Cubs MLB Roster

Cubs Organizational Depth Chart
40-Man Roster Info

40 players are on the MLB RESERVE LIST (roster is full) 

28 players on MLB RESERVE LIST are ACTIVE, and twelve players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT to minors. 

Last updated 3-26-2024
 
* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 15
Yency Almonte
Adbert Alzolay 
Javier Assad
Jose Cuas
Kyle Hendricks
* Shota Imanaga
Caleb Kilian
Mark Leiter Jr
* Luke Little
Julian Merryweather
Hector Neris 
* Drew Smyly
* Justin Steele
Jameson Taillon
* Jordan Wicks

CATCHERS: 2
Miguel Amaya
Yan Gomes

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

OUTFIELDERS: 4
* Cody Bellinger 
Alexander Canario
# 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 

 



 

Minor League Rosters
Rule 5 Draft 
Minor League Free-Agents

2017 MLB Post-Season Roster Eligibility & Draft-Excluded Player Rules

Roster moves made by MLB clubs in August are sometimes made with an eye toward post-season roster eligibility and off-season roster flexibility. 

With that in mind, here are the 2017 MLB post-season roster eligibility and Draft-Excluded player rules: 

MLB RULE 40 POST-SEASON ROSTER ELIGIBILITY RULES


A club's Post-Season Eligibility List is established at midnight (Eastern) on August 31st.  

A club's Active List (25-man roster) must be submitted to the MLB Commissioner prior to the start of the first game of each post-season series (Wild Card game, LDS, LCS, and World Series). 

A club's Active List can be changed (tweaked) prior to the start of the first game of each series (WC, LDS, LCS, and WS)

1. A player who received a suspension for violation of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program (player tested positive for a prohibited substance) prior to the start of Spring Training, during Spring Training, during the regular season, or during a post-season series (Wild Card, LDS, LCS, or World Series), is ineligible to play in any MLB or minor league post-season game(s) or series in that season, even if the player has completed serving the suspension. 

2. Any player on the Disqualified List, Ineligible List, Voluntary Retired List, or Restricted List as of midnight (Eastern) on August 31st or who is placed on the Disqualified List, Ineligible List, Voluntary Retired List, or Restricted List anytime after midnight (Eastern) on August 31st is ineligible to be included on a Post-Season Eligibility List that season. 

3. All other players on a club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), MLB 60-day DL, and Military List prior to midnight (Eastern) on August 31st are automatically placed on a club's Post-Season Eligibility List and are eligible to be included on a post-season series Active List (25-man roster), but a player on an MLB 60-day DL who otherwise would be eligible to be included on a Post-Season Eligibility List is NOT eligible to be included until the player has spent at least 60 days on the DL, and a player on the MLB 60-day DL is NOT eligible to play in a post-season series until the player has spent at least 60 days on the DL AND the player has been reinstated from the 60-day DL.  

CUBS 2017 POST-SEASON ELIGIBILITY LIST

35 players  (updated 9-13-2017)

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS: 19
Jake Arrieta
Eddie Butler
Wade Davis
* Brian Duensing
Carl Edwards Jr
Justin Grimm
Kyle Hendricks
John Lackey
* Jon Lester
Alec Mills 
* Mike Montgomery
Felix Pena
* Jose Quintana
Hector Rondon
Pedro Strop
Koji Uehara
Duane Underwood Jr
* Justin Wilson
* Rob Zastryzny

CATCHERS
: 4
* Alex Avila
# Victor Caratini
Willson Contreras
Rene Rivera

INFIELDERS: 7
Javy Baez
Kris Bryant
# Ian Happ
* Tommy LaStella
* Anthony Rizzo
Addison Russell
# Ben Zobrist

OUTFIELDERS: 5
Albert Almora Jr
* Jason Heyward
* Jon Jay
* Kyle Schwarber
Mark Zagunis

NOTE: C-1B Taylor Davis, IF-OF Mike Freeman, RHP Dillon Maples, OF Leonys Martin, and RHP Jen-Ho Tseng were added to the Cubs MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) after August 31st, so they are not eligible to be included on the Cubs 2017 Post-Season Eligibility List unless the player replaces one of the 35 players on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List who is disabled due to injury or illness. 

