Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
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, 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 4-18-2024

* 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
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

OPTIONED: 12
Kevin Alcantara, OF
Michael Arias, P
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF
Jose Cuas, P
Brennen Davis, OF
Porter Hodge, P
* Luke Little, P
* Miles Mastrobuoni, INF
* Matt Mervis, 1B
Daniel Palencia, P
Luis Vazquez, INF
Hayden Wesneski, P

10-DAY IL: 1
Seiya Suzuki, OF

15-DAY IL:
* Justin Steele, P

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

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft
Minor League Free-Agents

Marshall Throws Four Shutout Innings, But Cubs Lose

Sean Marshall threw four shutout innings as the Cubs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but the bullpen could not keep the Rangers down, as Texas rallied to defeat the Cubs 7-2 at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in Mesa today, before a crowd of 11,082 under cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid-60's.

box score

Both clubs started a regular season type lineup today, and Sean Marshall picked up right where left off last time out, going four innings (45 pitches - 33 strikes, 5/4 GO/FO ) and totally baffling the Rangers "A" team hitters. Marshall allowed no runs on just two hits (both singles), walked none, and struck out three, including Ian Kinsler and Michael Young. Marshall stayed ahead of the hitters, mixing up his pitches and throwing strikes.

Meanwhile, the Cubs scored single runs in the second and third off Rangers LHP Matt Harrison.

Milton Bradley led off the 2nd inning with a single to center, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. An Aramis Ramirez infield single moved Bradley to third, before Bradley scored on a 6-4-3 DP by Reed Johnson.

Koyie Hill led off the bottom of the 3rd with a ringing line double into the left-field corner, and was moved to third on a nicely-placed sacrifice bunt by Marshall. Alfonso Soriano walked, and then Ryan Theriot plated the second Cubs run on a 4-3 high chopper GO. (Soriano advanced to second base on the RBI GO, but was left stranded there when Derrek Lee struck out)

Luis Vizcaino entered the game in the 5th, and did not pitch well (0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 ER .3 BB, 0 K, 31 pitches - only 15 strikes, 0/2 GO/FO). He seemed to be visibly pissed with home plate umpire Brian Gorman early in the inning (it did look like he was getting squeezed a bit) as he walked Chris Davis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia with one out. But Vizcaino got rookie SS Elvis Andrus (who would make two outstanding leaping catches in the field later in the game) on an infield pop up for the second out and looked like he might be able to get out of the inning, but then he walked PH Andruw Jones on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. After a visit to the mound by Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild, Ian Kinslser lined Vizcaino's very next pitch (#31 for the inning) to CF, driving in two runs and tying the game at two. Manager Lou Piniella then summoned veteran LHRP Mike Stanton from the bullpen to face LH David Murphy, and Murphy sliced a 2-2 pitch to the warning track in LF, where Alfonso Soriano made a nice running catch to end the inning. Stanton got the out, but he definitely did not fool Murphy.

The game remained tied 2-2 through the 7th, as Jose Ascanio and Neal Cotts each struck out the side in their one inning of work.

Ascanio was just plain filthy, striking out Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, and Marlon Byrd on 11 pitches (he threw only one ball). Ascanio had to be throwing in the mid-90's, and the bottom was dropping out of his hard-slider.

Cotts was almost just as good (14 pitches - 10 strikes), striking out Chris Davis, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and PH Justin Smoak, athough he did surrender a harmless Elvis Andrus two-out bloop single along the way. Cotts had outstanding velocity today.

I think Ascanio really opened some eyes today, and I suspect Cotts has probably cemented his #1 bullpen lefty gig (although there isn't really much competition for the job, unless you count Marshall as a possible reliever),

But while Ascanio and Cotts were striking out the world, the Cubs were not able to do anything offensively against veteran RHP Jason Jennings and fireballing rookie LHP Derek Holland.

Aramis Ramirez doubled with one out in 4th but was left stranded, Koyie Hill walked to lead-off the 5th but was doubled off first-base on a Alfonso Sorianio line drive, and Ryan Theriot walked leading off the 6th and stole second with one out, but he was also left stranded when Derrek Lee flied out to RF, Milton Bradley lined out to SS Andrus (one of the rookie's two outstanding defensive stops) and Luis Rivas popped up.

