Cubs MLB Roster

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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

Cubs @ Mets: Series Thread (Games 113-115)

Submitted by Charlie on

The Cubs went 5-2 on a homestand that landed them in a tie with the Reds for second in the Central and for the last NL Wild Card spot. They turn around with no off day to begin a six game road trip that takes them to New York and Toronto. They leave Chicago having taken two of three from the best team in the NL. They also taxed their primary bullpen arms heavily in the process. (No backup cacthers were called on to relieve in the course of that series.) They may have to patch things together to cover high leverage innings before the next day off on Thursday. See below for matchups against the Mets.

Game 113, Monday, August 7, 6:10 pm central
CHC: LHP Drew Smyly (8-7, 4.71 ERA)
NYM: RHP Kodai Senga (7-6, 3.25 ERA)

Game 114, Tuesday, August 8, 6:10 pm central
CHC: RHP Jameson Taillon (6-6, 5.36 ERA)
NYM: RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 6.60 ERA)

Game 115, Wednesday, August 9, 6:10 pm central
CHC: RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 3.98 ERA)
NYM: LHP David Peterson (3-7, 5.65 ERA)

 

[Edited to reflect correct game numbers.]

Tags
2023 Series Thread
New York Mets

Comments

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 08:36 pm

cubs are dead serious about benching suzuki while they "work on his swing."

another game with tauchman in RF...

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 08:06 pm

we lasted until the 3rd inning before girardi went into "if/when i was managing..." mode

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 08:52 pm

did they call up killian for any specific reason?  bases loaded, 0 out, smyly's 6th after 5 runs already in.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 08:16 pm

tarp goes on the field.  switch to CIN game to see them immediately win.  switch to MIL game to see them take the lead with a 2r HR...sigh.  terrible past 5 minutes of baseball.

Submitted by crunch on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 08:27 pm

dbacks have signed tyler chatwood to a minor league contract.  a decade from now this dude is gonna be 43 years old, throwing 6.00 ERA 1.70 WHIP baseball and still find someone to sign him.

Submitted by Eric S on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:41 pm

Former Cubs 2019 first round pick Ryan Jensen claimed off waivers by the Mariners.  
 

Possibly broke the pitching lab?

[ ]

Submitted by Charlie on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:38 pm

I get the upside with Nwogu as a power speed combo. But he needs breakthroughs in his swing, approach, and defense for it to work. Kind of silly, but not the worst gamble in the third round (excepting of course that maybe he could have been had with a later pick). Missing on Jensen in the first round is definitely more of a head scratcher.

[ ]

Submitted by First.Pitch.120 on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:08 pm

Could be both... can think of a # of reasons why those populations might have different characteristics.  Maybe having made MLB correlates to a higher & more solid floor from which the lab can build.   Perhaps having made the MLB & then looking at the specter of being done makes a person more receptive to coaching?  More & better video on MLB players?

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:45 pm

Although some pitchers spend more time in it than others, all Cubs pitchers (major league and minor league) are assigned to the Pitch Lab while they are in Mesa (MLB Spring Training, minor league camp, Extended Spring Training, ACL, and Instructs). It's part of the process.

Obviously some pitchers make better use of the experience than others, just like some people benefit from going to college or to a trade school, while others don't. So I would say the Pitch Lab is probably more useful for pitchers who take a more cerebral approach to pitching. 

BTW, the Cubs have a Hitter's Lab, too. As with the Pitch Lab, some benefit from it, and some don't. 

I don't know if the cost of the proprietary equipment and technology gets results consistently enough to justify it. I guess that will be determined eventually.  

It kind of reminds me of when the Kansas City Royals started their Baseball Academy in Florida about 50 years ago, with the intention of teaching baseball to athletes from other sports who had minimal baseball background.

Eventually the Royals used the academy as a standard GCL team, after finding that teaching baseball from the ground up to athletes not that familiar with baseball didn't get the results they hoped it would get and was just not cost effective. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:58 pm

Keep in mind that MLB Active List rosters will expand from 26 to 28 on September 1st, and clubs are - REQUIRED - to add two players to their active roster at that time, of which only one may be a pitcher (so the maximum number of pitchers goes from 13 to 14 on 9/1).