4. A player on a Post-Season Eligibility List at midnight (Eastern) on August 31st must remain on his club's MLB Reserve List, MLB 60-day DL, and/or Military List continuously throughout the remainder of the MLB regular season and post-season in order to be automatically included on his club's Post-Season Eligibility List. If a player is sent outright to the minors after midnight (Eastern) on August 31st, he is no longer automatically eligible to be included on a Post-Season Eligibility List.  

5. A "26th man" (must be a catcher) may (with approval of the MLB Conmissioner) be listed on a club's Active List for the LDS, LCS, or World Series as a replacement for a catcher who is suffering from an acute concussion. The catcher who suffered the concussion would be eligible to return to his club's Active List after seven days (even if it is prior to the conclusion of the series) at which point the "26th man" would be deactivated.     

6. A post-season eligible player who is placed on the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List or on the Paternity List during a post-season series can (with approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced by another player on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List (a pitcher must replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player, but it is not necessary for a catcher to replace a catcher, an infielder to replace and infielder, or an outfielder to replace an outfielder), as long as the absent player is reinstated after no more than seven days (for a player on the Beareavement/Family Medical Emergency List) or after no more than three days (for a player on the Paternity List). If the series ends before the player is reinstated, he will automatically be reinstated prior to the next series, even if he has not returned to his club. NOTE: The absent player is not eligible to be replaced during a series if the player is a pitcher who has started a game in the series unless he has not pitched in a game for at least three days. 

7. An injured post-season eligible player can (with the approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced on his club's Post-Season Eligibility List by a player (regardless of position) who was on an Active List, Reserve List, 60-day DL, or Military List of a minor league affiliate from that organization prior to midnight (Eastern) on August 31st, or by a player who was on the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), MLB 60-day DL, or Military List prior to midnight (Eastern) on August 31st but who was subsequently sent outright to the minors. (In the case of a player who is sent outright to the minors after August 31st, the player must remain on a Reserve List of a minor league affiliate from that organization continuously throughout the remainder of the MLB regular season and post-season in order to be eligible to replace an injured post-season eligible player).   

8. A minor league player who replaces an injured player on the Post-Season Eligibility List must have his contract selected and be placed on the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) before he can be placed on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List. If the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) is full, a player must be removed (traded, released, or sent outright to the minors) from the club's MLB Reserve List to make room for the replacement player. NOTE: A player cannot be placed on the MLB 60-day DL after the conclusion of the MLB regular season, so placing an injured player on the MLB 60-day DL during the post-season to make room on the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) for a post-season minor league replacement player is not an option. 

9. A post-season eligible player who is injured during a post-season series (LDS, LCS, or World Series) can (with the approval of the MLB Commissioner) be replaced during the series by another player on the club's Post-Season Eligibility List, or by a player who was on an Active List, Reserve List, 60-day DL, or Military List of a minor league affiliate from that organization prior to midnight (Eastern) on August 31st, or by a player who was on the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), MLB 60-day DL, or Military List prior to midnight (Eastern) on August 31st but who was subsequently sent outright to the minors. (In the case of a player who is sent outright to the minors after August 31st, the player must remain on a Reserve List of a minor league affiliate from that organization continuously throughout the remainder of the MLB regular season and post-season in order to be eligible to replace an injured post-season eligible player). An injured player replaced during a post-season series is ineligible to be reinstated to his club's Active List (25-man roster) for the balance of that series and the next series (LCS or World Series). Also, a pitcher must replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player. However, it is NOT necessary for a catcher to replace a catcher, an infielder to replace an infielder, or an outfielder to replace an outfielder. NOTE: If the injured player suffered an acute concussion, the injured player is eligible to be reinstated to his club's Active List after seven days even if the next post-season series is still in progress.   



