Cubs MLB Roster

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40-Man Roster Info

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

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

Last updated 4-17-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* 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 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Luke Little, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2 
Seiya Suzuki, OF
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 2
* Justin Steele, P  
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 2 
Caleb Kilian, P 
Julian Merryweather, P
 




Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Oswalt Loses Mind, Will Still Start Against Wells, Cubs

Submitted by Cubnut on

The Astros and Cubs meet in a 12:05 game at Wrigley following yesterday's washout.

The pitching matchup is a reset of what was scheduled Friday, with Roy Oswalt opposing Randy Wells. Oswalt (1-2) fell to the Cubs on Opening Night and didn't notch a win until his most recent and eighth start of the year, versus the Padres.

From mlb.com:

Oswalt, mainly a fastball-curveball pitcher, admitted he's using his slider more, for no other reason than "I don't know what I'm doing right now. I've kind of lost my mind."

Wells is coming off his first Major League start, in which he completed five scorless but event-filled innings against the Brewers. In his brief Major League career, spanning 5 games and 10 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays and Cubs, the 26-year-old righty is still unscored upon.

With Wells going today, Sean Marshall moves into the bullpen until Thursday, when he will go against the Cardinals.

About the Theriot story...I'm no great fan of Rick Telander, but I think he's dead on when he says that MLB owners and players have wrought a situation in which any and every player can find himself the subject of suspicion simply for displaying a sudden power surge or otherwise seemingly uncharacteristic jump in performance.

For the record, Telander said he was pretty sure that the notion was Theriot was a steroids-user was "ludicrous," but that's just the point: none of us, not the fans, not the reporters can be certain any more about anybody. And for that, we can thank Mr. Selig, the owners, Mr. Fehr, and the members of the players union who have opposed testing.

 

Tags
Sean Marshall
Randy Wells
Game preview

Comments

Submitted by navigator on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:02 am

Besides RANDY WELLS' start today, if you're like me, you'll be interested in following the Orioles/Royals game featuring the return of RICH HILL and the Mariners/Red Sox game where GARRETT OLSON (0-0 2.57) gets a spot start. BTW, after bouncing around MLB for awhile, DAVID AARDSMA (0-1 1.53) has taken over the closer role for the Mariners.

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Submitted by Ryno on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:15 am

I'll never forget seeing Aardsma pitch in the bullpen one time, we had some really good bullpen seats. His fastball is wicked live. He had great stuff, his problem had always been control. Clearly he's solved those problems?

Submitted by Sweet Lou on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:14 am

Cubnut - I agree with you about Tealander. I've never been a fan. Even so, like you, I agree with his take on the Theriot/steroids association. It's ridiculous, but unfortunately, everyone is a suspect now. And you're right, the players only have themselves to blame. If someone would have had the nads to speak up and demand testing at a time when the Players Union was fighting testing, maybe this situation could have been avoided. Unfortunately, the players and the Union were more concerned with protecting their limited concept of privacy, which also meant protecting the PED offenders.

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Submitted by navigator on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:54 am

Theriot hit 0 HR in March, 0 HR in April. He started yanking them out only after Lou asked his healthy players to try to elevate the ball to fill the power gap resulting from injuries to UNCLE MILTY, DEPLETED LEE, and ARAM. To believe that Ryan Theriot is a roider you have to believe that all you have to do is pop 'em and the next day you turn into Sammy Sosa. Of course that's not how they work, but Telander went with it anyway. What a jerk. His career and his loser newspaper cannot die soon enuf.

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Submitted by Ryno on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:03 pm

Yet, here we are talking about Wittenmyer's racism article and Tealander's Theroid article. Their shameful attempts at sensationalizing news to drum up more interest works.

Submitted by Rob G. on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:13 pm

thanks jeebus for LaTroy Hawkins...Scales would have been out by about 5-10 feet if Pence didn't airmail the throw home on the last play. Better to be lucky than good...

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Submitted by Romero on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:18 pm

Or...maybe Mike Quade is so good that he knew Pence would airmail the throw. Or, more likely, Scales is SO GOOD that he actually made Pence's throw fuck up in the middle of the air. Bobby Scales = Baserunning Jedi.

Submitted by Jeff_Pico on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:14 pm

Well that was way more exciting than it has to be but chalk it up as a W. Gregg is that guy, he's either lights out or has nothing. Lets hope he goes back to being good the next time. Randy Wells has been impressive working on a big scoreless streak to start his career.

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Submitted by Nazey on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:43 pm

Are you really that suprised? I called it back when the Ricketts were chosen as would-be owners that the whole "by opening day" was nonsense. They've been talking about this for so long, before the Ricketts' name even came up. I'd be surprised if it's done by the end of the season, or even the end of the calendar year. It doesn't really matter except for: 1) it will be a convenient excuse to not make a deal at the trade deadline. Not that they would necessarily make a deal anyway, but that will be the excuse. 2) then we get to hear the tired line of "getting player x healthy in July will be like getting a new player but for free." *sigh*

Submitted by billybucks on Sat, 05/16/2009 - 05:33 pm

Fun stat of the day -- Gregg gives up back-to-back homers and loads the bases with no outs, putting the tying run on 2nd and the go-ahead run on first, but Heilman gets the BS despite not being charged with a run. Gregg, who blew the lead, is not charged with a BS. That's the rule, I guess, but it seems odd. Gregg has never been a lights-out closer, so we shouldn't expect him to become one now. But, still...that was ridiculous.

