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, twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors, one player is on the 15-DAY IL, and one player is on the 10-DAY IL

Last updated 3-28-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 13
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
* 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: 12 
Kevin Alcantara, OF 
Michael Arias, P 
Ben Brown, P 
Alexander Canario, OF 
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF 
Brennen Davis, OF 
Porter Hodge, P 
* Matt Mervis, 1B 
Daniel Palencia, P 
Keegan Thompson, P 
Luis Vazquez, INF 
Hayden Wesneski, P 

10-DAY IL: 1 
Patrick Wisdom, INF 

15-DAY IL: 1 
Jameson Taillon, P 

60-DAY IL: 1 
Caleb Kilian, P 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Cubs @ Padres: Lester vs Lauer (Game 93)

CHC (54-38): LHP Jon Lester (11-2, 2.45)
SD (40-58): LHP Eric Lauer (5-5, 4.40)
First pitch: 3:10pmCST
 
Lester was off on Sunday, giving up 4 ER in 6.1 innings for a no-decision. The Padres are 16-68 against him. Hosmer is 4-13 and Pirela is 2-5, both with HRs.
 
Lauer beat the Dodgers his last time out (8.2 IP, 1 ER). Solid. None of the Cubs have faced the 23y/o rookie.
 
Then we break.
 
Go Cubs!

Comments

RHRP Anthony Bass (on 10-day DL - illness) is eligible to be reinstated today (Sunday), so it's possible he could replace Zastryzny on the 25 prior to the start of the game. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Weather not looking good for this 5 game set coming up. Currently Thursday and Sunday look fine, but Friday and Saturday don't look good. The forecast always changes though, so hope for the best. But if there's a rainout or 2, what will happen? The only time the Cards come back to Wrigley is the final series of the regular season. The Cubs and Cards have 2 common off days left on 8/9 and 9/20, but normally MLB prefers to create doubleheaders for travel purposes. I don't think anyone wants a doubleheader on the final weekend of the regular season, even with expanded rosters. A makeup game on 9/20 gives the Cubs 18 games in 17 days to close out the regular season, which isn't ideal.

Hopefully there's no rainouts this weekend.

[ ]

In reply to by chitownmvp01

chitownmvp01: MLB clubs cannot play games on more than twenty days in a row without first getting the permission of the players from each of the clubs involved (majority vote required from each club). Re-scheduling a game or games from this weekend to 8/9 would mean the Cards would have to play 27 days in a row, but they only would have to play twenty days in a row (so no permission would be required from STL) if a game or games are re-scheduled from this weekend to 9/20.  

It's only a matter of playing games 13 days in a row for the Cubs if a game or games from this weekend are re-scheduled to 8/9 and it's a game 18 days in a row if a game or games from this weekend are re-scheduled to 9/20 (so no permission would be required from Cubs players for either date).

The Cubs and Cardinals also have a three-game series (Fri-Sat-Sun) at Wrigley Field the last three days of the regular season (9/28-9/30), so a split DH could be scheduled on one of those days (probably Friday). Otherwise it would probably have to be 9/20, since neither Cubs nor Cardinals players can decline that date. Also, MLB Active List rosters will expand on 9/1 so it's easier to add an extra game or two to the schedule in September because more pitchers would be available.

Congratulations to France for winning the World Kick Ball Tournament even though I didn’t watch any of it!

Cubs place OF Albert Almora Jr on the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List and recall INF David Bote from Iowa.

A player placed on the Bereavement /Family Medical Emergcncy List must remain inactive for at least three days but no more than seven, so Almora could be reinstated when the MLB season resumes on Thursday or he could remain inactive through next Saturday (if necessary).

If the absence extends beyond seven days he would be moved to the Restricted List (an unpaid but approved Leave of Absence).
 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List is all one list. It is - NOT - separated by "bereavement" and "family medical emergency." So if a family medical emergency turns into a death while the player is on the list, the player is not transferred from one list to another. He just remains on the same list (but only for a maximum of seven days). If the leave extends beyond seven days becuase the family medical emergency turned into a death, the player would be transferred to the Restricted List (for an approved but unpaid Leave of Absence) if he is not reinstated after seven days.  

BTW, there is no Paternity Leave List or Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List for minor league players. If a minor league player (including a player on the MLB 40-man roster who is on Optional Assignment to the minors) needs to leave his club to attend to a childbirth, a family medical emergency, or a death in the family, the player is placed on the generic "Temporarily Inactive List" (which is an unpaid undefined club-approved leave of absence) and the player must remain inactive for at least three days while on the TIL but there is no maximum limit (other than the conclusion of the minor league season). Some minor league players have remained on the TIL for weeks or even months. 

