The Cubs are set for at least two roster moves on Friday as they get ready for their weekend series against the Seattle Mariners.
Craig Counsell has already confirmed that Daniel Palencia will be reinstated from the 60-day IL, and Gabriel Arias is expected to be added to the active roster. Chicago claimed Arias off waivers from the New York Mets on Wednesday, then made room on the 40-man roster by transferring Phil Maton to the 60-day IL.
Arias arrives as a utility infielder, and the Cubs are banking on the part of his game that has held up best. Most of his career has come with the Cleveland Guardians, where his overall production has been underwhelming, but his glove has been good enough to matter. For Chicago, that’s the appeal.
The more straightforward roster question is who Arias pushes out. Kevin Alcantara was recalled from Triple-A Iowa earlier this week, and Owen Miller came up as an infield depth piece off the bench.
Of those two, Miller is the obvious candidate to lose his spot. He was never likely to stick on the 40-man roster through October, and Arias’ arrival makes him expendable.
The expectation is that Miller will be designated for assignment.
Palencia’s return is trickier, because it creates another roster squeeze on the pitching side. He was moved off the 40-man roster earlier this week when he was transferred to the 60-day IL as a procedural move, so the Cubs have to clear a spot for him there as well as open a place for him on the active roster.
One clean solution would be to designate Caleb Thielbar for assignment. That would solve the 40-man issue, and Thielbar’s role figures to shrink once Hoby Milner is back. Milner is close to finishing his minor-league rehab assignment and likely returns within the next week.
If the Cubs decide not to move on from Thielbar, another option is transferring Gavin Hollowell to the 60-day IL. Hollowell’s recovery has been slowed, which would give Chicago an easier path if it wants to preserve bullpen depth for now. There’s also the possibility of optioning Javier Assad to Triple-A Iowa, even though he’s been good enough to stay on this staff and still has minor-league options remaining.
With September Call-Ups approaching, the Cubs are likely to keep juggling pieces across the roster over the next few weeks.
In Other News...
Cubs Broadcast Still Has One Problem Fans Keep Feeling
The Cubs have one of the more recognizable broadcast duos in baseball with Boog Sciambi and Jim Deshaies, and when they are together on Marquee Sports Network, the booth usually gives fans the easy rhythm and sharp banter they want. The chemistry is a real strength, and it has helped make the telecasts feel established even as the club continues to build its identity on the air.
Still, the broadcast experience has been less steady than many viewers would like because the two primary voices are not always there, leaving a revolving cast to fill the third chair and, at times, breaking the flow fans have come to expect. Alex Cohen has emerged as a well-liked option and a possible future lead announcer, which gives the Cubs a path forward, but for now the bigger issue remains the same: consistency in the booth has been harder to find than the talent suggests it should be. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Just Ended Up On The Wrong Side Of A Bizarre MLB First
Randy Arozarena put together one of those nights that can turn a game, and maybe a little bit of baseball history, into a spectacle. He opened against the Cubs with a first-pitch leadoff home run, then kept stacking impact moments from there, finishing 3 for 4 with a walk and even helping preserve Seattles chance with a key home run robbery in the field.
The bizarre ending made the Cubs the answer to a trivia question they probably would have preferred to avoid. Arozarena capped the Mariners 5-4 win with a walk-off home run, becoming just the third player in MLB history to pair a first-pitch leadoff homer and a walk-off homer in the same game, a rare feat that left Chicago on the wrong side of a night packed with swing, glove and late drama. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Suddenly Have A Real Jaxon Wiggins Roster Decision
Jaxon Wiggins path through the Cubs system has taken an interesting turn at Triple-A Iowa, where the organization has shifted him to the bullpen and he has responded with three scoreless innings, five strikeouts and no hits allowed. It fits with the broader plan Chicago has for him right now: manage the innings, see how his stuff plays in shorter bursts, and keep a close eye on whether his performance can help push him into the conversation for a September call-up.
The more immediate wrinkle is what this means for the rest of the offseason picture. Wiggins is Rule 5 eligible this winter, so the Cubs will have to decide whether his recent work in relief makes him worthy of a 40-man roster spot. If the bullpen look keeps going well, Chicago could have a real decision on its hands long before the winter meetings arrive. [Read more 🡒]