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



MLB RULE 6  DRAFT -EXCLUDED PLAYER RULES


A "Draft-Excluded Player" is any minor league player who has accrued less than three years of MLB Service Time and who is eligible for selection in the MLB Rule 5 Draft, whose contract is selected, and who is added to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) between August 15th and the Rule 5 Draft.

1. A Draft-Excluded Player can be non-tendered on 12/2, released, or traded at any time, but he cannot be sent to the minors by Optional Assignment beginning with the conclusion of the MLB regular season up until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day.

2. A Draft-Excluded Player can be sent outright to the minors only if Outright Assignment Waivers are requested no later than 2 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the final game of the World Series, and if a Draft-Excluded Player is not outrighted to the minors prior to the Rule 5 Draft, the player cannot be Designated for Assignment or sent outright to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to the start of the MLB regular season.

CUBS MLB RULE 6 DRAFT-EXCLUIDED PLAYERS  (last updated 9-13-2017)
Taylor Davis, C-1B 
Mike Freeman, IF-OF 
Dillon Maples, RHP 
Jen-Ho Tseng, RHP 

Comments

One thing to keep in mind about post-season roster eligibility is that if a player is replaced during a post-season series as the result of an injury or bereavment, family medical emergency, or paternity leave, a pitcher must replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player (although a catcher does bot have to replace a catcher, an infielder does not have to replace a infieldler, and an outfielder does not have to replace an outfielder), but there is no restriction on position if a player who was in the MLB club's minor league system (but not on the MLB 40-man roster) replaces an injured player between series. NOTE: If a minor league player (a player not on the MLB club's 40-man roster, but a player who was on a minor league affiliate's reserve list as of midnight August 31st) is added to a post-season series roster, the player must first be added to the club's MLB 40-man roster, and if the 40-man roster is full, the roster slot cannot be opened by placing a player on the 60-day DL; rather, another player on the MLB 40-man roster would have to be Designated for Assignment (and eventually traded, sent outright to the minors, or released) to make room on the 40 for the minor leaguer. 

As far as Draft-Excluded players are concerned, a Draft-Excluded player (see post) cannot be Designated for Assignment or sent outright to the minors during most of the the off-season (Rule 5 Draft up until 20 days prior to MLB Opening Day). The player can be traded or released, but not sent outright to minors. That's why MLB clubs have to be careful about how many players (and which players) they add to the MLB 40-man roster after August 15th, in case a 40-man roster slot might be needed (for a free-agent signing or a waiver claim) in December, January, February, or the first part of March.  

Cats. I hate cats. We lost the division to a friggin cat. Over. Done. No way the Cards don't go 40-10 the rest of the season after that.

Carrie Muskat‏ @CarrieMuskat Updated #Cubs vs D-backs pitching: Fri: Lackey vs Walker; Sat: Lester vs Corbin; Sun: Arrieta vs Godley

A MLB source indicated encouraging news for Cubs catcher Willson Contreras who will be out at least two weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered on Wednesday. The Cubs avoided a "worst case scenario," according to the source. The injury could take up to a month or more depending on recovery but Contreras should be back before the end of the regular season. Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer

Royals give up 37 runs in 4-game sweep by the Cards. Thanks, guys. Good effort... Twins sweep 4 from Brewers. Thanks, guys! Good effort!

I watch Dillon maples throw in the game yesterday in a save situation. He was throwing a slider that would compare to Pedro Strop's on a good day. Impressed!

10 of Cubs next 16 games come against the Reds (7) and Phillies (3). Better cash in on those games. Cubs have 7 left against each of the Pirates, Cardinals, and Brewers including consecutive 4 game sets against the Brewers and Cardinals from 9/21-9/28. That stretch could potentially decide the Cubs fate. 18/29 games in September/October against PIT/STL/MIL. 21/49 total remaining games against those teams. Other opponents are the Reds (10), DBacks (3) Phillies (3), Blue Jays (3), Braves (4), Mets (3), and Rays (2). Cubs should be cashing in against the bad teams and games against PIT/STL/MIL are huge. 4 game set on the road against each of them too.

