The Chicago Cubs, for the longest time, appeared to be all set when it came to position players. The thought was that, maybe, just one bench spot (and two at the most) would be up for grabs in the spring.
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But baseball is baseball and things happen.
In the Cubs’ case, Seiya Suzuki injured his knee in a steal attempt during the World Baseball Classic, suffering a minor sprain of the right posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) that would keep him off the Opening Day roster.
Prior to that, Tyler Austin, acquired to be the backup first baseman behind Michael Busch and a right-handed bat off the bench, suffered a knee injury that would require surgery and, maybe, the loss of at least half the season.
Uncertainty for the Opening Day roster
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That prior certainty regarding the Opening Day roster is not quite there right now.
Patrick Mooney of the Athletic recently spotlighted the team’s possible desire to add an extra infielder to the team, either by waiver acquisition or promotion from within:
“With Suzuki sidelined, Matt Shaw could become a more prominent option in right field, limiting the scope of his super-utility role and emphasizing the need for a versatile infielder off the bench.”
Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib, meanwhile, offered up a possible fill for the Cubs’ needs right now:
“As it stands, Matt Shaw is the only backup infielder that the Cubs have on their roster. With Shaw expected to start in right field while Seiya Suzuki is on the IL, it would make sense for the Cubs to add to their infield depth before Thursday.
If the Cubs can’t find a veteran on the waiver wire, perhaps Owen Miller slides onto the roster as the final piece of the bench. He was a bench piece for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023 and 2024 and has experience playing all over the infield. Miller would also add some speed to the Cubs’ bench, ranking in the 99th percentile in sprint speed last season.”
Internal options
The Cubs have internal options when it comes to backup infielders. Miller, given his past ties to manager Craig Counsell, could be considered a favorite for the gig. The Cubs also have Scott Kingery and some minor league options. Unless they see a need for a long-term bench player, they probably won’t spend too much time looking for still-available free agents or combing the waiver wire.
If veteran pickup Michael Conforto sticks with the roster after Suzuki returns, Shaw could be moved back to full-time infield duty and there suddenly wouldn’t be such a big need for another infielder.
The 29-year-old Miller has played with the Guardians, Brewers, and Rockies over the course of his major league career with playing time at all four infield spots, plus all three outfield positions. He was picked up in early February on a minor league deal.
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