Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
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

World Series Game 1 Recap: Cubs 0, Indians 6

Kluber and Co. Dominate.

Box Score, Play Log, Game Graphs

 

W - Kluber (1-0), called strike-three, looking.

L - Lester (0-1), dumb-sign guy, hitting with RISP, moving up tomorrow's game over weather.

 

Things to Take from This Game:

1. Schwarbird decloaking...

Yeah, take one guess who hit the only rocket off of Kluber. Schwarber struke out on a full count in his first at bat, then launched a 380 foot rocket of a double in his second AB. After a Zobrist single, Kluber got pulled with just 88 pitches for Andrew Miller. You have to wonder if Kluber would have left the game for Miller, if anyone other than Schwarber was coming up in that situation. Schwarber works a full count, and a walk, with what appeared to be a very good eye, as he was on a couple of pitches and laid off a couple other tough ones. Schwarber came up again against Miller, with a chance to tie the game, in the 8th. Again he worked a count, before K'ing.  A tough result in a key situation, but still: He's ready.

2. Kluber was terrific

I've had a chance to see some of Kluber's best games, and this was up there with anyone. When he's on, his fastball gets crazy horizontal movement, running left-to-right. And, dear god, he was on. 8 of the first 11 K, almost all of them looking.  He got pulled for Miller, who, after walking Schwarber, got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam, and that was about it.

3. Lester had 2 bad moments.

Lester ran into some wildness and some balls-in-play problem with two outs in the first. That, and a line-drive homer by the 9-hitting catcher, Perez, gaves Cleveland an early 3-0 lead that they would not rescind.

4. Roberto F. Perez.

I couldn't have named Cleveland's catching tandem this year. Whatever happened to Yan Gomes? Oh well. Roberto Perez hit three home runs all year, but two today. In addition to the liner off of Lester, he hit more of a no-doubter, 3-run job, against Rondon in the 8th to put away the game.

Essential Questions

1. Miller's unavailable for tomorrow, right?

2. Roberto F. Perez isn't going to keep this up, right?

3. Everyone in the non-Zobrist (three hits) category will look better tomrrow, right?

4. Arrieta is better than Bauer, right?

 

Game Recap

Pregame/Top of 1st

  • FOX telecast on TV, muted, listening to Pat and Ron on the radio. That's one giganto flag in the outfield, and someone I've never heard of before singing the anthem. Was in a bit of disbelief, still, seeing Schwarber come out in pregame introductions. A very breathy, whispy sort of approach to the anthem. If she were a teacher, I'd tell her to work on the voice projection over the classroom. But, eh, I can't carry a tune to save my life, so who am I to judge? Still not my stule of singer.

 

  • Dexter Fowler becomes the first Cubs player involved in World Series action since, well, you know, and the first African American Cubs player to appear in a World Series, ever. I don't know why it blows my mind to think about how the Cubs haven't been to a series since before the start of integration, but it does. It was a world where a small businessman could be outraged over the strange new world where livestock no longer is permitted in the stadium, and not outraged over the same old world where African Americans were not permitted on the field.  But I'm getting too historically melodramatic here. (Hey, I'm a historian, and this is kinda a big deal, so I hope you'll cut me some slack?)  Anyway, the action.... Fastball, outside, 94 mph, ball one, starts the series.

 

  • Fowler with a good hack at the next fastball in a similar spot, fouls it off. Fastball in, take, 2-1. Kluber elevates the sinker and Fowler rips it, but pulled fowler.  Two-seamer, and it runs back over the inside corner for called strike three looking. All fastballs so far.

 

  • Bryant works a full count, and as Pat starts calling ball four and Bryant starts running to first, World Series Newbie umpire Larry Vanover eventually decides to call it strike three. FOX's zone shows it a bit off the plate and low. Gyeh.

 

  • Rizzo pops to shortstop.

 

Bottom of 1st

  •  Lester pours in fastballs for strike 1 and 2 looking. Davis, leadoff hitter of the .306 OBP, flails at a fastball out of the zone for strike three.