Crunch I feel the same way. While cruising in is nice, a heated race at the end is entertaining to watch over games being approached like spring training.

Given what happened last year, and given that I have ZERO expectations for post season success this year...it is kinda nice to have a 4-team sprint to the finish. but holy hell, if the Cards win the division this year...I quit baseball.

The midnight (Eastern) 8/31 Post-Season Roster Eligibilty deadline deals have begun...

Justin Upton to Angels from Tigers, and Cameron Maybin to Astros from Angels.

Lots more to come in the next 9+ hours, I'm sure.   

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The Phillies have claimed RHRP Juan Nicasio off Outright Assignment Waivers from the Pirates. That means the Phils assume 100% of what's left on Nicasio's contract (about $600K+).

Nicasio is a FA post-2017. 

The Pirates placed Nicasio on Outright Assignment Waivers after they were unable to trade him, probably because they were unwilling to eat most of his salary in order to move him. 

But if the Phils claimed Nicasio with the idea that they will now trade Nicasio and eat his remaining salary (something the Pirates were apparently unwilling to do), they might not be able to get away with it: 

That's because a club is not permitted to make a waiver claim and then trade the player to another club if the purpose or effect of the claim was to prevent a third club from being awarded the waiver claim. (A waiver claim that is judged by the MLB Commissioner to have been made for this purpose will be revoked).

This is different from how the Rule 5 Draft works, where a club with a high Rule 5 Draft slot (picking early in the 1st round) can select a player and then trade the player to another MLB club picking much later in the round. Clubs cannot do that with players claimed off waivers (if claiming Nicasio just to trade him is what the Phillies had in mind), if another club besides the Phillies (let's say it was the Twins) made a claim and then the player is traded to a third club with a lower waiver claim priority (like maybe the Diamondbacks) than the second club (again, let's say the Twins) that wasn't awarded the claim.  

Just a reminder, the MLB waiver price is now $50,000. (It used ro be $20,000). 

OF Mark Zagunis has been taking BP and fielding practice with the AFL guys at Instructs as well as extra BP in early work, so he could be assigned to the Mesa Solar Sox "Taxi Squad" to stay in game shape throughout October. 

Also, RHSP Oscar de la Cruz (pectoral strain) has been shut-down for the year and will not be pitching in the AFL. As a result, C Ian Rice has been elevated from Mesa Solar Sox "Taxi Squad" to the Active Roster. Because the Cubs declined to add a pitcher to replace de la Cruz, the Astros have added a 5th pitcher to the MSS roster. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

AZ Phil, if you were to gaze into your crystal ball, would you foresee a conversion to relief for de la Cruz next year? I seem to recall this spring he was throwing with the relievers for a bit, but that may have just been to bring him along slowly. With another year largely lost to injury though, and with him hitting the 40 man roster before reaching AA, might the Cubs try to both conserve his health and speed up his timetable for reaching the majors with a move to the pen?

[ ]

In reply to by bradsbeard

BRADSBEARD: I don't know if the Cubs will move Oscar de la Cruz to the bullpen in 2018, but the nature of his injuries over the past two or three years (forearm, shoulder, pec) and an inability to get into pitching shape at Minor League Camp and then failing to finish a season as well tends to paint him as not paricularly durable, and sometimes a move to the bullpen where a pitcher pitches more often but throws fewer pitches per outing is a way to deal with that. The thing about de la Cruz, though, is that he has a legit three-pitch arsenal that fits the profile of a SP, so I guess it could go either way.  

