jammed finger. Not sure but I did watch the comcast broadcast closely (I had recorded the game since I wasn't able to watch that evening) and you can definitely see Sori pull on his own finger. Honestly, it doesn't matter much since as I've said it's all about the swelling and stiffness and how long that lasts. BL said a dislocation would equal a DL stint but I doubt that's true if a dislocation is reduced immediately especially the little finger. Apparently Hendry is in Daytona so the Soriano info will come from asst GM Randy Bush who is with the team in DC. BL said he expects to have an update on Soriano around 11 AM (CST). Also he said Lilly might need his knee scoped but thinks he can hold out until after the season. they also interviewed Oneri Fleita...who is also in Daytona: Levine asked about Vitters and Starlin Castro. Fleita said both have done what they've asked and excelled. He also mentioned positively Chris Carpenter, Cashner, Casey Coleman and Jay Jackson. Wellington Castillo... said that although he hasn't hit this year, he defense is off the charts. They preferred he get his defense in order before they worry about his hitting. Also a positive mention of Iowa catchers Robinson and Clevinger. Asked about the 3 acquisitions in the DeRosa deal. Stevens, breaking ball is much improved. Gaub was just activated. Power lefty who can get leftys out. Archer is a high ceiling guy who needs to get his walks down but is a big strikeout guy. BJ Ryan, Mark Riggins and Jeff Fassaro will meet with Ryan in Mesa to sort out any issues to help him in rehab. Brett Jackson is hitting around .300 in Boise. Said they signed 23 of the 25 they targeted. They are very close to signing DJ LeMahieu. Said he saw him in the college WS and thought he might be their closest comp to G Beckham (the question asked was who, if any of this year's draft choices, have a chance to make the majors in a year like Beckham did).

Bruce Levine update... (10:15 AM, cst) Soriano's injury wasn't a dislocation, just a jammed swollen finger. They expect him back in the lineup in a day or two. Lilly's knee symptoms is being called a meniscus problem but they are still expecting him to be ready to pitch Monday. This implies he may have had an MRI but that's not been officially stated. Dempster might just miss one more start. Here's a link discussing what a torn meniscus means including some drawings describing what the anatomy can look like: http://tinyurl.com/mzowfa

saw this baseball prospectus article from Kevin Goldstein in a minor league update: Logan Watkins, 2B, Cubs (Short-season Boise) Thursday's stats: 5-for-6, 2B, 3 R, RBI The Cubs gave Watkins a $500,000 bonus last year based on the amount of athleticism he packed into his 5-foot-11 frame, but what they didn't expect was such a sound approach and smooth line drive swing. You want hot? How's 16-for-23 in his last five games and an overall batting line of .344/.415/.409? http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9250

Z says his back was stiff --- and I think I heard len/bob say something about Fontenot getting piggyback rides from Z before the game I'm not sure that I'd rather him break bats over his knee, if those are my two choices of wacky Z antics

Couple things about today's game. The Nationals have two Zimmermans. I am sure this has been commented on ad nauseum in the DC sports pages, but it just clicked with me today. The pitcher Zimmerman, is probably a pretty good fantasy pickup, especially if your league doesn't count wins, he's been hurt by a high BABIP rate, but is K'ing almost a batter an inning (unlike last night's starter who K'd about 1/3rd of a batter per inning). The hitter Zimmerman, also has a high BABIP at .323, but as his career average is .320, it's nothing to worry about if he's on your fantasy team. He hits line drives about 20% of the time, which is pretty good.

I have a question. When the umpires started, about 10 years ago, to take a vacation during the season, it begged the question, why don't the players? For example, aren't we all expecting Dempster to come back from this hiatus stronger (barring pain in the toe)? Why doesn't Hendry/Pinella just shut guys down for say, 2 weeks and give them mental, physical, etc., rest? It would seem to make sense...

ya know what's awesome? man on, 2 outs, runner going on contact...and soriano is busy hopping around in the outfield on an easy popup and has to correct himself and hop sideways to field the ball. lame.

http://cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090718&content_id=5927516&vk… --- Dempster update: Dempster is on the disabled list with a broken right big toe, and had his first bullpen session Saturday since he injured his foot on July 5. Piniella called the workout "OK." "The bone has to start showing calcifications and fusing together, and that's what we're waiting for," Piniella said. "I think before we make any concrete determination [as to when Dempster can pitch], he'll have to get another X-ray. He threw today and he was OK. He passed the first test. Before we can push him any further, he'll have to get another X-ray." Dempster expects to have an X-ray on Thursday when the Cubs return from this two-city trip to Washington and Philadelphia. If he continues to progress, Dempster could throw a simulated game rather than go to the Minor Leagues, and be inserted back in the Cubs' rotation by the end of July or the first week of August.

