Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

39 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (one slot is open), plus two players are on the 60-DAY IL and one player has been DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT (DFA)   

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

Last updated 4-24-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Colten Brewer
Ben Brown
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Hector Neris 
Jameson Taillon 
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Pete Crow-Armstrong 
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman 

OPTIONED: 8 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Jose Cuas, P 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
Daniel Palencia, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 

10-DAY IL: 2
* Cody Bellinger, OF  
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL: 3
Kyle Hendricks, P 
* Drew Smyly, P 
* Justin Steele, P   

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

DFA: 1 
Garrett Cooper, 1B 
 





Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Cardinals: Lester vs. Lackey (Game 164; NLDS Game 1)

Now it gets really good.

CHC: LHP Jon Lester (11-12, 3.34)
STL: RHP John Lackey (13-10, 2.77)
First pitch: 5:45pmCT

Lester finished strong, going 3-2 with a 2.36 ERA in September. He has not pitched since September 30, when he gave up 1 ER over 8 innings for the win in Cincinnati. He has a losing record against the Cardinals this year (1-3) but has pitched to a 2.59 ERA, and they are batting .216 in those games. He’s 1-0 with a 1.59 in the two starts at Busch Stadium. Overall, the Cards are 50-186 (.269) against him: Holliday is 5-9 (.556), Heyward is 10-24 (.417) with a HR, Carpenter is 4-14 (.286), and Peralta is 10-40 (.250) with 3 HR.

Lester is 6-4 with a 2.57 in the postseason. He was dominant with the Red Sox in their 2013 championship campaign, going 4-1 with a 1.56 in five games. In the AL Wild Card game last year with Oakland, he gave up 6 ER in 7.1 innings to the pennant-winning Royals.

Lackey lost in Atlanta on Sunday (4 IP, 3 ER) but had a great September (2-1, 1.78), going at least 7 innings in each of his five starts. At Busch this year, he’s 9-4 with a 1.93 ERA. He’s 2-0 with a 1.75 in three games against the Cubs this year, and they are hitting .244 in those games. Overall, the Cubs are 34-121 (.281) against him: Fowler (2-7, .286), Schwarber (no ABs), Rizzo (1-12, .083), Bryant (2-9, .222), Castro (3-12, .250), Coghlan (8-17, .471), Russell (2-7, .286), and Ross (1-3, .333).

In 18 postseason games, including two championship teams (LAA in 2002 and BOS in 2013), Lackey is 7-5 with a 3.08 ERA.

Game Two is tomorrow at 4:30pmCT: Hendricks vs. Garcia.

Go Cubs!

 

Comments

Gordo's lede today: ST. LOUIS – Whether it’s a year early or right on time, Jon Lester’s $155 million moment arrives just after 5:45 p.m. Friday.

[ ]

In reply to by Tito

I've been pretty harsh with Lester here at various times but that's how it is when you pull in that kind of money, and besides, it's not like he reads my posts or would care what I have to say if he did read them for some reason. If I was him, the first thing out of my mouth would be, what level have you played this game at, pal? Anyway, he's really looked good lately, and overall his body of work turned out pretty good, too. I'm glad his worst struggles were in April. This is such an easy team to like that I even like the overpaid free agent.

[ ]

In reply to by Old and Blue

So, yes, I have been quoting your, "mediocre pitcher" label all year in jest - good or bad. He has been pretty filthy against the Cards, and this is the game they need to "steal". I am hoping against hope that Pedro Strop only sees the mound if the Cubs are up 8 in a game.

Cubs go home 1-1, with Arrieta starting game 3, I like our chances in this series. Tomorrow's pitching matchup is lousy on paper, so today is obviously crucial. Will be fun to watch. My two keys are scoring early, and keeping Lester's pitch count below 15 per inning.

So Kershaw is opening the series for the Dodgers. How, then, does Greinke get the Cy Young? Not even the best pitcher on his team!

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

I wonder if it is about numbers specifically against the Mets. But, it could also be because Kershaw can go 9 innings everytime, while Grienke very rarely makes it through the game. They don't want to expose their weak bullpen. I have trouble getting past the extraordinary 1.66 ERA, but I don't know what the heck will happen with the Cy Young vote this year.

Fowler (CF), Schwarber (RF!), Bryant (3B), Rizzo (1B), Castro (2B), Coughlan (LF), Russell (SS), Ross (C), Lester (P)

Joe.

So all this business about Maddon being an old Cards fan and Arrieta being in Matt Carpenter's wedding... I have really strong feelings about this stuff. I'm not sure if I really enjoy it or really despise it, but I feel strongly about it...

aside from one swing, this 1-0 game feels like a blow out. Still nice to know one swing can change everything. We need Rizzo and Bryant to show up.