BTW, if de la Cruz is added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster post-2017, he will get four minor league options (in other words he would not be out of minor league options until Spring Training 2022), so the Cubs would not have to rush him. Same goes for Erling Moreno should he be added to the 40 post-2017 (less-likely than de la Cruz, but still possible). 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

Had not considered the possibility of a 4th option. That might buy him another year of starting. Still, I'm kind of wanting to see if ODLC could move quickly as a reliever and possibly be an MLB pen option by 2019 (or late 2018 if he follows the Dillon Maples path of ascension).

Why is he above Alzolay? Adbert did very well in MB, and was respectable at the worst in Tennessee? AA has been better and more durable at a higher level.

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

de la cruz, alzolay, or albertos...either could be the cubs #1 at this point. de la cruz's great stuff and high ceiling can't continue to be projected as great for too much longer when he has an issue getting 75 innings of work in a season before breaking down.

hendricks keeps on carving up quality lineups. domination through 5ip vs a cards lineup that's not taking a rest day. also, i know the game "doesn't mean anything" but martin leading off? c'mon...

Phil, I wanted to ask about your 40-man roster. You have Baez, Montgomery, and Schwarber all listed as auto-renewal, but based on service time, I wondered if those guys were going to be Super-2 this winter. Do you have any insight on that?

[ ]

In reply to by John Beasley

JOHN B: Although MLB will not release the "Super Two" cut-off for post-2017 salary arbitration eligibility until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season (per the CBA, MLB must release it within ten days after the conclusion of the MLB regular season), the Super Two cut-off was 2+131 last year and over the past ten years it has never been below 2+122, so Baez, Montgomery, and Schwarber should be nowhere near Super Two post-2017. 

holy shi...martin with a catch in CF over the wall keeping the game from going to 12 innings. wow. cubs win #90.

By rallying to defeat the San Diego Padres Sunday afternoon in San Francisco, the Giants played themselves out of the #1 overall pick in next June's draft, the #1 pick in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft, and the #1 waiver claim priority (through the first 30 days of the 2018 MLB regular season).

So the Detroit Tigers will now get the #1 slot. (Although the Giants and Tigers finished with the same record in 2017, DET wins the tie-breaker because SF had a better record in 2016). . 

Here is the 2018 Rule 4 Draft and 2017 Rule 5 Draft order and the MLB waiver claim priority through the first 30 days of the MLB regular season: 

1. DET 
2. SF
3. PHI
4. CHW 
5. CIN 
6. NYM 
7. SD
8. ATL
9. TOR
10. OAK 
11. PIT 
12. BAL 
13. MIA 
14. SEA 
15. TEX 
16. TB 
17. LAA 
18. KC 
19. STL
20. MIN 
21. MIL
22. COL
23. NYY
24. CUBS 
25. AZ 
26. BOS 
27. WAS
28. HOU
29. CLE 
30. LAD 

All players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) who are still on Optional Assignment to the minors must be recalled no later than today (the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season). 

So beginning today (10/2), all players on MLB Reserve Lists (40-man rosters) are listed as "Reserved" until post-season active lists are submitted to the MLB Commissioner prior to the start of each series. 

Remember, because they were added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster after 8/31, Taylor Davis, Mike Freeman, Dillon Maples, Leonys Martin, and Jen-Ho Tseng are NOT eligible to play in the post-season unless the player replaces one of the 35 players on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List who is disabled due to injury or illness. 

Also keep in mind there is no restriction on position (that is, a pitcher does NOT have to replace a pitcher and a position player doies NOT have to replace a position player) when a disabled player is replaced by another player on the Post-Season Eligibility List - UNLESS - the disabled player is replaced - DURING - a post-season series (only then must a pitcher replace a pitcher and a position player must replace a position player). 

MOST LIKELY CUBS NLDS ROSTER: 

PITCHERS: Jake Arrieta, Wade Davis, Brian Duensing, Carl Edwards Jr, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Mike Montgomery, Jose Quintana, Hector Rondon, and Pedro Strop; 

CATCHERS: Alex Avila and Willson Contreras;

INFIELDERS: Javy Baez, Kris Bryant, Ian Happ, Tommy LaStella, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell, and Ben Zobrist: 

OUTFIELDERS: Albert Almora Jr, Jon Jay, Jason Heyward, amd Kyle Schwarber. 

