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