Really doesn't matter, but I was surprised to see Lester out for the 8th. Down 1-0, at 100 pitches, seemed better to give a very fresh bullpen a little work. Oh well...Throw away game, although in a 5 game series there is no luxury afforded to do that.

"Strop vs. Cardinals." Seen the movie. Hated it. Not all that disappointed -- I didn't think they would beat Lackey in Game 1. Need to get the bats going against the guys with less experience -- and they hit Wacha pretty good.

TBS' K Zone seems to be more harsh than the others. I wonder if MLB will ask the networks to stop using them. They just make the umps, and the game, look bad, and it only pisses off the fans.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Considering how players reacted it seemed pretty accurate high and wide (to righties), but not so accurate low and in. I thought the strike zone by the ump was awful, but it was consistent and the Cubs never adjusted. Rizzo and Bryant need to have good at bats. They are really looking outclassed in these two games.

[ ]

In reply to by blockhead25

I think it's probably hard to adjust to an ump's zone mid-game, as least for hitters. Pitchers can locate to an ump's zone, but hitters have minimal time to react. But, whatever. Umps are going to miss calls. Let's beat up on the non-Lackey starters.

Cubs 3-4-5 hitters are 0-21 so far in the post-season. Let's change that in a big effin' way tomorrow, boys.

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Prior to the Cactus League game at Papago Park, three Cubs pitchers threw "live" BP on Field 1 at the Cubs Sloan Park complex, including RHRP Ethan Roberts (June 2022 TJS) and Cubs 2023 3rd round draft pick RHP Jaxon Wiggins (February 2023 TJS).  

    Wiggins last threw "live" BP three weeks ago before being shut down for a couple of weeks, and this was the first time Roberts has thrown to hitters in almost two years. 

    JAXON WIGGINS
    ONE INNING:
    25 pitches (11 strikes)
    no batted balls in play
    two walks (Suriel and J. Diaz) 
    three strikeouts (Carico, Lubo, and Escobar - all three swinging)
    six swing & miss
    two fouls 
    three called strikes 
    14 called balls 
    one WP 

    ETHAN ROBERTS
    ONE INNING 
    15 pitches (7 strikes) 
    two batted balls in play (G-3 by Carico and L-9 by Suriel) 
    two walks (Lubo and Carico)
    no strikeouts  
    no swing & miss 
    two fouls 
    three called strikes 
    eight called balls 
    one WP 

     


     

  • crunch (view)

    wall stole a HR from busch...double.  nice to see him destroy a curve ball.

    upon further viewing, that might not have been a homer in too many parks...it had a lot of hang time, though.

  • CTSteve (view)

    I’m at the game—woot!

    If the streak breaks, it’s not my fault.

  • Cubster (view)

    Brewers lose Wade Miley to Tommy John surgery.

  • crunch (view)

    25 games played with a -85 run differential.  insane.

  • Cubster (view)

    White Sox DFA Bailey Horn. I'm thinking the Cubs would love to get him back although they probably won't have a decent chance of claiming him without another swap.

    WSox also call up former Cub Rafael Ortega (and additionally Tommy Pham). They are hurting and having a gawd awful April.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    White Sox DFA'd Bailey Horn.

    He wasn't producing good results in Charlotte (AAA).

    But Jed might bring him back with that open 40man spot. Then try the "sneak him thru waivers" gambit.

  • Cubster (view)

    Oh my, now I will have nightmares of me sitting in the bowels of the Wrigley security detention cell.

  • Cubster (view)

    One more thing...

    One of the reasons I come to this site...

     ...in addition to Arizona Phil, who is, as we all know, a treasure trove of well-written fresh information, honest evaluation, and sneaky-subtle humor regarding the entire Cub organization...

    ... is CubbyBlue and Tim's fantastic and timely visual takes on the Cubs (to be fair, he does have a much broader Chicago-flavored brush well beyond the Cubs).  Thanks for so many memorable images.  I am fortunate to own (one of my prize possessions) a print that I framed (55/200) of "The Last Out" with KB's shit-eating grin as he fields the series winning out of the 2016 WS.  

    https://images.app.goo.gl/WvFQs6P5UvuhgVqS8

    Tim, will you visit me if I do the text security thingy and description: Tim S? Or will I find myself in a Cub detention cell.

    i.e. "or send a text message to 773-839-**** with the keyword "Friendly" and include your seat location and a description of your issue.

  • CubbyBlue (view)

    Incredible moment. Huge part of the fun of working there is when something magic like that happens, and you get to interact with baseball fans.