Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

37 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (three slots are open)

Last updated 11-17-2023
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 20
Adbert Alzolay 
Michael Arias
Javier Assad
Ben Brown
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
Porter Hodge
* Bailey Horn
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Daniel Palencia
Michael Rucker
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
Keegan Thompson
Hayden Wesneski 
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

INFIELDERS: 8
Nico Hoerner
Nick Madrigal
* Miles Mastrobuoni
* Matt Mervis
Christopher Morel
Dansby Swanson
Luis Vazquez
Patrick Wisdom

OUTFIELDERS: 7
Kevin Alcantara
Alexander Canario
* Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brennen Davis
# Ian Happ
Seiya Suzuki
* Mike Tauchman

 



Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

Game 3 NLDS / Cubs @ Dodgers

 


Rich Harden vs.
Hiroki Kuroda
  *5-1, 1.77, 89 K, 30 BB, 71 IP
2008   9-10, 3.73, 116 K, 42 BB, 183.1 IP
  1-2, 6.43, 5 K, 7 BB, 7 IP
Post   (None)
  *NL stats only
     
         
LF
Alfonso Soriano
  SS
#Rafael Furcal
2B
*Mike Fontenot   C
Russell Martin
1B
Derrek Lee
  LF
Manny Ramirez
3B
Aramis Ramirez
  RF
Andre Ethier
C
Geovany Soto
  1B
*James Loney
CF
*Jim Edmonds
  CF
Matt Kemp
RF
Mark DeRosa
  2B
*Blake DeWitt
SS
Ryan Theriot
  3B
Casey Blake
P
*Rich Harden
  P Hiroki Kuroda

 

Our very own Rob G. will be in the stands at tonight's game. Be sure to look for him on the broadcast.

Thoughts on Hiroki Kuroda from "Blue Notes," the L.A. Times blog about the Dodgers:

...when the Japanese import is on, dude typically gets into a serious, sometimes unhittable groove. But he's often the Bizarro-version of that pitcher after the first bit of trouble, more often than not tossing himself further into trouble than figuring a way out of it.

In two starts against the Cubs this year, Kuroda has pitched 15 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run. In other words, we really haven't come across that "first bit of trouble" part.

In his last two regular season starts, against the Brewers and the Mets, Harden walked 11 men in 11 innings.

Rich—we've already tried the walking-lots-of-guys thing in this series and it just doesn't seem to work for us.

The Dodgers are one victory away from reaching the NLCS for the first time in 20 years, which is also how long it has been since they played in a World Series.

Twenty years without a World Series—how pathetic is that?!

Comments

I'm still always shocked when anyone could possibly be surprised by Soriano sucking at the worst times. This is who he is, a guy who gets on these streaks which cause people to label him a great hitter followed by horrible hitting and his streaks and horrible hitting have no real predicability. The only two of our guys I'd trust to hit consistently are Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez. Soto is good but he's still a rookie and bound to slump. DeRosa is a streaky hitter. Edmonds had an amazing June, a decent July and then eh and less. Reed isn't very good. Theriot for all his hitting simply was due for a slump and probably can't maintain an AVG over .300. To me our run differential this year was a mirage. We simply don't have that great of a lineup.

Trans sucks for missing this. If the Cubs lose this game, it is more definitely the fault of the one and only Transmission.

It is symbolic Soriano made the last out with a swinging K in the dirt. Season over... Man, after an outstanding regular season, this season has turned into just another major disappointment of a season. I was actually really confident in this team heading into the NLDS vs the LAD. I would never imagined they would have pulled another choke like last year and get swept. This is going to be another LOOONNNNGGGGG offseason. I wonder how much of this team they are going to blow up... I guess that is for another day. UGH!!

Soriano, Ramirez, Edmonds - hot hot hot! Thanks, fellas, for your veteran leadership in this series. Veteran playoff experience - SMELL IT! Smells like ass.

I hope Manny Ramirez goes completely bald during the offseason and nobody wants to pay him to play baseball with out the dreads. Asshole. What the Hell, Cubs.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs!!! Well that sucked. Thanks for the good times in Parachat everyone. We'll see you next year.