Also beginning on 9/1, if a player is recalled as the extra man for a doubleheader and then is optioned back to the minors  the next day, the option does - NOT - count toward the maximum five times a player may be optioned to the minors in a given season. 

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:00 pm

With five pitchers on the 60-day IL, it's very possible that three of them (Brad Boxberger, Nick Burdi, and Brandon Hughes) might be reinstated to the 40-man roster by 9/1.  

Burdi is supposed to begin an ACL rehab assignment this week, so he could possibly be ready to be reinstated by mid-August.  

Submitted by Childersb3 on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:23 pm

I guess Jensen had to go to open up a spot on the 40 for Burdi and Boxberger.

We're at 39 right now, so Jensen leaving makes it 38. Thus, Burdi and Box coming of the 60IL gets it back to 40.

This is just theory, but I believe this makes sense.

With Smyly's issues and Palencia being discussed for a "cool down" session, Jed will need some other arms. Rucker will get another shot. Don't agree with that, but he'll get it. Boxberger offers very little to me as well. He had three good weeks in April, then not much at all. Burdi is the guy here you hope can put it together. But it's all hope there. 

You have to think if Ben Brown was 100% healthy he'd be getting starts and Smyly would get an IL stint for arm fatigue. 

Luke Little, Cam Sanders, Bailey Horn, Chris Clarke, etc., ....... someone make a push for a spot asap!! You have a chance here. I'd say newly acquired Roberson as well, but he's been smoked twice for Iowa.

The last time I watched Jensen in Iowa he was sitting 93-94. They tried shortening that arm motion but it looked pretty long still. Not as much as his days in 2019-2021.

We'll see how this goes.

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:23 pm

While I can understand removing Ryan Jensen from the MLB 40-man roster, the idea is to get him through waivers so that you don't lose a former 1st round daft pick who received a $2M signing bonus for $50,000 just four years after he was drafted, and so that he can remain under club control at least until he becomes a minor league 6YFA (post-2025 in the case of Jensen).  

If the Cubs were hoping to "sneak" Jensen through waivers, this week was definitely not the time to try and do it. There has been a virtual feeding frenzy of waiver claims in the last few days (eleven in just the last five days alone). By contrast, there were eight waiver claims in the ENTIRE MONTH OF JULY.   

It was especially odd since the Cubs did not actually need Jensen's 40-man roster slot at this time. 

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:44 pm

seamer: There is no real savings in terms of 2023 AAV from losing Ryan Jensen off waivers.

Jensen is a pre-arbitration (auto-renewal) player so he has a "split contract," meaning one salary ($720K) if he is on the MLB active list or IL, and a different much lower salary ($120K) if he is on optional assignment to the minors (which he was when he was claimed).

So the Cubs saved $120K toward 2023 AAV when Jensen was claimed off waivers, which will be immediately canceled out once they replace Jensen on the 40.  

[ ]

Submitted by Dolorous Jon Lester on Wed, 08/09/2023 - 08:58 am

The follow up question I’d have on that is of his replacement on the 40 is one of the 60 day IL returnees, wouldn’t they already both be getting paid their salary and count against the salary “cap?”

Not that I think the motivation on sneaking Jensen through waivers was at all financial. The point you made just piqued my curiosity. Thanks as always, Phil

[ ]

Submitted by Arizona Phil on Wed, 08/09/2023 - 08:49 am

DJL: Yes, if the eventual replacement for Ryan Jensen on the Cubs MLB 40-man roster is one of the pitchers currently on the 60-day IL, then Jensen's salary (and the Cubs AAV savings) would not be offset by selecting somebody to the 40-man roster from the minors or claiming a player off waivers.

BTW, I should have said that the 2023 AAV savings from losing Jensen off waivers was $40,000, NOT $120,000, because there is only about a third of the season left and the Cubs have already paid Jensen $80,000 in salary. 