 

  • Kipnis lines one to Rizzo's ankles for the out.

 

  • Game's first runner comes with Lindor reaching out and bouncing one past Lester up the middle.

 

  • Lindor goes on a 1-0 count, and the ball pops out of Ross's hand as he prepares to throw. Stolen base. 3-0 count, Lester gets a called strike on the fastball. Fastball, away and/or high, ball four.

 

  • Ball one, fastball low and outside, on Santana. Outside again for 2-0. Again, for ball 3.  Ohhh boy....  3-1 count, walks on a fastball inside.  Back-to-back walks.

 

  • Strike one down the middle to Ramirez. We get BABIP'd on a swinging bunt up the third base line that Bryant has to eat. 1-0 Cleveland.

 

  • I completely forgot Brandon Guyer got traded to Cleveland.  I am losing steam in my autumn years. 0-2 to Guyer, and the fastball runs in and clips Guyer.  Lester is pissed as he swipes the ball with his glove on the throw back.  Got Guyer in the back leg. 2-0 Cleveland.

 

  • Chisenhall up, pops foul by the third base dugout, runs head-first into the screen and bounces backward, holding on for the catch.  Nicely done. Inning mercifully over.

 

Top of 2nd

  • Rizzo serves a liner to right-center, splitting the gap for a double. An elevated slider.

 

  • Kyle Schwarber appears and we hear a faint "Let's Go Cubs" chant.  Something 90 with serious downward break (yowza) for ball one.  Ball two.  Swing and miss over something else that's 90 and with wicked down and in movement. Fastball, inside, 3-1.  Everything Kluber is throwing has freaky movement.  Take on a fastball that runs back over the inside corner, full count. Similar pitch, Kyle swings this time, strkes out. Timing was fine, but was a bit under a tough elevated pitch.

 

  • 0-2 count after Baez tries to check on a biting slider down and away. Baez, oddly, appeals to first on his checked swing. A couple of sliders outside, 2-2.  Ron suspects Kluber will throw Javy as many breaking balls as possible until Javy shows he can lay off, or do something with them. Makes sense to me. Baez takes a called strike three on another fastball that starts at the left-handed batter's box and catches the corner. 4 Ks, 3 looking.

 

  • 3-1 count to Coghlan, Kluber has worked some deep conts so far, 32 pitches at the moment. Cutter with downward movement again (this pitch has looked really filthy) and Coghlan swings over the top, 3-2 count. Coghlan takes strike three called, that's three K's in a row, 5 of 7, 4 looking. Another wicked pitch starting at the left-handed hitters batter's box, and breaking down and in over the plate.

Bottom of 2nd

  •  Full count to Perez, who pops to Zobrist in shallow left.

 

  • Davis bloops one over Rizzo but lands just foul, phew.

 

  • Davis hits one up the middle, and Lester shoots out his left leg for it, deflecting it with his foot and doing the long underhand toss to first.   Pretty cool way to avoid what otherwise would have been an utterly routine grounder to Baez.

 

  • Kipnis pops one down the right field line. Baez overruns it, reaches back, and catches the popup.

Top of 3rd

  • Russell started with a curve looking for a strike Kluber misses his spot with a fastball and Russell lines it foul, and then K's, looking, at a curveball.  I sense a theme

 

  • 1-2 count to Ross, he lines a single to left on a breaking pitch of some sort that again had crazy movement but broke into the heart of the plate.

 

  • As Pat is pointing out, Cubs lefties (understandably) keep giving up on pitches inside that run back over the corner.  As he points that out, Kluber flais at a fastball that starts out inside and runs waaaaaay back over the plate to the outside corner, strike three. 7 of first 10 K'd.

 

  • 8 of first 11. Bryant chases a breaking ball in the dirt and a foot off the plate.  This isn't on the Cubs, this is on Kluber being nastier than I can describe.

 Bottom of 3rd.