Veteran RHP Chad Fox entered the game in the 8th, and he was not sharp (27 pitches - 14 strikes). He walked two (Omar Vizquel and Julio Borbon), allowed a stolen base and threw a wild pitch, and gave up two deep fly outs, before surrendering a two-out RBI single to Marlon Byrd (immediately after a visit to the mound by Larry Rothschild) that gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead.

But Kevin Hart was even worse.

Hart came into the game in the top of the 9th, with the Cubs trailing just 3-2. He gave up a first-pitch ground single to RF to Adam Melhuse, and then walked Elvis Andrus on four pitches. Pitcher Holland was left in the game to try and move the runners up with a bunt, but he struck out on a two-strike foul bunt (and that was probably the highlight of Hart's outing). Hart walked Kinsler to load the bases, and then (following another timely visit to the mound by Larry Rothschild) grooved one to Greg Golson, who promptly deposited said baseball over the left-centerfield fence for a grand slam. Hart did get the final two outs on a 6-3 GO and a F-8, but his final line was pretty ugly (1.0 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 26 pitches - 14 strikes, 1/1 GO/FO).

The Cubs did mount one of their (recently) typical last-gasp 9th inning rallies again today, but (once again) it fell short.

Trailing 7-2, Aaron Miles blooped a one-out single to left and Welington Castillo followed with a broken-bat single to RF. Rangers Manager Ron Washington summoned RHP Casey Daigle to the mound to face PH So Taguchi, and Daigle hit Taguchi on the upper left arm on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. Doug Deeds was next, and he hit the livin' crap out of the ball, a screaming line-drive headed toward the left-field corner. But Rangers 3B Travis Metcalf made a miraculous "look what I found!" catch for the second out (all the runners got back to their bases safely), and then Andres Blanco rolled out to end the game.

The Kansas City Royals will visit Mesa tomorrow for a Cactus League tilt with the Cubs.

Please take a moment today to vote on the best Cubs Season Ever.

Comments

Recent comments

TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:06 pm (view)

Totally onboard with your thoughts concerning today’s lineup. Not sure about your take on Tauchman though.
The guy typically doesn’t pound the ball out out of the park, and his BA is quite unimpressive. But he brings something unique to the table that the undisciplined batters of the past didn’t. He always provides a quality at bat and he makes the opposing pitcher work because he has a great eye for the zone and protects the plate with two strikes exceptionally well. In addition to making him a base runner more often than it seems through his walks, that kind of at bat wears a pitcher down both mentally and physically so that the other guys who may hit the ball harder are more apt to take advantage of subsequent mistakes and do their damage.
I can’t remember a time when the Cubs valued this kind of contribution but this year they have a couple of guys doing it, with Happ being the other. It doesn’t make for gaudy stats but it definitely contributes to winning ball games. I do believe that’s why Tauchman has garnered so much playing time.
Arizona Phil 04/19/2024 - 04:43 pm (view)

Miles Mastrobuoni cannot be recalled until he has spent at least ten days on optional assignment, unless he is recalled to replace a position player who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, Bereavement / Family Medical).

And for a pitcher it's 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled, unless he is replacing a pitcher who is placed on an MLB inactive list (IL, Paternity, or Bereavement / Family Medical).

And a pitcher (or a position player, but almost always it's a pitcher) can be recalled as the 27th man for a doubleheader regardless of how many days he has been on optional assignment, but then he must be sent back down again the next day.

That's why the Cubs had to wait as long as they did to send Jose Cuas down and recall Keegan Thompson. Thompson needed to spend the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he could be recalled (and he spent EXACTLY the first 15 days of the MLB regular season on optional assignment before he was recalled).
Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:51 am (view)

Indeed they do TJW!
For the record I’m not in favor of solely building a team through paying big to free agents. But I’m also of the mind that when you develop really good players, get them signed to extensions that buy out a couple years of free agency, including with team options. And supplement the home grown players with free agent splashes or using excess prospects to trade for stars under team control for a few years. Sort of what Atlanta does, basically. Everyone talks about the dodgers but I feel that Atlanta is the peak organization at the current moment.
That said, the constant roster churn is very Rays- ish. What they do is incredible, but it’s extremely hard to do which is why they’re the only ones frequently successful that employ that strategy. I definitely do not want to see a large market team like ours follow that model closely. But I don’t think free agent frenzies is always the answer. It’s really only the Dodgers that play in that realm. I could see an argument for the Mets too. The Yankees don’t really operate like that anymore since the elder Steinbrenner passed. Though I would say the reigning champions built a good deal of that team through free agent spending.
Childersb3 04/19/2024 - 04:45 am (view)

