Chicago Cubs: Addison Russell situation has big-time roster implications

Chicago Cubs: Relying on Zobrist & Bote behind Baez at short?

If the Cubs are seriously considering carrying pinch runner Terrance Gore on the postseason roster, carrying Freeman, as well, would put two position players on the Cubs bench who aren’t much of a threat as batters.

If Chicago doesn’t carry Freeman on the postseason roster, the closest thing they will have to a backup shortstop would either be David Bote or Ben Zobrist. Bote played has played two games, totaling 10 innings at shortstop in the Major Leagues this year. In Triple-A, he has played shortstop in 15 games, spanning 117 innings.

Zobrist used to play a fair amount of shortstop. He has started 196 games at short in his career.

However, he hasn’t played shortstop at all this year. In 2017, he played just 11 innings at shortstop. So resorting to Zobrist at shortstop  in the playoffs isn’t ideal – especially alongside a sub-par defensive guy like Murphy.

Chicago Cubs: Long-term implications at-stake for Russell & the club

This offseason, Addison Russell is arbitration eligible. As all of the Manny Machado trade rumors have swirled this season we looked at Russell’s arbitration years as years of team control. However, the Cubs could also choose to not offer Russell arbitration and release him. To be sure that would be losing a tremendous baseball asset.

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However, given the accusations he faces and the pending investigation, there’s a chance (depending on what the investigation concludes), that ownership decides to part ways with the infielder.

If Russell does remain a Cub, his trade value (at least short-term) will likely plummet. Think about Aroldis Chapman‘s trade value when the Reds traded him to the Yankees. And then think about his trade value when the Yankees traded him to the Cubs.

Also, if Russell continues to be part of the organization he could face a lengthy suspension. Would the Cubs be comfortable with Bote and Zobrist as the backup shortstops next season? If they are feeling really good about Bote’s glove at shortstop and his bat in the bigs full-time, then perhaps Bote is the solution. But if not, the Cubs may try to acquire a veteran backup shortstop.

Chicago Cubs: If you stay internal, is Ian Happ the answer?

If Russell isn’t part of the organization next season, does that increase the Cubs’ attempts to sign someone like Machado as a free agent? Perhaps, but there will be a lot of competition for the former Orioles star this winter.

Even if Javier Baez becomes the Cubs’ full-time shortstop, the front office will have to put a plan in place for the other middle infield position, second base. Daniel Murphy is a free agent at the end of this season. He clearly was the kind of available bat that you are willing to pickup for very little during a playoff chase. However, his poor defense and the amount of salary he is going to demand makes him unlikely to resign with Chicago.

Zobrist will be in the last year of his four-year contract with the Cubs next season – and age 38.. Maybe the Cubs can ask Zobrist to hold down the everyday starting second base job for one season with frequent days off. But after the 2019 campaign, the Cubs need to be ready to move on to someone younger than Zobrist.

Tommy La Stella and Ian Happ could help fill in there. However, the Cubs don’t appear to be comfortable with the defense of either one of them at second base. La Stella has been playing more third base than second this season. Happ has only played three innings at second base this season. Perhaps with one regular season and two offseasons to prepare, the team might try to groom Happ as the Cubs’ second baseman of the future. But the thinking clearly was not headed in that direction this year.

The days of having Starlin Castro, Baez and Russell in the major leagues with Gleyber Torres in the minor leagues are long over. The Cubs made their decision in the middle infield. It was supposed to be Russell and Baez. But with that future now far from certain, this team is going to have some big decisions to make in the months and years to come.