Chicago Cubs: Top candidates to serve as the team’s designated hitter

Chicago Cubs: Rizzo could elevate his offensive game even further

Look, I know what you’re thinking. Why in the name of God’s green earth would you move a former Platinum Glove winner off first base? And, in all honesty, the Cubs probably wouldn’t – unless they wanted to add another switch-hitting bat to the equation.

Backup catcher and first baseman Victor Caratini turned in the best season of his professional career in 2019. It stands to reason Ross might want to give him more playing time. The matter of where he gets those reps is anyone’s guess: it could be either at first base or as the team’s designated hitter.

Coming off a brutal ankle injury late last season, perhaps Ross opts to give Rizzo some more reps as the DH in 2020 to keep him fresh, despite the shortened season. The potential benefits could be two-fold: you know what you have with Caraatini, who still represents an interesting piece for the Cubs, despite the presence of two-time All-Star Willson Contreras. Secondly, it gives Rizzo the chance to focus solely on his offense every so often – who knows what that could culminate in.

I’d say you won’t see Rizzo exclusively as the DH in 2020 – but he’s undoubtedly going to get some reps there, maybe even on days that in a traditional 162-game calendar would’ve been off-days.