[ ]

In reply to by Jordan

Well, now, I'm 37, and I've been a fan since I was about 4, so that's only 34 possible times in a row for me. Should you really count the years before the age of reason? No; so down to 30. And really, for most of that time they were just brain-numbingly bad. They only descended to heart-rippingly bad what, seven times (1984, 1989, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008). Seven times they viciously and profanely mocked God, probability, the functioning of the universe, all concepts of competence and confidence, and the pure and loyal fandom of millions, including me. That's all.

You do not blow up this team. The only way you can win it all is to keep making it to the postseason and like it or not, this team is built to get there. And most likely, this team will be in the playoffs again come 2009.

[ ]

In reply to by mannytrillo

If your going to target someone on the Mets it should be Beltran. Reyes is almost like a carbon copy of Soriano, a hacker type lead-off guy. I would also shop Aram and if some wants to pay a top dollar price (3 good players) I would deal him. If you look at the state of NL Central for next year, the Brewers are going to losing Sabathia and Sheets for sure and likely Hardy. It is in the relm of possibilty that they give up on 09 and trade Prince in an effort to build a strong core for the first half of the next decade. The Cards were propped up by guys with career years and odds are they wont be as good as they were this year. Houston has alot of holes and payroll inflexibilty, the Reds have talent but are handicapped with a bad manager, and Pittsburgh is Pittsburgh. Jimbo needs to concentrate on bulding the best team for October as possible as 87 wins is all that it will take to win the division.

Yeah, don’t let them say that it’s just a game. Well, I’ve seen other teams, and it is never the same. When you go to Chicago, you’re blessed and you’re healed, The first time you walk into Wrigley Field. Heroes with pinstripes and heroes in blue, Give us the chance to feel like heroes do. Whether we’ll win and if we should lose, We know someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way. We are one with the Cubs, With the Cubs we’re in love. Hold our heads tall as the underdogs. We are not fairweather, but farweather fans. Like brothers in arms, in the streets and the stands. There’s magic in the ivy and the old scoreboard. The same one I stared at as a kid keeping score. In a world full of greed, we could never want more. And someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way. Well, someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way. And here’s to the men and the legends we’ve known. Giving us faith and giving us hope. United we stand, and united we’ll fall, Down to our knees the day we win it all. Yeah Ernie Banks said, “Oh, let’s play two!” I think he meant two hundred years. Playing at Wrigley, our diamond, our jewel. The home of our joy and our fears. Keeping traditions, and wishes anew, The place where our grandfathers’ fathers they grew. The spiritual feeling if I ever knew. And when the day comes for that last winning run, And I’m crying and covered with beer. I look to the sky and know I was right today. Someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way. Yeah, someday we’ll go all the way.

Pretty simple post-game analysis: the better team won. The Dodgers pitched the Cubs on the outside corner all series, and the Cubs never figured that out. For all the talk of "handed-ness" -- the Cubs need some lefty bats. LA pitchers threw the exact same pitches to Soriano, Lee, Rammy and Soto -- not a single HR from that group. Time for the annual soul-searching: 6+ months of time and emotion invested in something I have no control over, and the team I put my hopes in plays scared when it counts. Maybe it's time to take a year off. Only the 2nd time the team with the best record got swept in the first round. In-freakin'-credible.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Lee also had 5 LOB. Only 1 less than Soriano so all those balls he crushed made little difference when it mattered. I think Cubs fans are turning on him a bit because everything he does seems like it's in slow motion and listless. Rightly or wrongly, he just hasn't been the same player since that collision at home plate in May of '07. There is almost no lift to his swing at all anymore.

[ ]

In reply to by billybucks

even more unbelievable is that in the 10 games this season against the Dodgers, the Cubs saw exactly 0 pitches from left-handers. Yep, no lefty starters or relievers the entire season. Also, for all the Soriano hate, and he does deserve his share, Aramis was just as bad. In fact both Soriano and Ramirez combined to go 5-51 in the 07 and 08 NLDS series. Not hard to figure out why they tanked the last two post-seasons. I'm surprised not to hear more static about Lou resting the regulars too much over the last 10 or so days. I'm not saying that it was the cause of sucktitude, just surprised it hasn't been brought up more. and I still think it was a poor decision not to start Lilly in game 3 over Harden. Lilly was the hottest SP down the stretch and he never had to take off his jacket this series.