Bradley strikes out for the third time in a row then breaks the bat over his knee...he still hasn't fiqured anything out from the left side of the plate even though he said he did. hope the thigh bruise isn't lethal ...then Soriano goes oppo! for a 5-4 lead, can it be he needs to injure more knuckles?

and Heilman was back to being a POS out of the pen I think Len/Bob said he's got horrible inherited runner numbers(12/27), but every time I see him coming in to start an inning he is facing a two on, one out situation with one of the runners on via a walk. Kevin Gregg gets some kudos for his performance tonight cleaning up Heilman's mess and a solid ninth. and Fontenot's HR was the difference. Glad Pat/Zonk had for once a chance for their insurance sponsor get a real insurance run.

Joe Torre must have gotten a blood transfusion from TL at the all-star break. Now he's doing the LaRussa pitcher bats 8th thing. Ethier is out of the lineup so he's got Juan Pierre in CF batting 9th, using the ManRam = Pujols logic. Furcal, Hudson, ManRam, Blake, Kemp, Loretta, Martin, Kershaw, Pierre

article on Marshall's influence on the bullpen, although he did leave a little mess last night and Marmol got out of it (although it was torture watching Zeus miss the strike zone, apparently Marmol threw 14 pitches, 6 for strikes.) --- That point was underscored when Marshall entered a one-run game with two outs and runners at first and second in the bottom of the sixth. He got a quick grounder to strand two more runners, improving his major-league-best percentage of stranding inherited runners to 96 percent (24-for-25). He has stranded 16 straight, hasn't given up a run since last month and lowered his season ERA as a reliever to 1.47, after Carlos Marmol eventually pitched out of Marshall's jam in the seventh. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1673278,CST-SPT-csep19.art…

in Central, 2.5 in the Wild Card... Cubs ask for executive order before leaving D.C. to play Nationals at least once a week.

Also, a great article on Greg Maddux, whose number was retired by the Braves today. http://tiny.cc/A0jFp Includes some good stories, including this from Mark Lemke, “When we trained in West Palm, I’d take a look in Maddux’s car the last week and the thing would be a disaster. He’d hit Burger King every morning and he’d just turn around and — whoosh — toss [the cups and wrappers] into the back seat.”

so... are people over this "soriano needs to lead off" and "soriano can't hit with men on" as if there's something to his batting method yet? sit in the front of the box, swing. sit in the front of the box, swing. sit in the front of the box, swing. the only thing that's changed in most of his career is how he handles that back foot rocking/timing thing. there is no method...

This Day in Cubs Misery July 19, 2007 In what turns out to be his final game at Wrigley Field, Barry Bonds hits two homers in a 9-8 Giants loss to the Cubs. The second is hit off Will "Meaty Calves" Ohman. Fans are incensed as a pitcher with slimmer calves would likely have gotten Bonds to fly out to the warning track. You also might remember this game as being the one where Jake Fox makes his MLB debut. He grounded into a double play in his first at-bat.

I guess MRI results are a bit like playing the kids game "telephone" where one person whispers a message in the next kids ear and they pass the message down the line until the last person reveals what was said...and the result is completely different and often silly. http://isobe.typepad.com/sketchpad/2004/05/post_1.html MRI's can be like that because... What a radiologist sees is often less useful to the surgeon because they are looking for different things. The radiologist reads the study without knowledge of what if any physical findings are present so they tend to describe any an all extra signals that are picked up whether they are clinically significant or not. This leads to "readings" that have a false positive rate of about 80-90% (meaning a described abnormality that when looked for arthroscopically is NOT there) ...as well as a false negative rate of 80-90% (meaning no abnormalities read when at arthroscopy there was an abnormality, i.e. a meniscal tear not described on the MRI reading) There are studies comfirming these ranges of false positives/negatives. as an orthopod who has been in practice since MRI's became available clinically in the early 1980's, I read my own studies but usually have a radiologist reading the study as well, which is useful because of the differences their viewing bring to the table. I don't always agree with the readings but they do provide value in a crosschecking kind of way. finally (about time I got to the original point)... what we hear about an athlete's MRI is filtered through two more levels. Usually there is the team spokesman such as the GM, assistant GM, trainer or even the player trying to describe what the doctor told him/her. Finally there is the media reporter who translates that into what info we finally get. Hence: "An MRI exam revealed nothing serious enough to prevent him from pitching through the occasional flareup." Ah yes. The telephone game. I'm sure Lilly's MRI report looked more like this: There is a grade 1 signal in the medial meniscus suspicious for a tear, please correlate clinically. Minimal intra-articular fluid noted. No (Dusty) Bakers Cyst seen. I have to put up with that kind of silliness every day...so I learned to read MRI's because I needed something more useful to make treatment decisions. I think we went through this same info communicaton (or lack thereof) fire drill when Rich Harden had an MRI-Arthrogram on his shoulder during the offseason. In Lilly's case, the decision to do an arthroscopy is as much based on how limiting his symptoms are and the MRI is just background data to make sure the procedure isn't going to find no/minimal pathology or the other extreme where something more dramatically wrong with the anatomy is identified.