  • Lindor takes a fastball away and rolls it into right for a single.

 

  • Napoli K's looking on a cutter that catches the outside edge.  Lindor makes no sign of running.

 

  • Lindor takes off before Lester delivers, and Lester steps off, makes a motion with his throwing arm, and Lindor scampers back.  This is reminiscent of how the Dodgers sort of deked themselves out of actually doing anything.

 

  • Now Lindor goes, and Ross throws him out. A down and low pitch, Baez with another lightning-tag. Lindor thinks he's safe. Lindor is wrong. Indians don't even challenge. 

 

  • Lester and Ross do not get the called strike on the low outside corner that Kluber has frequently gotten called.  Ross and Lester giving Vanover an earful as Santana walks.

 

  • Ramirez lines a 1-2 pitch into center field. Reached out for a pitch on the low outside corner.  Runners on 1 and 2.  Santana comes up lame at second, no one is sure why, but he is having very serious right knee problems. Francona asks for something to drink, and we conclude it must be cramps. We have a big delay to let Santana deal with cramps. This is really getting a bit ridiculous, and Lester looks annoyed.

 

  • Lester slows down his pace, and gets a fastball called strike 3 on the outside corner.  Politely chats with Vanover on the way to the dugout.

Top of 4th

  •  Rizzo works a 3-2 count, and pops foul toward the Cleveland 3rd base dugout, where Perez has it.

 

  • Rizzo bounces one into the 4-3 hole, where Kipnis gets it as Napoli correctly gets back to the bag for the putout.

 

  • Schwarber swings at the first pitch and hits one high off the wall, just to the centerfield side of the 375 sign in right-center. A double. The wind had just started to blow in. 

 

  • Baez also hits one deep to right, but Chisenhall has room for the catch, maybe 10 feet in front of where Schwarber hit his.

Bottom of 4th

  •  Chisenhall chases a fastball away for the strikeout.  63 pitches so far for Lester

 

  • Perez hits a liner down the left field line. It his the railing just above the yellow home run line, and bounces back onto the field for a very sudden and surprising home run.  3-0 Cleveland.

 

  • Davis golfs one to the warning track in left for an out.

 

  • Kipnis hits a popup blooper down the left field line, and Russell makes a nice running catch.

Top of 5th.

  • 0-2 on Coghlan and, wait for it, a fastball that runs left-to-right back over the corner on Coghlan, called strike three.

 

  • Russell flies out to center.

 

  • Ross softly lines out to first, a blooper off the end of his bat that has Napoli ranging toward shortstop.

 

Bottom of 5th

  •  Lindor hits a squibber that Ross pounces out on, while Lindor gives up on it, thinking the backspin will take it foul. Easy play at first.

 

  • Lester K's Napoli on a changeup diving low and away.

 

  • Lester K's Santana looking at a fastball on the corner, for strikeout number 6. 

 

Top of 6th

  • Dexter attacks early in the count, but grounds a slider out to Kipnis

 

  • We are told Schwarber is the first position player ever to get his first hit of the season in the World Series.

 

  • Bryant reaches for a breaking ball and pops foul to Perez.

 

  • Andrew Miller is warming up.

 

  • Rizzo pops to Perez just in front of the plate.

 

Bottom of 6th

  • Ramirez goes the other way with a nice swing, into the right-center gap for a double.

 

  • Guyer takes a called strike three fastball looking, at the exact same spot on the low and away corner where Lester wasn't getting the call, early in the game.

 

  • Chisenhall hits one the opposite way to Zobrist just in front of the warning track. Lester gets pulled. Strop in.

 

  • There's a brief loss of lighting, but the game resumes without interruption.

 

  • Strop K's Perez with an impressive curve, looking.

Top of 7th

  •  Zobrist lines something that got out over the plate, and up, for a single into left.