The Temporarily Inactive List is available for minor league players - ONLY - because minor league players (including players on Optional Assignment to the minors) cannot be placed on the MLB Paternity Leave List or Bereavement/Family Medical Emeregency List. So players on an MLB Active List (25-man roster) are paid while attending to a childbirth, family medical emergency, or a death in the family, but minor league players (including players on Optional Assignment to the minors) are not.

Although the media is beating the drum for Joe Girardi as next Cardinal mgr, they are likely to promote from within. Lead candidate on this front is, ahem, Stubby Clapp.

Pirates come from behind in 10th w 2 runs to win 7-6 over Brewers. Bucs just swept a 5 game series.

[ ]

In reply to by Cubster

..after Knebel blew a 2-run lead in the 9th! Both blown leads with 2 outs. Brutal way to end a 5-game sweep. Not that there is really a good way. If you get a chance, watch the highlight of the last play. There's a lot going on: Rain, a bad route by Cain, ball over his head, 3B coach runs halfway home with the runner, throw is there in plenty time but goes through the catchers legs.

2.5 game lead *flex*

MIL has lost 6 in a row, but they're still on top of the WC standings.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

MIL post-break: 3 vs. LAD, 3 vs. WASH, 8-game road trip to SF and LAD, no day off before coming home for 3 vs. COL. If the Cubs can play .500 or a little over during that stretch, they could have a healthy division lead by early August.

Hell of a weekend:

Cubs go 3-0

Brewers go 0-5

Cards go 1-2 and fire their manager

Cubs play 3 games and pick up 4 on the Brewers. Neat Trick! Enjoy the break!

All-Star Break thoughts: Biggest (positive) surprise so far?

I could make a case for Baez, Almora or Zobrist, all whom have been much better than I expected, but I think Heyward's resurgence has been the biggest surprise for me.  He has become a consistent contributor to the offense.  His walk-off GS off a LHP may have been the single biggest surprise of the season. I did not see that coming.  

Others who have been better than I expected: Lester, Cishek, Wilson (like Heyward, against very low expectations) and Rosario (against virtually no expectations).  Bote, in a small dose, has been a very pleasant surprise.

On the downside, there are the obvious disappointments so far of Darvish and Chatwood, and mild disappointments of Hendricks, Quintana, Bryant and Rizzo -- none of whom have been terrible, but all of whom are performing below what I expected at the start of the season.  Duensing is on the downside list as well.

I think all the other key players have performed more or less as expected -- Contreras, Russell, Schwarber, Happ, Morrow, Edwards and Strop have all had some positives and negatives, but, on balance, are contributing about what I had expected.

Thoughts?

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

Biggest in terms of what am I *most* surprised by: Rizzo's sustained slump and Baez's sustained All-Star level play, followed closely by Heyward's sustained resurgence (which I didn't really believe was real until about 30 days ago). The Bryant issues all seem injury related, and those are never really a surprise in the game. I would say Schwarber has been better than many expected him to be, but is definitely on a lower tier and isn't really a surprise to Schwarber believers.

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

Totally agree that Schwarber isn't a "surprise"... I just love that a player who dramatically improved his defense (though not perfect), is among the leaders in OF assists, has a top 5 in NL HR% and BB% (and K% to be fair), and is bouncing back after a sophomore (-ish) slump is kinda sorta an afterthought. Anybody else want to see an ad at the beginning of next season where "Schwarbaez" launches a competitor to "Bryzzo"?

They were loaded already, but this year the Cubs have seen three players--Almora, Bote and Caratini--advance from prospect to player status. Pitching will be day-to-day, but Cub fans can sit back and enjoy watching this lineup perform until they start reaching free agency.

I don't know if Chase Utley's retirement announcement has been mentioned here yet. But I just wanted to point out that I think he had one of the most beautiful and controlled lefty swings I've seen. I never understood how he produced so much power with it.

Trade rumors around Hand/Britton make some sense... PHIL, MIL, & LAD are all worse vs. LHP by 50-60 OPS points. FWIW... BOS is 80 pts worse vs LHP.  Another dominant LHP in the pen could help shorten a playoff game.  MIL in particular goes from average vs. RHP (.735 OPS - 12th in MLB) to dreadful vs. LHP (.680 OPS - 24th in MLB). Philly too for that matter... from .721 (18th) to .674 (26th). 