The Cubs saved much more in 2023 AAV by trading Adrian Sampson and Manuel Rodriguez to Tampa Bay on 8/1 (about $750K in combined salaries between the two was still remaining when they were traded). 

Submitted by crunch on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:14 pm

delay of game because mets pitchcom isn't working.  wtf 2023...get your new baseball shit together.

Submitted by Eric S on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:42 pm

Giving up a two run homer to Alonso in the first inning instead of a three run shot? I guess that’s progress? 😂

Submitted by Childersb3 on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:26 pm

Okay, game is now tied 2-2

Let's just walk Alonso

Maddon walked Bryce Harper about a dozen times in a series vs WAS in 2016 or 2017. 

It worked though.

Submitted by Cubster on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 08:48 pm

Newly acquired Andrew Chafin just walked in the lead run for the Rockies in the 10th vs Brewers. Now Rocks up 6-3. Looking like a really nice night.

Submitted by crunch on Wed, 08/09/2023 - 08:58 pm

i've seen enough of amaya's lack of arm this season to be concerned.

this wasn't an issue in the past and the issue isn't slightly bigger bases.  he was excellent at holding and throwing out runners prior to his previous injury.  i have no idea what's up, but there's been some weak throws made this year.

Submitted by Eric S on Wed, 08/09/2023 - 08:20 pm

After the way the bottom of the sixth started, I can’t believe this game is still within reach for the Cubs. 

Submitted by Eric S on Wed, 08/09/2023 - 08:19 pm

Entertaining game - sucks the Cubs lost. After scoring 2, 3 and 3 runs, Cubs are fortunate they weren’t swept. On to Toronto. 

[ ]

Submitted by Eric S on Wed, 08/09/2023 - 08:36 pm

They set him up brilliantly. I didn’t see it but Girardi said they did the same thing to Morel yesterday: frozen on a strike right down the middle. 
 

On the other end of the pitching with brilliance spectrum, if you told me before the series that Alonso was going to hit four homers and knock in ten runs … yes, I’d take the 1-2 record.

Submitted by crunch on Thu, 08/10/2023 - 08:41 am

no cubs, no brews, no reds, no marlins, no giants...only phills play (1st in WC) that matters to cubs fans.

Recent comments

  • crunch (view)

    thomas hatch is going to fight ham in japan.  he was on PIT's 40-man.

  • crunch (view)

    morel played somewhere besides 3rd and SS...he got 8 innings in CF, 2 putouts and an assist.

  • crunch (view)

    ryan flaherty new cubs bench coach.

  • crunch (view)

    bellinger wins comeback player of the year.  the AL winner was liam hendricks and his 5ip before he got tommy john...setting himself up for a 2025 shot at the award.

  • Bill (view)

    I hope that Perlaza goes on to have a successful career.  On most Cubs teams prior to the current administration, he would have been one of their more highly ranked prospects.  As far as the others are concerned, one or more may well go on to be much better than expected, but unfortunately there is no way to tell which one at the present time.  You can't keep everyone.

  • crunch (view)

    s.gray signs with the cards...3/75m

  • Arizona Phil (view)

    Another one of the nine Cubs post-2023 Rule 9 minor league 6YFA has signed, as RHP Carlos Guzman (acquired from the Tigers for Zack McKinstry at the end of Spring Training) signed a 2024 minor league contract with the Mets. 

     

    So RHRP Yovanny Cruz (SD), C-INF P. J. Higgins (CIN), and now Carlos Guzman (NYM) have already signed 2024 minor league contracts with new MLB organizations, and OF Yonathan Perlaza is headed for Korea (Hanhwa Eagles).

  • crunch (view)

    ...and back to 3rd for another game.  at this point i'm gonna hang back and when/if he actually plays 1st then i'll find it notable.  i am glad he's playing a good amount of 3rd, though...give the club one more good look at him there.  shrug

  • crunch (view)

    morel played SS last night (no errors)...hit a homer and a double.  he's got 2 of both in 19PA.

  • crunch (view)

    e.escobar was throwing 95-97mph on his fastball in 2023.

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