3 roster battles the Cubs will answer by the end of this season

Cubs: Middle infield battle between Zach McKinstry and Nick Madrigal

The Cubs traded Chris Martin for Zach McKinstry at the trade deadline, possibly to light a fire under Nick Madrigal, a midseason pickup from last summer that ended the Craig Kimbrel experiment on the North Side. Madrigal had struggled in the first half of the season but has since picked it up after McKinstry joined the mix.

McKinstry has not had the most successful career in the big leagues but he has enough experience to warrant a bit of a competition. All signs point to the Cubs signing one of the top shortstops in free agency this winter and sliding Nico Hoerner to either second base or having said addition get reps at the hot corner.

Assuming his move is back to second base after just one season at shortstop, the Cubs will have their middle infield locked up heading into 2023. That would leave one spot open as a fill-in option when the Cubs need someone to make a start or pinch-hit.

Madrigal should have the upper hand given the cost of acquiring him and the upside that he brings to the table. He has slowly gotten back to being himself at the plate and has hit the ball well since the All-Star break.

With just over a month remaining in the season, Madrigal has a chance to solidify himself as the extra infielder with Christopher Morel joining him but also serving as outfield help.

While McKinstry has had some good at-bats since joining the Cubs, his career numbers are worrisome. He has a career .209/.259/.379 slash line and has not posted a batting average over .215 since 2020.

If he wants to make the team in 2023, he has to catch fire down the final stretch, similar to what Frank Schwindel did last season.

Cubs: Can Franmil Reyes stick around and provide some power?

Franmil Reyes was claimed off waivers after being cut by the Guardians. Since then, Reyes has been a force at the plate and has provided quite the spark for the Cubs as they’ve rattled off a handful of wins lately.

Reyes is known as a power hitter but had not had any luck at the plate this season. However, the Cubs found something and have tapped into that power with Reyes posting a .346/.346/.692 slash line in 26 plate appearances.

He’s hit two home runs with five RBI in six games and has really opened the door for a fresh start with the team in 2023. Between Reyes, Nelson Velazquez and P.J. Higgins, the Cubs have a fun battle going on for the final bench/DH spot.

Reyes will not be in the field much if at all but his value as a DH comes into play, especially if Willson Contreras leaves in free agency. The Cubs should want more power in the lineup next season and Reyes is a safe bet to help them in that regard.

If he keeps up this torrent pace, there is no reason Reyes should not be on the roster to open up the new season. That would leave Velazquez as the likely candidate to miss out but he could spend time in Triple-A and get extra at-bats. He will get better with playing time down there as opposed to riding the pine in the majors.

Cubs: Who will crack the bullpen from the current roster?

As things stand, there are zero locks from this current team to make the bullpen in 2023. Brandon Hughes is a pretty safe bet but the Cubs are comfortable with overhauling the unit and starting fresh.

Injuries have plagued the bullpen all season and that makes it even more difficult to gauge where things stand heading into the winter. Chicago is probably going to get some fresh arms in free agency and would be smart to give some young arms from the farm system a look as relief pitchers.

There is also a chance Keegan Thompson returns to the bullpen after a brilliant season as a starter. If he does stick in the rotation, the Cubs will have plenty of holes to fill out to close games.

Among the current players with a chance to prove something this season, Kervin Castro and Anderson Espinoza are the most exciting arms. Both are young pitchers that have enough talent to earn a spot for another season.

Everyone in the bullpen has had ups and downs this season so it is entirely possible that none of them make the initial roster for next season and spring training will be even more valuable for roster building.

Another name to monitor is Rowan Wick, a veteran who has put together some really nice stretches this season, but has also had his fair share of struggles. His next month will be critical for his role within the bullpen next season.