Chicago Cubs Official Wild Card Roster: One Big Surprise, Two Notable Omissions

The Chicago Cubs are ready to roll.

In the hours leading up to their Wild Card matchup with the San Diego Padres, the Cubs have officially released their postseason roster. The 26-man unit features very few surprises, as manager Craig Counsell's circle of trust has been pretty obvious throughout this season.

Nonetheless, let's take a quick look at the final group, as well as a couple of the names who did end up on the outside looking in.

Pitchers (12)

Kevin Gausman, RHP
Matthew Boyd, LHP
Shota Imanaga, LHP
David Peterson, LHP
Clay Holmes, RHP
Ryan Rolison, LHP
Aaron Civale, RHP
Daniel PAlencia, RHP
Colin Rea, RHP
Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP
Jacob Webb, RHP
Javier Assad, RHP

Infielders (6)

Nico Hoerner
Alex Bregman
Dansby Swanson
Michael Busch (L)
Pedro Ramirez (S)
Gabriel Arias

Outfielders (5)

Pete Crow-Armstrong (L)
Ian Happ (S)
Michael Conforto (L)
Seiya Suzuki
Tyrone Taylor

Utility (1)

Matt Shaw

Catchers (2)

Miguel Amaya
Carson Kelly

Biggest Surprise

Aug 26, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Gabriel Arias (43) turns the double play while avoiding Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt (15) in the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Cubs will take only 12 pitchers into their Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres. The decision left room open for an extra infielder, with late-season pick-up Gabriel Arias making the official roster.

Arias only appeared in seven games with the Cubs during the regular season. He was scooped up off waivers on August 19 after spending a very brief stint with the New York Mets. The majority of Arias season was with Cleveland, where he spent the first four years of his career.

All things considered, Arias felt like a strong pickup for a defense-minded team. While he's long struggled at the plate, he spent many years as a staple in the Guardians lineup thanks to his utility infield skills. Still, with Matt Shaw healthy and capable of floating around the infield, it wasn't a given that Arias would crack the postseason.

We even saw the Cubs limit Arias' playing time during Dansby Swanson's injury. Counsell used Nico Hoerner at shortstop, opening the door for Shaw and Pedro Ramirez to suit up at second base. It's hard to fault the Cubs for doubling down on what works, however. More defense, the better. Arias will also offer some speed and postseason experience, appearing twice in the playoffs with Cleveland in 2022 and 2025.

Biggest Omission

Sep 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Caleb Thielbar (24) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the eleventh inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Cubs decided to make Caleb Thielbar the odd man out.

The 39-year-old was a staple in the Cubs' bullpen last season, recording a 2.64 ERA in 67 regular season outings. He also went on to throw in five postseason games, giving up only 2 hits and zero runs in 3.2 innings of action.

Thielbar's second season with the Cubs has been far less impactful. He has mustered just a 4.86 ERA in 58 games, only looking like more of a problem down the stretch. With that in mind, it's not shocking that the Cubs chose not to activate him, but it still takes a notable name and experienced arm out of the pen.

Additionally, fans will have to keep waiting for the Justin Steele comeback. The door opened for him to make a heroic, last-second return in recent weeks after a string of strong rehab outings. Craig Counsell even previously said Steele may pitch in the final series of the season against Boston. Alas, Chicago has decided to play it safe.

The best version of Steele could obviously provide a massive boost to the Cubs' postseason hopes, but would they get the best version of him? It's a fair question, especially after he pitched in only four rehab outings. At the end of the day, the Cubs have to prioritize Steele's long-term health, and this decision is doing just that.

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