I'm sorry, but this is a fucking disgrace and one of the biggest choke jobs in recent history. All I know is what I watched the last 3 games wasn't baseball. Maybe there's something to the fact we clinched early and rested everyone too much down the stretch? I really don't know. What I'm left to wonder is if this 97 win team can't win a playoff series moreless a playoff game, then what will it take from the Cubs to win a WS?

Maye the Red Sox will sweep the Angels, and we won't be the only best-record team to get swept. If they make the playoffs next year, the playoff roster should be built assuming Soriano will contribute nothing.

Yeah, but the Angels are going to lose to the defending champs and still a great team. We lose to a team that was under .500 as recent as 40 days ago...

[ ]

In reply to by Vegas Brian

true but the Angels are going to lose to a broken down defending champion. Ace Beckett's start pushed back. Drew and Lowell with major back and hip injuries respectively. ManRam gone. Ortiz is a shell of his normal self, and for all he sucks, Lugo is still supposed to be the starting SS. So if there is a shred of pride left, if the Angels get swept, they will be a bigger disappointment imo.

Lou doesn't seemed as pissed as I thought he would in his postgame press conference. He did keep saying how they have scored only 12 runs in his 6 playoff games over the past 2 years.

[ ]

In reply to by Chifan

well it ain't gonna happen as his contract was extended right before the series. ouch. But I completely agree that Lou doesn't get the playoffs AT ALL. He also displayed my biggest Dusty Baker pet peeve: a perplexing inability to accept criticism or responsibility. He actually seemed to acting like an observer of the team more than a multi-million dollar employee charged with the job of making decisions to put the team in the best position to succeed. Listen to Torre and then Listen to Lou . . . Torre talks sense, humility, doesn't take anything for granted and has respect for the importance of every moment that could sway momentum from his ballclub. But you are damn right Chifan:Lou was a major contributer to the Playoff collapses the last two years. MAJOR

[ ]

In reply to by superjimmer

Yeah whats 8 or 10 million to Cuban. When the Mavs choked in the playoffs he fired Nelson because he knew "Nelly ball" did not work in the playoffs. He installs AJ who is more defensive minded and they go to the Finals were they would have won if they were able to touch Wade without a ticky-tact fouls being called. Hopefully if Cuban gets the team I hope he sees that Lou is baseball's answer to Don Nelson and Doug Collins.

Soriano's post-game comments were exactly as you'd expect. Took no personal responsibility whatsoever. "WE no play good enough". "WE gotta play better". We, We, We...

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

I didn't say anything racist. Those were Soriano's exact quotes to WMVP and I was focusing on his inability to accept some responsibly. So get your facts straight before calling someone racist you smarmy d-bag. Had he said - I sucked - or something to that affect, no one would have accused him of not being a team player. That is ridiculous logic.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

"We have a very good team for a long season, but we're not ready for three games," he said. "We didn't do nothing for three games. We're a very good team for 161 games, but we don't do nothing after that. That's the difference. We're not put together for (a short series)."

guess it wasn't an exact quote, but it reads as pretty broken English...

[ ]

In reply to by carlosrubi

actually he DID say that. You're referencing comments he made to TBS or those to ESPN TV. I'm talking about the short interview he did with the local reporter on WMVP right after the game and YES that's exactly what he said. Clearly you guys didn't hear them so I don't know why you feel the need to comment on something you didn't even hear but like I said I wasn't focusing on his improper grammar, I was referencing his inability to take some responsibility for his sucktitute. and to Crunch's point, it probably doesn't matter what an athlete says in the end, but for a player who has long had a reputation for being selfish it wouldn't hurt. That's why everyone loves guys like DeRosa and Wood. When they suck, they say they suck.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

i cant believe anyone cares what anyone says in a postgame conference about anything. the game is played and unfolded on the field and there's too many managers, players, and coaches who couldn't care less what a reporter gets out of their comments if they bother to give them any worth using anyway. this is baseball, not a fashion show or public relations campaign. i don't need to be told how they "feel" about losing or any of that crap...