The issue is the Cubs are 11-7 and have been on the road for 12 of those 18. We should be at least 13-5, maybe 14-4. Jed isn't feeling any pressure to play anyone he doesn't see fit.
But Canario on the bench, Morel not at 3B for Madrigal and Wisdom in RF wasn't what I thought would happen in this series.
I was hoping for Morel at 3B, Canario in RF, Wisdom at DH and Madrigal as a pinch hitter or late replacement.
Maybe Madrigal starts 1 game against the three LHSP for Miami.
I'm thinking Canario goes back to Iowa on Sunday night for Mastrobuoni after the Miami LHers are gone.
Canario needs ABs in Iowa and not bench time in MLB.
With Seiya out for a while Wisdom is safe unless his SOs are just overwhelmingly bad.

My real issue with the lineup isn't Madrigal. I'm not a fan, but I've given up on that one.
It's Tauchman getting a large number of ABs as the de factor DH and everyday player.
I didn't realize that was going to be the case.
We need a better LH DH. PCA or ONKC need to force the issue in about a month.
But, even if they do so, Jed doesn't have to change anything if the Cubs stay a few over .500!!!
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:21 am (view)

Totally depends on the team and the player involved. If your team’s philosophy is to pay huge dollars to bet on the future performance of past stars in order to win championships then, yes, all of the factors you mentioned are important.
If on the other hand, if the team’s primary focus is to identify and develop future stars in an effort to win a championship, and you’re a young player looking to establish yourself as a star, that’s a fit too. Otherwise your buried within your own organization.
Your comment about bringing up Canario for the purposes of sitting him illustrates perfectly the dangers of rewarding a non-performing, highly paid player over a hungry young prospect, like Canario, who is perpetually without a roster spot except as an insurance call up, but too good to trade. Totally disincentivizing the performance of the prospect and likely diminishing it.

Sticking it to your prospects and providing lousy baseball to your fans, the consumers and source of revenue for your sport, solely so that the next free agent gamble finds your team to be a comfortable landing spot even if he sucks? I suppose that makes sense to some teams but it’s definitely not the way I want to see my team run.
Once again, DJL, our differences in philosophy emerge!
Dolorous Jon Lester 04/19/2024 - 04:57 am (view)

That’s just kinda how it works though, for every team. No team plays their best guys all the time. No team is comprising of their best 26 even removing injuries.
When baseball became a business, like REALLY a business, it became important to keep some of the vets happy, which in turn keeps agents happy and keeps the team with a good reputation among players and agents. No one wants to play for a team that has a bad reputation in the same way no one wants to work for a company that has a bad rep.
Don’t get me wrong, I hate it too. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
On that topic, I find it silly the Cubs brought up Canario to sit as much as he has. He’s going to get Velazquez’d, and it’s a shame.
TarzanJoeWallis 04/19/2024 - 04:46 am (view)

Of course, McKinstry runs circles around $25 million man Javier Baez on that Tigers team. Guess who gets more playing time?
But I digress…
Sonicwind75 04/19/2024 - 04:00 am (view)

Seems like Jed was trying to corner the market on mediocre infielders with last names starting with "M" in acquiring Madrigal, Mastroboney and Zach McKinstry.

At least he hasn't given any of them a Bote-esque extension.
Childersb3 04/19/2024 - 04:42 am (view)

AZ Phil:
Rookie ball (ACL) starts on May 4th. Do yo think Ramon and Rosario (maybe Delgado) stay in Mesa for the month of May, then go to MB if all goes "solid"?
crunch 04/18/2024 - 04:08 pm (view)

masterboney is a luxury on a team that has multiple, capable options for 2nd, SS, and 3rd without him around. i don't hate the guy, but if madrigal is sticking around then masterboney is expendable.