That leaves one slot open for either Rene Rivera (as a third catcher) or Justin Wilson or Justin Grimm (another arm in the bullpen). 

If the Cubs defeat the Nationals in the NLDS and the Diamondbacks win the Wild Card game and defeat the Dodgers in the NLDS, the Cubs get "home field advantage" in the NLCS even though the D'backs had a better regular season record than the Cubs, because a Wild Card team cannot get home field advantage in the NLCS even if the wild card team had a better regular-season record than its opponent. 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

i don't like the "cheapening" of the playoffs by continuously adding teams, but the sheer brutality of how the 2-team Wild Card setup shaped up is fine with me. 1-game playoff, burn one of your best pitchers, no home field if you advance regardless of record...etc 1/3rd of MLB gets a shot at the championship, but 4 out of those 10 teams get "hobbled" from the outset because they didn't win their divisions. i can live with that.

[ ]

In reply to by crunch

I think MLB nailed it. NBA and NHL teams don't even try to win their divisions. It's more important to rest players. Most players probably don't even know what division they are in. NFL WC teams have to play on the road, which is a challenge, but they play the same number of games as the division winners. The difference between winning the division in MLB and being a WC team is huge. Regular season standings are very important -- they are virtually irrelevant in the NBA and NHL, and much less important in the NFL. Not a big Bud Selig fan -- after moving the Astros (thanks for that, by the way) and thus guaranteeing daily interleague play, it's nuts the 2 leagues have different sets of rules -- but he got the WC right.

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

The restriction prohibiting a Wild Card team from getting "home field advantage" in the LDS and LCS regardless of record does - NOT - apply to the World Series. 

As far as "home field advantage" in the World Series is concerned, it is no longer awarded to the pennant winner (LCS
champion) from the league that won the All Star Game that season.

Who gets home field advantage in the 2017 World Series: 

1. Best MLB regular season record
2. Which team had best record head-to-head (if the two teams played each other that season)
3. Best Intraleague record (oddly interleague game results are excluded) 
4. Best intradivision record 
5. Best intraleague record over last half of intraleague games played (again, interleague games do not matter). 
6. Best record in last half of intraleague games played plus one more game further back, or two more games further back, or three more games further back, et al, until one of the two clubs has a better record. 

I think it's really odd that a club's record in interleague games (regular season games played against teams from the other league) is irrelevant when determining home field advantage in the World Series. If anything, I would think a club's record in interleague games would be especially important in breaking a tie for World Series home field advantage. Same goes for the records against common opponents, but that's not relevant either.

So if the Arizona Diamondbacks play the Boston Red Sox in the 2017 World Series, the D'backs get "home field advantage" because the two teams have the same regular season record, they did not play each other in 2017, and the Red Sox went 77-65 in American League games and the Diamondbacks went 81-61 in N. L. games. 

"Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that MLB's investigation of the Braves could potentially lead to top prospect Kevin Maitan being declared a free agent if improprieties are found." given that the decade-long GM of the braves resigned today, it doesn't look like things are going to go well for the braves. k.maitan is a -very- high end SS (could end up at 2nd or 3rd) prospect from venezuela.

I'm the kind of person who tries to never get ahead of myself and certainly who never roots for the opponent to get hurt. But, you guys, if Scherzer for some reason can't pitch in the NLDS, the Cubs might get to face Edwin Jackson in a home game #4.

Jerry Layne, crew chief. Cory Blaser, Ron Kulpa, Fieldin Culbreth, Las Diaz,and Will Little.

it turns out we're learning so little about the rotation/roster because the club still doesn't know if arrieta's hamstring is healthy enough for the 1st round of the playoffs. he's going to pitch a session tomorrow then the roster will be announced.