[ ]

In reply to by dB

yeah, but that's not what im keeping track of or care about. it was 1/2 past crazy watching people pick apart dustbag's every comment as if it meant a damn thing. ...now we get soriano's comments and after 2 seasons of lou, it's starting for him. the amount of crap said by lou that would have blown up beyond belief if it was dustbag is already high, but ignored while winning. it sure as hell don't need to start now. about the only thing i've ever gotten outta these conferences worth a damn is why player A played over player B...explainations of injuries and day-to-day soreness that causes game situations to unfold. a crying jim leyland does nothing for me...i could really care less how much he cares. a nomar post-game interview...you could get more info from a clubhouse attendant...its all soundbites.

What kind of team is not on the bench cheering their teammates on when they are at bat in the playoffs FOR EXAMPLE: when they showed the dugout after derrick Lees hit in the 8th only a few coaches were in the dugout... THAT SAYS IT ALL and thats how this team played... no emotion no heart no desire.. No matter what kind of CUB FAN you are there is no defense for this team not being on the field firing up there teammates from the dugout when they are at bat in the playoffs NONE... that alone shows you the heart of this team... Watching the game from the locker room while your teammates are supposedly trying their best to get a hit in the playoffs is inexcusable...DEFEND THAT LOU and the Media blamed the cubs fans for not supporting them during the first home game when the CUBS themselves are not in the dugout supporting their teammates in game 3... I dont want to hear anything from any cub after seeing that

I've seen the Cubs play without any heart or desire, and I certainly didn't see that in this team. I saw a team that crumbled under the weight of high expectations. This is a team that was not only expected to sail through the playoffs, it was supposed to be the answer to a franchise's and a city's century long nightmare. The players were clearly pressing, and they choked. Instead of playing like a team that could win every game, they played like a team that thought they needed to be perfect in every game. When they weren't up to that impossible task of perfection, they collapsed. I'm not sure how to fix that problem, but I do know its not going to be as simple as blaming or replacing one person.

[ ]

In reply to by Bleeding Blue

Well, Pinead would be the person to blame for the team not being mentally prepared for the playoffs. He showed that he was waffling like a 13 year old at his first school dance with the Fukudome nonsense. Cost us a run last night with that wonderful DeRosa to the Fontenaught relay, and gave them a free double later, not to mention benching the guy who probalby has had the most success against Kuroda. I think the number one problem with the offense was Soriano and the #2 hole. When your #3 hitter goes off for .545 .583 .818 in the series, he should probably have 1 RBI.

[ ]

In reply to by big_lowitzki

Lee ranked 16th of 24 batting title qualified 1st basemen in RC/27 outs - about half as productive as Pujols. In 2005 when he earned that big contract he ranked 1st. Cubs #3 hitters, ranked 11th in OPS. I like Lee and he had a good series, but he's becoming a comparitive weakness for the Cubs. He needs to get in the gym, he's too old to rely on natural ability any longer.

[ ]

In reply to by The Real Neal

Is getting to the gym going to solve the problem? I don't think so. I think he's getting older and his wrist will never be the same (his real problem). If he continues at .291 .361 .462, he can't bat 3rd. This sounds crazy, but think about this: Get Texieria and put him in left. Soriano goes to right. We'll suffer in the defense department but the offense would be unreal Soriano Derosa Texieria Aram DLee Soto Pie Theriot

[ ]

In reply to by Iowa Cub

Reminds me of when I was advocating getting Delgado and putting Lee in left. I would guess you leave Soriano in left where he gets more chances to use his speed and his accurate but not really strong arm, and put Texiera in right where he's a little more used to the 'angle of the ball' and doesn't have to run quite as much. That being said... Fukudome plays right field and we may have won Saturday's game. Defense has a synergistic effect with pitching - a good defense can make your pitchers throw more strikes - see 2004 to 2006 Cardinals for reference. We also need somewhere for Aram and/or Soriano to play in a couple of years, so I am not sure handing that spot to Texiera is a great plan.

Recent comments

  • Cubster (view)

    I blame Jason Schmidt’s 3/44

  • Craig A. (view)

    Was all that stuff with the Blue Jays just to squeeze an extra $10 million/yr out of the Dodgers?  It's more than enough to cover his California income taxes!

  • crunch (view)

    unless he pitches into his late-30 that is gonna sting.  a 70m DH...ow.

    it's great to take care of 2 roster spots in 1 player, and i'm sure the team will cut into the pay with the amount of merch/etc he can sell just by being attached to the team....but yeah, i'm not mad the cubs didn't go that extreme.

