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

The Chicago Cubs need to use the final month of the season to sort out some roster battles heading into 2023.

As the Chicago Cubs set out to build their roster for the 2023 season, they must first decide which members of the current team are worth bringing back. In order to do so, a handful of guys have to prove they are worth a spot on the 26-man roster over the next 45 games or so.

There are some clear staples of next year’s team already on the roster among position players. Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are under contract and slot in as everyday starters in 2023 with Happ also being a potential trade candidate in the offseason.

Christopher Morel and Patrick Wisdom are probably going to be on the team in some capacity unless something bizarre happens between now and April. That would give the Cubs five players on the roster and a handful of question marks left to figure out.

With their season coming to an end, I expect a bit of urgency from the rest of the team as they form the roster for next season. Whether young players are hoping to stay in the big leagues or veterans are just hoping to stick around for one more year, the next two months are very critical.

These positional battles are worth keeping an eye on for the rest of the summer.

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: 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.