17 pitches, 2HR, 3 runs in for the twins. yanks not off to a hot start. pen is already up. good.

If you haven't seen it, Robertson's reaction to Sanchez's nut shot is awesome. Screams in horror, then immediately covers up his own package.

"Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer Joe Maddon announces Kyle Hendricks as his Game 1 starter. Jon Lester will pitch Game 2 with Jose Quintana starting Game 3. Jake Arrieta will pitch Game 4 if it's necessary."

Maddon is going to go Walk-a-Mole for Murphy or Harper. I'm predicting that at least with the lefties.

Luke Farrell added. Felix Pena DFA'd. Koji Uehara still taking up a roster spot. Not seeing it, but okay.

[ ]

In reply to by tim815

TIM: Koji Uehara can be replaced on the Cubs Post-Season Eligibility List by another player (Martin, Tseng, Maples, et al) as long as he is injured and as long as he remains on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster and isn't placed on the 60-day DL. So the Cubs really don't want to DFA Uehara right now. 

While Felix Pena cannot elect free-agency if he is outrighted, he will be automatically declared a Rule 55 minor league 6YFA if he is outrighted and does not sign a 2018 minor league successor contract by 5 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day after the final game of the World Sries.

I suspect the Cubs might try and outright Farrell to the minors (like the Brewers did with Aaron Brooks after they claimed him off waivers from the Cubs), since none of the 23 clubs with a better waiver claim priority than the Cubs claimed Farrell.

If the Cubs are able to secure Outright Assignment Waivers and outright Farrell to the minors, he would remain under club control through the 2019 season (subject to being selected in the Rule 5 Draft) and would give the Cubs added SP depth at AAA in 2018 and 2019. 

BTW, Luke Farrell is the son iof Red Sox manager John Farrell and the brother of Cubs minor league (South Bend) hitting instructor Jeremy Farrell (who is presentty working as a hitting coach at Cubs AZ instucts in Mesa). 

[ ]

In reply to by Arizona Phil

AZ Phil makes it make sense! One more question for AZ Phil... If a Cubs minor-league IFA signing is on a train from Arizona going 80 mph, while a rehabbing journey-man AAAA type with 2 option years remaining (who has previously been outrighted in his career) is on a plane leaving Myrtle Beach at 120 mph. Which will reach Super-2 arbitration first?

[ ]

In reply to by Charlie

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lemahdj01.shtml also, casey weathers! barf. i dunno what scout was watching i.stewart, but i hope he's no longer employed by the cubs. god, that whole thing was weird. it was brian "swinging with eyes closed" lahair fanboyish. yeah, the cubs didn't lose much...a cheap 2nd/3rd good D contact hitting guy who's a support player at best...but the 2 guys picked up were awful. they also lost t.colvin in the trade, but who cares. i think the only reason people were stoked about colvin is how long it had been since any kid came through the system worth a damn. let's just forget 2012 even happened. the only good that came of it was albert almora being drafted...and losing so badly they got to draft bryant the next season.

The Ex-Cub factor well-represented: Chris Rusin, DJ, Zach Godley, Tyler Colvin. Except for the last guy...

One big thing I learned this year -- an out that produces a run (a sac fly, for example) is "in play, run(s)" rather than "in play, out(s)".

hell of an exciting game considering ARZ has never lost the lead since scoring the first runs in the bottom of the 1st.

October baseball is different: - In the 2 wild card games, the four starting pitchers -- presumable, four #1 starters for good teams -- recorded a total of 22 outs. Nobody made it out of the 4th inning.

In order to be on the Cubs NLDS active roster, Leonys Martin must replace a player on the Cubs 8/31 Post-Season Eligibility List who is presently disabled due to injury or illness.