  • WebAdmin (view)

    Shohei Ohtani to join Dodgers according to ESPN. 10 years for $700 m
  • Cubster (view)

    I'm getting the feeling that Todd Walker might be a Shaw comp. A valuable hit first player but limited albeit not awful on defense. Hopefully, he has more upside. Not a bad floor if Steve Garvey is his ceiling.

  • Wrigley Rat (view)

    AZ Phil - If that's the level of return, I would want NO part of that trade to Cleveland for Clase and Bieber. I have some faith that the Cubs have a strong plan for which prospects they will keep (even if they dangle them in trade talks) and which they will move, because they have plenty of solid prospects they can trade but they shouldn't be trading any of the ones they hope will be future core players. Some guys are redundant, so I hope they choose the right players to keep and the right players to move. It's always important for a team to know its own minor league players better than scouts from other teams (obviously), but I don't think that's always been the case for the Cubs and many other clubs. 

    Cubster - I watched an interview with Carter Hawkins a couple days ago where he said that although Morel hasn't gotten into any Dominican games at 1B, the Cubs did send coaches down with Morel to work on first base skills during practice. So he is developing those skills, whether the Cubs end up using him there or not will probably be dependent on a lot of factors including how those coaches think he looks at the position while training. 

  • tim815 (view)

    He could still play SS at Double-A, but Vazquez, Hoerner, and Swanson are much better defensively, arm strength or not. I'd be good leaving Shaw at SS with McGeary and Ballesteros around, but by the first of June (?), 1B might make sense in DM.

  • crunch (view)

    i have no reason to see a problem, it just seems like it's his most obvious reason to give pause on him at 1st.

    the cubs situation dictates 2nd/SS isn't an option.  his arm dictates 3rd isn't an option.  1st or CF seems to be his best path and he's only played CF in summer ball back in highschool/college...and of course PCA is a better + closer to the bigs CF.

    it's a lot safer to say he's made for 1st than it is he's made for 3rd.  even as a SS his arm is weak, and it's not like his glove is so great he needs to stay in the middle-IF.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CRUNCH: Steve Garvey (one of Shaw's comps as a hitter) was a 5'10 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Jeff Bagwell (another Shaw comp) was a 6'0 right-handed throwing first-baseman with a rag arm. Carlos Santana (who played 1B for Counsell in Milwaukee last season and is an above-average defensive first-baseman) is 5'11. It's not like Shaw is 5'7 or 5'8. I don't really see the problem. 

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    CUBSTER: It's not that Matt Shaw can't play SS (or 2B). Shaw was a SS his last two years in college at Maryland and apparently was OK defensively. It's just that there are certain throws a big league SS has to make (the backhand / flat-foot throw from deep in the 5.5 hole and the leap & change direction throw after fielding a ball up the middle after ranging to his left) that you might not see every game. So while he might appear to be passable at SS, over time the below-average arm at SS will catch up with the player and cost the team runs. 

    Shaw is a good fielder so he could play SS (like Ryan Theriot did) and you would just live with the below-average arm strength that would rear its ugly head every now & again, because he is a plus-plus hitter. But the Cubs have Dansby Swanson locked-in at SS through 2029, so Shaw won't be playing there even if he were to improve his arm strength and remake his throwing mechanics.  

    As far as second-base is concerned, that would seem to be Shaw's best position, because the position requires a plus-glove but not a plus-arm. Nico Hoerner is presently the Cubs' 2B and is signed through 2026 (although he does NOT have "no trade" rights, so he could be traded at any time). So Shaw could move to 2B in 2027 after Hoerner's contract expires (presuming Hoerner does not sign another extension in the meantime), or the Cubs could preemptively trade Hoerner at some point prior to the conclusion of the 2026 season and install Shaw at 2B before 2027. 

    The thing is, the Cubs have three other prospects who also project as second-basemen, including Top 10 prospect James Triantos, Top 10 prospect Jefferson Rojas, and Top 30 prospect Pedro Ramirez. So while Shaw could very well eventually be the Cubs second-baseman, there are other legit candidates who could eventually take-over the position after Hoerner departs. But for second-base to open up before 2027, Hoerner has to be traded.  

