Cubs: 4 players on postseason rosters who are a perfect fit

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For the second time in as many years, the Chicago Cubs will take in the postseason like the rest of us – from either the seats or home. Despite a strong second-half performance that saw David Ross’ club run off an impressive and unexpected 39-31 mark, the Cubs fell well short of both the division crown and the wild card spots, even with the expanded format.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay attention to the weeks ahead. There are plenty of guys still playing who could wind up being relevant in the months to come as Chicago gears up for what’s expected to be a transformative offseason on the North Side.

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at 4 guys playing in the postseason this year who make sense as fits on a prospective 2023 Chicago Cubs roster:

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #4 – Trey Mancini

At the trade deadline, the Baltimore Orioles decided to sell – despite being in the thick of the AL Wild Card race. To manager Brandon Hyde’s credit, he kept his team in it right up into the final days of the season – but fell short of punching their postseason ticket.

One of the moves made by GM Mike Elias was to trade fan favorite Trey Mancini to the Astros. With a youth movement not only well underway but producing ahead of schedule, the O’s decided to part ways with their longtime first baseman – breaking hearts in Baltimore, but also giving Mancini a chance to win a ring in Houston.

To say the trade hasn’t worked as well as the Astros had hoped is putting things mildly. Since the deal, Mancini has just a .622 OPS – including a brutal .176 average – and has just eight home runs. The good news for a team like the Cubs is his market could be a bit more tepid this winter, as he hits free agency for the first time.

I don’t look at the 30-year-old former eighth-rounder as any sort of savior. Rather, he could be a nice insurance policy behind Matt Mervis at first base next year. He’s not only capable of playing first, but also has reps in the corner outfield – and as impressive as Mervis was this year, it seems unlikely Chicago heads into 2023 with all their first base eggs in that basket.

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #3 – Jameson Taillon

In the same vein as Mancini, we find Yankees right-hander Jameson Taillon. Now, Cubs fans surely remember the veteran from the early days of his career in Pittsburgh. He was a key piece of Pirates rotations from 2016 to 2019, making 10 starts against Chicago and putting up a 3.88 ERA in the process.

In Jan. 2021, Pittsburgh traded Taillon to the Bronx in exchange for four prospects – and since joining the Bronx Bombers, he’s worked to a 4.16 FIP in 61 starts. Poised to hit free agency for the first time at season’s end, the righty fell just short of 180 frames this year and could serve as a nice innings-eater for the Cubs.

There’s a ton of potential in Chicago’s projected rotation heading into 2023. That promise stems not only from strong showings from guys like Keegan Thompson and Justin Steele this year, but unexpected breakouts from the likes of Javier Assad, Adrian Sampson and others. All that being said, it wouldn’t hurt anything to add someone like Taillon into the mix moving forward.

Cubs fans have their eyes set on an ace – and nothing less. Carlos Rodon and Kodai Senga seem like logical candidates, while others are starry-eyed thinking of Jacob deGrom on the bump wearing pinstripes at Wrigley. But if they fall short in such pursuits, there’s nothing wrong with taking moves to shore up the rotation in the meantime.

(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #2 – Justin Verlander

Ah, what might have been. I’m sure I’m not alone when I think back and think about what might have been when it comes to Justin Verlander and the Cubs. The good news is Jed Hoyer has a chance to make things right if he wants to put the league on notice this winter.

Is Verlander my top choice? Absolutely not. He turns 40 years old in February and is going to be looking for one last major payday on the heels of yet another Cy Young Award. Age has simply been a number to the right-hander, evidenced by his final start of the regular season, when he flirted with history, closing the year with an 18-4 record and a 1.75 ERA.

But if the Cubs go out and land their Carlos Correa or Trea Turner, and want to avoid a second long-term mega deal on top of it, giving Verlander two or three years at $30 million AAV to head up a young Chicago rotation could be worth the risk.

Thinking of a staff with Verlander, Steele, Marcus Stroman, Kyle Hendricks and a combination of Assad, Sampson and Thompson feels awfully nice. I’m not sure Hoyer will feel good about giving that much money to a 40-year-old pitcher, regardless of how good he’s been in 2022, but it’s still awfully fun to think about this guy mentoring the teams’ up-and-coming arms.

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #1 – Trea Turner

I’ve talked about Trea Turner and what to like about him at length here at Cubbies Crib and the offseason hasn’t even started yet. But you can bet I’ll be keeping an eye on how he impacts the Dodgers in the weeks to come as they look to turn a 110-win regular season into a second championship in the last three years.

Turner has the ability to change a game in so many ways. He’s an elite baserunner (99th percentile in sprint speed), is an annual batting crown contender and can help a lineup generate a whole lot of offense in a hurry. Thinking of him alongside Nico Hoerner up the middle next year? Yes, please.

Assuming the Dodgers don’t drop a boat load of cash at his doorstep once the World Series wraps up, the Cubs will no doubt be checking in on Turner, along with pretty much every other top-tier shortstop out there, including Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson.

dark. Next. 5 positive takeaways from the 2022 Cubs season

The Cubs desperately need to add some pop to the lineup. Turner could do just that – and when you pair him with some big bats, there’s hope for brighter days ahead for Chicago offensively.

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Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #4 – Trey Mancini

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #3 – Jameson Taillon

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #2 – Justin Verlander

Cubs: 4 perfect fits on postseason rosters: #1 – Trea Turner

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