some little tidbits from baseball prospectus, Will Carroll: Mark DeRosa's wrist injury will need surgery, but he's going to try and play through the pain. We'll see how that works out quickly, perhaps as soon as next week. (DeRosa went 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout today) Alfonso Soriano missed a couple of games after dislocating his pinkie, then showed it wasn't bothering him by clubbing a homer. Dislocations are painful, but heal quickly if there's no associated damage. --- and this little tirade regarding Jay Bruce (bringing home some of the points made in the MRI report discussion above albeit regarding XRay findings and what is being reported): "The Reds still haven't said which bone in Bruce's wrist was broken, and it's actually important, because there are differences in the expected time out and lingering effects, based on which bone. They've said that it's a clean break along the joint line, and that there's not soft tissue damage, but neither of those things tells us as much as announcing which bone it was." then he tries to discuss Colles fractures saying that woud be "similar but not identical" to the Longoria's injury last year (getting comical because he isn't being told what bone is fractured or where it's fractured) finally this strange conclusion: "It's good news if this turns out to be a broken arm rather than a broken wrist, as it's a distinction that's important in baseball." --- My Lord. That would be good news, having only a broken arm. Somethings really do get lost in translation. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=9256

Phils are pitching Rodrigo Lopez tomorrow. Who? Wasn't he on the Orioles years ago? So I did some homework... Here's a link from the Phillies side of things: The 33-year-old came out of his outing last Wednesday after five innings because of right shoulder inflammation, but he played catch Thursday, will throw his regularly scheduled bullpen Saturday and said it's all systems go for the opener of a three-game home series against the Cubs. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090716&content_id=5896992&vke… He did have 3 good years with the Orioles 15-9 (02), 14-9 (04), 15-12 (05)...then lost 18 in 06 before moving on to the Rockies. Missed all of 2008 due to Tommy John elbow surgery 8-22-07. Signed by Phils this spring to a minor league contract, so he got to work for the Lehigh Valley IRON PIGS (a lifelong dream for some!) until he was called up July 3rd.

Well, sweeping (4-game sweep to boot) even the lowly Nationals is more than I would have asked for going into the series. I would have been very happy with 3 out of 4. What a way to start out after the break! And to think only one game we scored less than 6 runs. Now yes, this is WASH, but take the good while we can and hopefully build on it for this tough series @ PHIL. Go Cubs!! P.S. WTF is up with Bradley? After saying he is going to be hitting the rest of the way and saying he knows what he was doing wrong, he starts out after the break 2-12 (.167) and Lou benches him on Sunday. Then this nugget from CBS: Piniella sat slumping OF Milton Bradley. "I had a nice talk with him today, and tomorrow we'll start working on some things that I think will help him," Piniella said. I thought Bradley knew what he was doing wrong? How many more years are we stuck with this malcontent?

Ken Rosenthal says the cubs have interest in O's George Sherrill --- One general manager interested in Sherrill says the Orioles are "playing the 'don't-have-to-move-him-so-make-us' card" — a characterization the O's do not dispute...The Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers and Angels are among the clubs pursuing Sherrill, major-league sources say. The Cubs, MacPhail's former team and one of his frequent trading partners, also have interest. --- maybe he's the ptbnl for rich hill (>>rolling eyes>>), might have to throw in a sweater-vest or two ...can't we call it a day after the steve traschel deal? http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9827802

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    SF snags b.snell...2/62m

  • Cubster (view)

    AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24). 

    However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.  

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024: 

    * bats or throws left 

    Angel Cepeda, INF 
    * Miguel Cruz, P
    Yidel Diaz, C 
    * Albert Gutierrez, 1B
    Fraiman Marte, P  
    Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B) 
    Derniche Valdez, INF 
    Edward Vargas, OF 
    Jeral Vizcaino, P 

    And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.

    Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect. 

    F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season. 

    The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher). 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically. 

    Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).

    Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day. 

    Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will. 

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.

    The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required. 

    They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).

    If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.

    If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option). 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Phil, 
    Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
    If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!  

    And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).