For those wondering... Cubs are .778 vs RHP & .749 vs. LHP

While the impact of a hitting coach can be debated, what we may be seeing with this year's team is the benefit of having the manager and hitting coach on the same page when it comes to approach.  Last year, Maddon bemoaned the team's inability to "move the baseball" and use the whole field to hit, while I get the sense that Mallee was a launch angle/power guy.  Maddon's obvious glee about the recent offensive improvement speaks to his liking the approach of so many of the hitters, which I assume is what Chili Davis brought. While Maddon will never rip anyone in public (at least no one on his team), it's pretty clear he had grown weary of the Mallee approach and wanted his team to take the Chili approach. 

Out-of-towner headed to Wrigley on Thursday. Any tips for the first-time experience?

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In reply to by jdrnym

If you take the El (recommended if you are staying downtown) -- take the Red Line it all the way to the Addison (Wrigley) stop prior to the game.  After the game walk back down Clark Street (it's a festival on game nights) and catch the El at Belmont -- it's about a 10-15 minute walk in a fun atmosphere, and getting on the El is a lot easier at Belmont.  The Addison stop is a mob scene after the game.  Enjoy -- and bring home a W!

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

IF you have not seen the rennovations, come early-ish, it is now baseball Disney/Party with a park adjacent to the Field, live band, great tacos across the street at Big Star, plus the venerable Bernies on Clark and Murphy's on Sheffield, all the swag shops you could want, and even a new Jeni's Ice Cream where you can get Michigan Cherry-Goat Gheese ice cream. You might as well dive in.

Dodgers get Machado -- given that the Cubs are done with LA this year, and both the Brewers and Cards still play them 7 times each, I think this is a big positive for the Cubs.  It does make LA a better team for the playoffs, but, per Billy Beane, the playoffs are a crapshoot (just ask Dusty and the Nats about Game 5 last year).  

In fact, any individual series in baseball is a crapshoot: White Sox beat the Red Sox 2 of 3 in Fenway.  Reds swept the Cubs in a 4-gamer.  Pirates swept the Brewers in a 5-gamer.  You could have made a lot of money placing those bets. Inferior teams win series from superior teams in baseball on a weekly basis.

I think what you are on to also is that typically, an MVP-caliber player can get a team to the Playoffs. Not always, however, or enough (see Mike Trout). Also, it is not a slam dunk that the MVP caliber player will perform well when they get there - see my favorite - the Hawk. He was "All Galaxy" in 1989 and every fucking time he came up with RISP, including bases loaded, he failed miserably in the NLDS that year. I felt horrible for him, .105 AV and .158 SLG. I was fucking pissed too. But if it wasn't for him they would not have even faced the Giants. 

The Cubs have - at least so far - one MVP candidate this year who has also performed in the Playoffs including winning a WS ring. Manny Machado is only one player, but if he performs like Justin Turner in the NLCS last year - ok, it could be tough. If he is Hawk, then anything is possible. Its baseball.

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In reply to by The E-Man

I'm assuming you're referring to Bryant there, though he won't be an MVP candidate this year without some sort of massive second half showing.

I'm super glad the Machado-Cubs rumors appear to have been untrue, as they didn't make much sense to me. Also happy the Brewers didn't add him.

Recent comments

  • Charlie (view)

    I worry that Morel will lose starts at 3B as long as this roster lacks a compelling DH.

  • Dolorous Jon Lester (view)

    I think if you had ranked players by how much the team could ill afford to have them miss significant time, Steele would be right at the top of the list.

  • crunch (view)

    steele MRI on friday.  counsell expects an IL stint.

    no current plans for his rotation replacement.

  • hellfrozeover (view)

    I would say also in the bright side column is Busch looked pretty good overall at the plate. Alzolay…man, that hurts but most of the time he’s not giving up a homer to that guy. To me the worst was almonte hanging that pitch to Garcia. He hung another one to the next hitter too and got away with it on an 0-1. 

  • crunch (view)

    amaya blocked like 6-8 of smyly's pitches in the dirt very cleanly...not even an exaggeration, smyly threw a ton of pitches bouncing in tonight.

    neris looking like his old self was a relief (no pun), too.

  • TarzanJoeWallis (view)

    In looking for bright spots the defense was outstanding tonight. The “stars” are going to need to shine quite a bit brighter than they did tonight offensively though for this to be a successful season.

  • Eric S (view)

    Good baseball game. Hopefully Steele is pitching again in April (but I’m not counting on it). 

  • crunch (view)

    boo.

  • crunch (view)

    smyly to face the 2/3/4 hitters with a man on 2nd in extras.

    this doesn't seem like a 8 million dollar managerial decision.

  • crunch (view)

    i 100% agree with you, but i dunno how jed wants to run things.  the default is delay.  i would choose brown.

    like hellfrozeover says, could be smyly since he's technically fresh and stretched.

    anyway, on a pure talent basis....brown is the best option.