Look for the Chicago Cubs to have a DH going forward

On almost every substantive issue being discussed by the MLBPA and owners, a chasmic gap remains. However, there is one change Cubs fans can almost certainly expect to see in 2022.

While obviously not official since there is no new CBA yet and MLB is still in a lockout, it would be pretty surprising at this point if there was no universal DH going forward. So do not expect Marcus Stroman or Kyle Hendricks to be out there taking hacks this summer.

The topic of a universal DH has been talked about ad nauseam for years now. Though the past few seasons it went from being a topic the fans debated on with their fellow baseball buddies, to becoming more of a reality. We got our first taste of it during the 2020 COVID-shortened season and it seemed to go well overall. Despite not being part of the 2021 season, it seemed like the universal DH was imminent.

Once the CBA is agreed upon, the universal DH becomes official and the lockout ends, then National League teams can start planning accordingly.

There could be solid competition over the remaining free agent DH candidates between National and American League clubs that might not have their DH for 2022 figured out yet. Guys like Nelson Cruz, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler are still free agents and should garner much interest when the lockout ends.

Looking at a DH in the National League and what it means for the Cubs

For the Cubs, this can really work in their favor. With the signing of Yan Gomes, this can allow for him to get a solid amount of time behind the plate with Willson Contreras still in the lineup and not putting too much stress on his body. With Nico Hoerner’s recent injury issues, he could play some time there while filling in the shortstop position and having Nick Madrigal at second.

It could also allow for a potential reunion with Schwarber, and allow to use that left field spot with another player while bringing back another power bat. These are just a few possibilities.

Obviously, some people will like it and others won’t. There was a charm of having one sport with two different leagues with their own unique set of rules. Some might miss the strategy of using a pitcher at the plate, others will like seeing more polished hitters in the order. Now we see if/when it becomes official.