 

  • Andrew Miller in to face Schwarber.  Schwarber checks his swing but it's called strike one, and then a ball. Fouls the next pitch straight back on a good swing.  I'm now convinced Schwarber is good to go.  2-2 fastball is just high, full count.  Schwarber is seeing the ball well. Schwarber walks on a breaking pitch low.

 

  • Baez comes up as the tying run, and falls behind, 0-2.  Goes to his no-stride approach and fouls one off.  Lines one into left for a base hit, Zobrist has to hold. A backdoor slider down and away, great hitting by Baez.  Contreras in to hit for Coghlan.

 

  • Contreras hits a blooper into shallow center.  Davis gets a bad break on it, but his speed allows him to catch it.  Baez broke to second, but Baez throws home, allowing Baez to return. Runners hold. Schwarber looked fine hitting the breaks and scampering back to second.

 

  • Russell K's swinging on a breaking ball diving toward his ankles.

 

  • David Ross works a 3-1 count, as all Cubsdom prays for Grandpa.  Strike 2, a breaking ball, called.  Miller goes with another slider down and in, and Ross tries to check his swing, but can't, inning over.

Bottom of 7th

  • Strop still pitching. Contreras stays in to catch, Almora in right.  Strop hangs a curve to Davis who pops it up.

 

  • Wood in. Kipnis works a full count, and grounds to Russell.

 

  • Grimm in. Lindor lines a fastball into right-center for a double. It looks like he almost hit Contreras's mask or arm on the swing as he flinched out of the way.  Further review makes it look like he was expecting something offspeed and got crossed up..

 

  • Napoli taps to Rizzo swung around toward second, 3-1, to end the inning.

 

Top of 8th

  • Miller still pitching, Fowler lines one to center, and Davis runs back on it to get it.

 

  • Bryant manages to work a full count, and a walk.  Miller pumps his arm in frustration at the near miss on the slider.

 

  • 1-1 count on Rizzo, Miller at 32 pitches.

 

  • Full count to Rizzo. 36 pitches. Rizzo flies out to shallow center.

 

  • Zobrist lines a single to right-center, Rizzo to third.  Guess who's up as the tying run.

 

  • Schwarber continues to show his old ability to work counts, getting to 2-2 before striking out to end the inning. Slider inside.

Bottom of 8th.

  • Grimm gets Santana to strike out on a check swing on a breaking pitch spiked into the dirt.

 

  • Ramirez flies to center.

 

  • Guyer battles to a full count before walking on a fastball outside.

 

  • Chisenhall hits a 2-0 into left, over a leaping Russell. Rondon in.

 

  • Perez up, and Rondon hangs a breaking ball that backs up over the plate, and Perez hits his second home run of the game, deeper into the left field bleachers. 6-0 Cleveland.

 

  • Davis hits a sinking line drive to right for a single. Almora does a nice job of not letting it get past him as he slides.

 

  • Kipnis taps one to Rizzo near the bag to end the inning.

 

Top of 9th

  • Allen pitching. 0-2 to Baez, and Allen hangs a curveball that Baez watches go by for strike three.

 

  • Contreras works a 3-1 count and inside-out ones to right. Chisenhall makes an awkward leap at the wall for it, just barely misses, and it's just barely still in the park, for a double.

 

  • Russell swings at a fastball up in the zone for strike three.

 

  • Montero hits for Almora. 2-2 pitch, swing and miss on a fastball, strike three, game over.

 

 

 

Parachat Recap

Pregame/1st Inning

  • Me and mister_whipple soon joined by Brick, CTSteve. We practice our run-scoring "sent sound:" technique. 
  • This is kind of silly.
  • bizmarquis joins. waveland joins. RobG joins.
  • How we're taking in the game.
  • Zen, radical acceptance, whirled peas
  • I forget to pour my beer into the Cubs tumbler glasses I have, instead they go into an Ale Asylum pint glass back from Madison. This is a horrific jinx....
  • charlie joins.
  • A vision of the future in which we can stream Drunk Keith Moreland and Carlos calling this series while Jeff Garland gets choked to death by Drunk Scottie Pippen.
  • Crunch joins.
  • Amy Winehouse's sobriety streak.
  • Just_a_girl joins.
  • Cleveland gets quieter. Is Drew Carey there? (heh, nice one, biz.)
  • Taco trucks and taco trophies
  • Just_a_girl's doppleganger joins.
  • Angst.
  • We demand Ross pick two people off with one throw, now.
  • Ross's "World's Best Dad" mug that Lester owe's him
  • The Gennett-Chisenhall furniture store.

