3 bold roster moves the Cubs should make, but don't have the guts to

The MLB trade deadline has suddenly become a point of inflection for the Cubs' 2025 season. The Cubs entered the week of the deadline as the best team in the National League, and the expectation was that the team would use the deadline to go from good to great. Instead, the biggest move the Cubs made was an extension for Jed Hoyer.

The actual roster moves the Cubs made at the deadline suggest that they went from being good to okay. Making things even worse is that their biggest deadline addition, Michael Soroka, has no clear timeline of when he will pitch again. Oh, and adding insult to Soroka's injury is the fact that Carter Hawkins referenced the 2032 Cubs when talking about the moves the Cubs didn't make at the 2025 trade

There are roster moves that the Cubs need to make if they are going to have any hope of getting their season back on track.

• Place Kyle Tucker on the IL, promote Owen Caissie

Two things are currently true when it comes to the Chicago Cubs' offense: there are too many players going through a power slump, and Kyle Tucker's disappearing act is at the center of it. Something is clearly off with Tucker, and this may be the point in the season where the Cubs give him a 10-day reset.

In doing so, that would allow the team to give a look at Owen Caissie. Pinning the hopes of an offensive turnaround is never ideal, but the current state of affairs for the Cubs calls for drastic measures. Perhaps, Caissie provides the spark that the Cubs are in desperate need of.

• DFA Jon Berti, promote Moises Ballesteros

If the purpose of Jon Berti still being on the roster is for him to swipe a bag late in games, he certainly hasn't been great at that. Within their starting lineup, the Cubs have enough speed to the point where there shouldn't be a roster spot dedicated to someone who has the sole purpose of being a runner. As the Cubs' offense falters, it's more reason for the team to add Ballesteros to the bench--giving them another capable bat down the stretch.

• DFA Ryan Brasier

With Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad working their way back from injury, it seems that Ryan Brasier will be the easy candidate to be designated for assignment. Brasier has allowed at least one run in 4 of his last 5 appearances, and likely has fallen out of the bullpen circle of trust.

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