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Chicago Cubs: 3 in-house candidates for the designated hitter role
At this point, any light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the ongoing CBA talks might as well be a train. The league and the players remain further apart than ever on almost every major issue – but at least we have some sort of legitimate news: it looks like the universal DH will be part of the next agreement.
That means the transaction frenzy we’re going to see once the lockout ends could kick up yet another notch, with teams scrambling for DH-type hitters before the season starts. That could lead to clubs overpaying for sluggers, something we know Jed Hoyer is hesitant to do. With that in mind, here are a few guys already on the roster who could see time in the designated hitter role for the Chicago Cubs in 2022.
Chicago Cubs: 3 in-house universal DH candidates: #3 – Patrick Wisdom
Last season, Patrick Wisdom burst onto the scene – showcasing big-time power and finishing fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting. He broke Kris Bryant’s Cubs rookie record, hitting 28 home runs on the year, finishing the season with an .823 OPS, despite a high strikeout rate.
Wisdom is at the top of the depth chart at third base right now. But it’s not difficult to envision a scenario where the Cubs go out and add more infield depth, which could allow Wisdom to get regular at-bats as the team’s DH in 2022. His power put the league on notice last summer and giving him the opportunity to focus solely on what he can do at the plate could help him avoid a sophomore slump and build off his breakout rookie campaign.
Chicago Cubs: 3 in-house universal DH candidates: #2 – David Bote
David Bote is yet to live up to the five-year contract extension Theo Epstein handed out to him early in his career. He’s come up with some big-time clutch hits, but the numbers just haven’t been there.
Last year, injuries impacted him at the plate – and although he’s not expected to be ready for the start of the season, there’s hope that he’ll bounce back from shoulder surgery and be at 100 percent in 2022. Bote has always hit the ball hard. Looking back at 2020 (we’ll look past 2021 given he was playing through injury), the infielder ranked in the top six percent of the league in hard hit percentage and the top nine percent in average exit velocity.
Despite those numbers, Bote still batted just .200 during that shortened 2020 campaign – finishing the year with a .711 OPS and 90 OPS+. That’s been the story for most of his career: he hits the ball hard, but it just hasn’t translated in the way the Cubs had hoped for.
Perhaps giving him regular reps as the team’s DH (he’s rarely had a consistent daily role) will allow him to finally turn that corner and turn consistent, hard contact into results. With the infield picture largely settled with the return of Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal – not to mention last summer’s darlings, Frank Schwindel and Patrick Wisdom – this might be the best way for Bote to carve out a spot on this team.
Chicago Cubs: 3 in-house universal DH candidates: #1: Willson Contreras
Folks panicked when the Cubs went out and signed Yan Gomes early on in the offseason – assuming it was the writing on the wall for Willson Contreras. The two-time All-Star is, of course, entering his final year of team control and after what we all witnessed last summer in regards to core players on expiring contracts, you can understand the concern.
But the addition of Gomes can just as easily be viewed through the lens of making Contreras a better player. He’s been a workhorse behind the plate for years (he’s caught the fifth-most innings in all of baseball since the start of 2017) and you definitely saw that wear on him at the plate.
After the backup catcher carousel Chicago wound up resorting to in 2021, Gomes is a reliable counterpart behind the dish. His presence will allow the Cubs to let Contreras DH regularly, keeping his legs fresh and allowing him to stay in the lineup and contribute with his bat.
Cubs planning a more limited role for Jason Heyward. dark. Next
There’s always been a lot of mixing and matching when it comes to the daily lineup construction. The incorporation of the designated hitter into the Senior Circuit will only further that – with managers having another spot in the lineup to work guys in and out of. How the Cubs will handle it remains to be seen, but I’d bet on Contreras getting plenty of reps as the DH in 2022.