It has not yet been reported who Martin is replacing, but if I had to guess I would say it's probably RHSP Eddie Butler (was placed on Iowa 7-day DL on 8/8 with undisclosed injury or illness), since both OF Mark Zagunis (August 2017 left hand surgery) and RHRP Koji Uehara (September 2017 knee infection & back stiffness) have been active at AZ Instructs.  

Beginning this weekend and continuing until the start of Spring Training, the MLB office is closed for "routine business" on Saturdays and Sundays. 

This means that if a player was placed on Outright Assignment Waivers last Thursday at the 2 PM (Eastern) waiver call, the waiver claiming period would not end until Monday (the second business day after the player was placed on waivers) at 1 PM (Eastern) rather than on Saturday (which would have been the case during Spring Training and during the MLB regular season). And if a player was placed on waivers last Friday, the waiver claiming period would not conclude until 1 PM (Eastern) on Tuesday rather than on Sunday.

Occasionally the MLB office closes for the entire week between Christmas and New Year's as well, which is why sometimes you will see a free-agent sign with a club in December sometime prior to Christmas but not be added to the club's MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) until the first week of January. (Clubs have up to 20 days to file a contract with the MLB office, but if the 20-day period is interrupted by the MLB office being closed over the Christmas holiday, the deadline to add the player to the club's MLB 40-man roster could be extended to as much as 30 days after signing).

AZ Phil, do you have any thoughts on Brad Markey? He delivered a strong season in the pen last year, and especially did a good job of limiting BBs (22.1 K% to just 4.1 BB% between AA and AAA). Seems like a trait the Cubs pen could use more of. Any chance he gets a 40 man spot this winter or picked in the Rule 5 if not?

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In reply to by bradsbeard

BRADSBEARD: Brad Markey has upside and he could very well surface in the big leagues sometime in the next year or two. As you mentioned, Markey would be a different type of reliever than some of the guys who have been given the ball out of the pen by the Cubs at AAA and in Chioago in 2016-17, and maybe the Cubs will want to add somebody like Markey to the bullpen mix.

I think it's probably very unlikely that Markey will get added to the Cubs MLB 40-man roster post-2017, but he could get a call-up sometime in 2018 if he performs well and proves himself at AAA.

And he could get selected in the Rule 5 Draft. All it takes is for one club to like a guy, and Markey is fairly advanced and could possibly pitch out of an MLB bullpen right away. 

Recent comments

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch. 

  • crunch (view)

    cards put j.young on waivers.

    they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.

  • Childersb3 (view)

    Seconded!!!

  • crunch (view)

    another awesome spring of pitching reports.  thanks a lot, appreciated.

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:

    SHOTA IMANAGA
    FB: 90-92 
    CUT: 87-89 
    SL: 82-83 
    SPLIT: 81-84
    CV: 73-74 
    COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes...  if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...   
     
    JOE NAHAS
    FB: 90-92 
    SL: 83-85 
    CV: 80-81 
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...   

    YENCY ALMONTE
    FB: 89-92 
    CH: 86 
    SL: 79 
    COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...   

    FRANKIE SCALZO JR
    FB: 94-95
    CH: 88 
    SL: 83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning... 

    MICHAEL ARIAS
    FB: 94-96
    CH: 87-89
    SL: 82-83
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...   

    ZAC LEIGH: 
    FB: 93-94 
    CH: 89 
    SL: 81-83 
    CV: 78
    COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...   

    JOSE ROMERO:  
    FB: 93-95
    SL: 82-84
    COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...

  • crunch (view)

    pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"

    mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit.  nice.

    he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons.  he's not lean, but he looks healthier.  good for him.

  • crunch (view)

    dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.

    i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.

  • crunch (view)

    sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).

  • crunch (view)

    cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.

  • videographer (view)

    AZ Phil, speaking of Jordan Wicks having better command when he tires a bit, I remember reading about Dennis Lamp 40 years ago and his sinker that was better after 3 or 4 innings when he would tire a bit and get more sink with a little less speed on the pitch.  The key for Lamp was getting to the 4th inning.