Cubs Announce Opening Day 26-Man Roster
In advance of their Opening Day matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs announced their 26-man roster to open the 2023 campaign. The team also announced that three players would begin the year on the injured list: RHP Kyle Hendricks (15-day), LHP Brandon Hughes (15-day), and Seiya Suzuki (10-day).
Without further ado, here's who the Cubs are rolling with.
STARTING PITCHERS (5)
- Marcus Stroman
- Jameson Taillon
- Drew Smyly
- Justin Steele
- Hayden Wesneski
Really no surprises in the starting rotation. Throughout the spring, Wesneski was brilliant and earned every bit of the fifth starter role. Who gets bumped from the rotation when Hendricks is ready to return?
RELIEF PITCHERS (8)
- Adbert Alzolay
- Javier Assad
- Brad Boxberger
- Michael Fulmer
- Mark Leiter, Jr.
- Julian Merryweather
- Michael Rucker
- Keegan Thompson
The Cubs will begin the year without any lefties in the bullpen, but they'll rely on Leiter, Jr. and his outstanding reverse splits to get the job done. It doesn't sound like Hughes' injury will keep him out long, so good showings in the early stages of the season will be important for players to stay up at the Big League level.
CATCHERS (3)
- Yan Gomes
- Tucker Barnhart
- Luis Torrens
Luis Torrens had a solid spring, and the Cubs have a proven history of carrying three catchers. Torrens can also play in the outfield, offering some extra versatility to an already versatile roster.
INFIELDERS (4)
- Eric Hosmer
- Nico Hoerner
- Patrick Wisdom
- Dansby Swanson
The North Siders will feature one of the best middle infield combinations in Hoerner and Swanson. Can Eric Hosmer have a bounceback season with the Cubs? Can Patrick Wisdom improve his defense at third base? Questions that I'll be keeping tabs on.
OUTFIELDERS (3)
- Ian Happ
- Cody Bellinger
- Trey Mancini
Without Suzuki, it makes sense to put Mancini in right field simply for his bat to be in the lineup. He'll likely swap out at first base and designated hitter, but the rest is fairly straightforward here.
BENCH (3)
- Nick Madrigal
- Miles Mastrobuoni
- Edwin Ríos
How the Cubs utilize their bench will be an intriguing storyline in the first couple weeks of the season. Mastrobuoni had a great camp and will look to carve out a much larger role than he had with the Rays' organization. Madrigal and Rios need at-bats, too, though.
Let's see how the puzzle pieces fit.
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