Projecting the Cubs’ 26-man roster for Padres playoff series |
Anthony Pasquale
· · 16 hours ago
The Cubs announced Monday that Matthew Boyd would be getting the ball in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card series, which will begin today at Wrigley Field.
Besides Boyd, let’s take a stab at how the Cubs will employ their 26-man roster for this best-of-three series with the San Diego Padres. Catchers With Miguel Amaya still on the injured list, this position group does not feature much debate. Kelly will be the starter most likely, as he turned in a very productive first season in Chicago. McGuire is a steady backup and a reliable veteran presence behind him. Infielders This position group is pretty self-explanatory. Busch, Hoerner, Swanson, and Shaw will draw the starts in every game, and Turner provided a strong pinch-hit option with a plethora of playoff experience. Turner can play the corners if need be. Outfielders Possibly the strongest outfield unit in baseball, all four players have hit over 20 home runs and recorded over 70 RBI this season. Primarily this season, Tucker has been in RF and Suzuki has served as DH — but with Tucker battling back from an injured calf, he has been the DH as of late. Either way, all four of these players will be in the lineup on a day-to-day basis. Utility Moises Ballesteros The last two hitters that we suspect the Cubs to carry are Ballesteros and Castro. Castro provides infield and outfield depth defensively, as well as strong playoff experience. Meanwhile, Ballesteros is on the roster for one reason: the dude can hit. Whether it be as a DH or in a pinch-hit role, Craig Counsell has been impressed with Ballesteros, who will earn his spot on this roster. Starting Pitchers Matthew Boyd With Cade Horton sidelined for this series with a rib injury, the Cubs rotation is expected to be set. Colin Rea has allowed just one run and struck out 18 in his last two starts, but since he pitched Friday, we expect the Cubs to carry him on the roster and deploy him out of the bullpen if needed. Relievers Colin Rea Mike Soroka Aaron Civale Taylor Rogers Due to some of the issues the Cubs have faced with starters like Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga down the stretch, we anticipate the Cubs deciding to carry 13 pitchers — including some long relief options like Aaron Civale, Mike Soroka, and Javier Assad. The Cubs could also use any of those pitchers as an opener, a strategy that has been reported as an idea Chicago is considering. The Cubs have turned this unit into a strong piece of the puzzle, and it will need to perform in the playoffs. *If the Cubs decide to take 12 pitchers instead of 13, expect one of Civale/Soroka to not make the roster, and that role would be replaced by Kevin Alcantara, whose five-tool ability could be useful in October. Notable players injured or omitted from our roster Miguel Amaya* Cade Horton* Carlos Santana Kevin Alcantara *indicates injury It’s important to note that the roster the Cubs release today is their roster for this first series against San Diego. If the Cubs advance to the NLDS, Chicago will have the chance to make any changes or adjustments as it sees fit.
