Craig Counsell had a tricky ninth inning decision on Wednesday night, but the bigger Cubs question is what to do with B.J. Murray Jr. now that September has tightened the margins.
With Chicago trying to claw back against the Brewers, Counsell turned to Murray off the bench against Abner Uribe. The move made some sense on paper, even if it didn’t work out.
Uribe has been dominant against righties all season, holding them to just .126/.217/.168, and the Cubs were trying to find the right matchup with Carson Kelly already in the mix as a veteran option. Kelly, after all, had come through the night before against Trevor Megill.
But Murray was not the answer in that spot, and the rally died with the Cubs still trailing 8-6.
That at-bat only sharpened the larger issue: Murray hasn’t given Chicago much since his call-up. In 10 plate appearances, he has just one hit and has looked overmatched against big-league pitching. That’s not a great fit for a roster spot at a time when every edge matters.
The Cubs had a reason to bring him up. Murray’s path to the majors has been a long one, including a difficult stint at Triple-A in 2024 that sent him back to Double-A Knoxville.
He answered that setback well, then returned to Triple-A in 2026 and put together a strong line there: .294/.395/.500 with a 128 wRC+. His defensive flexibility across first base, third base, and the outfield also made him a useful depth piece, and it was understandable to want a look at the club’s #19 prospect.
But this is where the timing matters. Chicago has slipped into the second Wild Card spot, with the Padres 2.5 games back and surging and the Diamondbacks three games out.
The Cubs still have the best offense in baseball at a 115 wRC+ and the top defense by far with 65 outs above average, but the recent skid has made the race much less comfortable. They’re not out of it, but they’re no longer in a place where wasted roster spots can be brushed aside.
There is a straightforward path here. Once Dansby Swanson is ready to return, Murray should be the first man sent back down. That could happen as soon as next week, depending on how the Cubs handle Swanson’s recovery and what they decide is best to avoid reinjury while setting him up for the rest of the season.
The club also may have missed a chance to use that September opening on someone with more upside in the short and long term. Owen Ayers was at least in the conversation, but bringing him up would have required putting him on the 40-man roster, which would have kept him out of the minors during the all-but-certain lockout. Even so, there was a case for getting him a taste of the majors and letting him work with Miguel Amaya and Kelly behind the plate.
Ayers is still viewed as a big part of the Cubs’ catching plans in 2027, especially with Kelly expected to leave in free agency. For now, though, he’s at Triple-A with a .257/.372/.375 slash line and has not fully found the slug that would likely force the issue. With 15 games left, his call-up looks unlikely.
Murray’s promotion was a deserved one and a nice moment for a player who has battled his way through the minors. But if his role is going to stay this thin while the Cubs are trying to hold off the field, the roster move in front of them is obvious.
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For a player in his first minor league season, the challenge changes quickly once he gets to Knoxville. The offensive success that put Hartshorn on the map has already carried him through two levels, and a debut with the Smokies would give the Cubs a better read on how his game plays against more advanced pitching while also potentially stretching his 2026 season deeper into the summer. [Read more 🡒]