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Submitted by mannytrillo on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 05:40 am

"You didn't answer my question." I believe I did answer your question, you just must not like the answer. I don't think Gregg has the mental makeup to be a very good closer. I believe there is a big difference from pitching in the 7th or 8th innings, versus coming in and closing games in the 9th, especially playing for the Cubs vs. Marlins. "Kevin Gregg has had success as a closer. You claim that he cannot be a good closer, but he can be a good setup man." He had success in 2007, but in 2008, Gregg was tied for the lead in all MLB in blown saves with 9. He only closed 29 games, so he had a 76% save rate last year. So far in 2009, Gregg has 1 blown save in 7 chances, so that is an 85.7% save rate, definitely improved, but it is a small sample size. I do hope he keeps it up, but I doubt he will. Of course that does not take into account his non save situations where he has been horrible this year. In fact his numbers for save situations have not been good either, but has has held on for saves for the most part Also, IMO, saving games for the Cubs in front of a a packed house everyday is tougher than closing out games for the under the radar Marlins in front of 10,000 people. I think Gregg would be a fine setup man, but when it comes to a closer I think the Cubs have a better option (Marmol). I hope that answers your question.

Recent comments

  • Bill (view)

    A good rule of thumb is that if you trade a near-ready high ceiling prospect, you should get at least two far-away high ceiling prospects in return.  Like all rules-of-thumb, it depends upon the specific circumstances, but certainly, we weren't going to get Busch for either prospect alone.

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    Right on schedule, just read an article in Baseball America entitled "10 MLB Prospects Outside The Top 100 Who Have Our Attention".  Zyhir Hope was one of the prospects featured. It stated that he's "one of the biggest arrow-up sleeper prospects in the lower levels right now."

     

    Not sharing to be negative about the trade, getting a top 100 prospect who is MLB ready should carry a heavy prospect cost.  But man, Dodger sure are good at identifying and developing young talent. Andrew Friedman seems to have successfully merged Ray's development with Yankees financial might to create a juggernaut of an organization.  

  • Sonicwind75 (view)

    I suspect Brown will spend some time in the bullpen due to inning restrictions.  Pitched only 93 innings last year and career high is 104 innings in 2022.  I would expect them to be cautious with a young player with his injury history.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    I wanted Almonte gone last week, but that was before Merryweather went down and Little got demoted. Almonte in his last 5 appearances has gone 4.1 IP with no ER or Runs. NO hits, 3 BBs and 8 SO. He did hit 96 with his 2S FB in AZ on Tues.
    I don't see Jed waiving him when we have injuries all over and guys with options that can be sent down.
    I probably won't like the move Jed makes, but he can't play the "let's hope no one wants his 1.7mil remaining deal and we can hide him in Iowa" card.
    That's why I think the current Bullpen stays as is and Wicks goes to Iowa.
    I don't like that, but that's the fix I see.
    We'll find out soon enough!!!

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Teheran minor league deal is done, per MLB.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    Based on Phil’s sound analysis it sounds like a no brainer for Almonte to be placed on waivers as today’s roster move. We shall see.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    I suspect Counsell/Hottovy will use the piggy-back extensively, with Taillon and Hendricks pitching as the "pig" (and with a very short leash) and some combo of Wicks, Brown, and Wesneski (whichever two do not start) as the "backers."  

    Keep in mind that Keegan Thompson has a minor league option available, and if Yency Almonte is not outrighted by 4/26 he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent after that date. Almonte is out of minor league options, so I am talking about him getting outrighted to the minors if he is not claimed off waivers, and if he is claimed off waivers, the Cubs save the pro-rated portion of his $1.9M salary, which helps lower the Cubs 2024 AAV.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Totally agree. The 26 man roster very rarely consists of the 13 best position players and 13 best pitchers.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    Based on what Jed has done in the past, I’d say the plan is to

    -give Hendricks another few starts
    -give Taillon some runway ot get his season underway

    -Mix and match in the bullpen and see what sticks

    Jed usually doesn’t do a whole lot of waiver wire plays in-season, at least early in the season. He only reallly did that after he blew up the rosters in 21 and 22 because they needed bodies (guys like Schwindel, Fargas, etc).

    I think he’s a little handcuffed by a full 40 man in that he can’t really maneuver much with giving anyone showing ability at AAA (R Thompson/ Sanders/ Edwards etc). Brewer has the most tenuous grip there, and we will see what kind of chance he gets. Other than his spot, there isn’t a ton of 40 man wiggle room.

    I’m very curious to see what happens with Brown now that Taillon returns. Bullpen? Wicks to Iowa? 

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Pro teams have to play their "big money" guys if they are healthy and not "locker room" issues.
    The Cubs wanted to deal JHey off well before they bought him out. They just didn't want to pay him to play for someone else for that long. Jed did give him 20+mil to play for LAD last yr.
    Jed might also let Kyle walk at some point this year. Similar scenario to JHey, except Jed thought Kyle was going to be good/solid in '24!!
    You'd think Smyly is in the same book as well. Same with Neris (he's a 1yr vet RP, so he's not really in this convo too much).
    That's ~35mil between those three and those three are going to get opportunities until at least late June) over younger guys even if their performance is "iffy".
    But, Jed is going to play Taillon a lot. They have to try and justify that contract and hope a veteran works out.
    So, Taillon, Imanaga, and Hendricks are locks for the rest of April and probably May.
    Assad, Brown and Wicks handle the last spots until Steele is ready.
    Now, you're question has real merit when Steele comes back. That will interesting if Brown is still good and Hendricks is still bad. But Taillon is entirely safe as long as he's healthy.

    And the bullpen moves were "money" based as well. Smyly has actually been okay. But he hasn't been clearly better than Little. Little had one bad outing. But Smyly makes 9mil. If they needed another RHRP and one of Little and Smyly had to go, it was going to Little. But that doesn't mean Smyly is one of the best 13 arms for the team. 

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