    As far as third-base is concerned, the Cubs already have a Top 15 prospect (B. J. Murray) who plays 3B and plays it well, and he should be considered the Cubs third-baseman of the future (possibly as soon as sometime during the 2024 season). Also, I don't think that Christopher Morel has the "touch" required to play 3B (he is an athletic and rangy player who plays like the proverbial "Bull in a China Shop" or like a point guard who plays too fast and turns the ball over too much), while Shaw simply does not appear to have the arm strength required to play 3B. It is true that Nick Madrigal has made himself into an above-average defensive-third baseman, but I would not be too quick to generalize and say that because Madrigal did it, that anybody can do it. Also, 3B requires different perception, reaction, and tracking skills than does SS and 2B (which is why a lot of catchers can often play 3B fairly well), so not all middle infielders can play 3B well-enough to be an MLB-regular at the position. 

    The one position that is wide-open on the Chicago Cubs going forward is 1st base. Matt Shaw is a plus-fielder with a below-average arm but with a plus-plus bat, so he could be a fit at 1st base. Sort of like Padres first-baseman Jake Cronenworth, but Shaw has a higher ceiling as a hitter. If the Cubs were to move Shaw to 1st base in Spring Training 2024 and presuming he is able to play the position without difficulty, he could be in Chicago by the end of the 2024 season. I understand why the Cubs might think about Christopher Morel as a possible first-baseman because they want to get his power into the lineup any way they can, but Morel's two best attributes are HR power and raw arm strength. He is a rangy infielder (not needed at 1st base) with a plus-arm (also not needed at 1st base), but he also doesn't have the "flyhawk" skills needed to play CF. Morel's best position would be LF, but Ian Happ is firmly ensconced there (with a full "no trade") through 2026, which makes Morel a prime trade chip to be used to acquire pitching (or maybe a catcher).  

    As far as Matt Chapman is concerned, I would hope the Cubs don't sign him. It's not just losing the draft pick (Chapman got a QO from the Jays) or that he blocks B. J. Murray long-term, because that wouldn't matter if Chapman is still the hitter he was earlier in his career. But after a red-hot April last year he fell off the table at the plate the last five months. Granted he is a Gold Glove-quality defender at 3B, but you're essentially getting Patrick Wisdom offensively, and so he is not worth the financial investment (money & years) and losing a draft pick on top of it if you sign him. 

    If the Cubs don't sign Ohtani, Yakamoto, or Bellinger (and I am becoming increasingly pessimistic that they can), I would hope that they will sign position player free agents only to one year deals (with maybe a second year option) that can be easily moved at the Trade Deadline, and then get ready to unleash the youth (PCA, Shaw, Caissie, Ballesteros, Murray, et al) in 2025 (or perhaps even over the last two months of the 2024 season, if the Cubs are not in contention). 

    As for possible free agents the Cubs might target, Brandon Belt and Carlos Santana (who played for Craig Counsell in Milwaukee last season) would provide some LH power at 1B & DH (Santana is an above-average defensive first-baseman, and Belt still hits RHP very well).  

    I can see the Cubs maybe acquiring a pitcher like Tyler Glasnow in a trade and then signing him to an extension (Glasnow has the same agency representation as Kyle Hendricks, so an extension should be possible), which would not be the case with Corbin Burnes or Dylan Cease (both are Boras clients).   

    I think in part because of the Carter Hawkins connection with Cleveland, even more-likely than a trade for Glasnow might be a trade for SP Shane Bieber (a post-2024 FA but as a Rosenhaus client he should be open to signing an extension) and closer Emmanuel Clase (signed through 2026 with club options both in 2027 and 2028). The Guardians need power hitters and the Cubs have Christopher Morel, although Morel would not be anywhere near enough to get both Bieber and Clase (or to get Glasnow if the trade is with the Rays). If the trade is with Cleveland for Bieber and Clase, the Cubs would probably have to give up some combination of Christopher Morel, Owen Caissie, Moises Ballestereos, Kevin Alcantara, Jefferson Rojas, and/or James Triantos (probably three from that group), one Top 10 pitching prospect like Ben Brown or Jackson Ferris, and an MLB-ready reliever with closer potential like Daniel Palencia or Luke Little.