Inning 2

  • Not-Cubs-fan-relativese who are watching...
  • Cubs-fan-relatives who are watching.
  • The Schwarber AB.
  • MorningtonCrescent joins.
  • We are unimpressed with the anti-Cubs signs-guy that the camera keeps catching.
  • Ugh, Joe West.
  • Woah, it's pellmell!
  • JAG with the Major League reference.
  • Lester's underhand toss.

 

Inning 3

  • People discussing some other fall sport. Or, evidently, a sex act?  I am now very confused.
  • What Tom Verducci is seeing down low.
  • Biz: Corey Kluber might be as good as Joe Buck thinks Clayton Kershaw is.
  • charlie: in bed.
  • The Rose/A-Rod/Big Hurt combo of analysts.
  • Frank Thomas is a large, large man.
  • Cleveland sign-man is real-life form of an internet troll who doesn't realize he's really bad at it.
  • We hate commercials, and in game commercials.
  • We love Grandpa Ross. And Baez-tags.
  • The FOX pitch-tracking is rigged.  RIGGED!
  • It's 1985.
  • Sledgehammer, the show, and the music video. The dancing chickens were a bit much.
  • Cramps.
  • Lackey makes people angrier.
  • Lackey/Lester angry-off.
  • Guyer is funny-looking.
  • An intense canned vegetable commercial.

Inning 4

  • Cloverfield, doom, green beans, and Mahler.
  • More green beans. And urologists. And murder.
  • We love Schwarber.
  • We are not happy.
  • Ryno joins.
  • 20th century dictators, and gingers.

Inning 5

  • Dante's 37th level of hell.
  • Political commercials.
  • Protests
  • Corner Gas
  • Night Court
  • We really love Night Court.
  • The Wire.  Breaking Bad.
  • Pizza-tossing.
  • Better Call Saul.  You can tell we're losing.
  • Even more TV commentary.  Cubs better start scoring, quick.

Inning 6

  • Would there have been any sense in basically punting against Kluber, saving Lester for game 2 to better assure we win that game, and thereby improve our chance of taking 1 of 2 from Cleveland?  (Eh, in theory maybe, but no way any team would try it.)
  • Biz is killing it:  Andrew Miller kinda looks like if Paul Assenmacher got drawn and quartered.
  • Death by fly fishing.
  • Pole enhancement.
  • Game time switch, ugh, no.

Inning 7

  • Should Kluber get pulled for Miller here?
  • Should Schwarber get pulled for a right-hander here?
  • Begging for an RBI.
  • Political ads.
  • What we'll do if we lose.
  • Going to a postseason game in the other team's park.
  • Harold Reynolds and Terry Francona

Inning 8

  • Fantase basketball and other unimportant things.
  • Wasting time at work.
  • RALLY CAPS
  • RALLY PARACHAT MEMES
  • Group-poop if Schwarber hits one.
  • Trever Bauer's drone-wound.
  • Bosio looking unenthused.
  • Long Live Flo.
  • Which insurance mascots/spokespersons/spokesanimals we trust.

Inning 9

  • Obscure relievers to blame for this.
  • Young ballplayers rubbing off on each other. Oh my.
  • Condolences, next time.

Comments

It's baseball -- one road game against a Cy Young pitcher who was on top of his game. Magic Jake! Paging Magic Jake!

Thanks, Trans! Your recaps make the experience better -- even in a loss. Don't ever underestimate how much enjoyment they bring to the game.

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).