Cubs finally make Moises Ballesteros roster move that was seen from miles away

With Matt Shaw expected to get regular appearances in the Chicago Cubs' starting lineup moving forward, and the Michael Conforto experiment continuing for now, the Cubs made a decision with Moises Ballesteros that was long overdue.

Eagle-eyed Cubs fans noticed the Cubs updated their transaction log on Thursday evening, revealing that Ballesteros had been optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Given the start that Ballesteros, posting an OPS+ of 190 through the first month of the season, no one would have predicted that he would be demoted to the minors before the end of June.

While Ballesteros hasn't been the only Cubs player struggling in recent weeks, he was one of the few that seemingly lost his spot in the starting lineup. Since May 1, Ballesteros has been slashing .141/.229/.188 in 96 plate appearances. The slug that Ballesteros displayed at the start of the season all but disappeared from his profile.

Moises Ballesteros' initial run as Cubs' DH comes to an inevitable end

The Cubs were in somewhat of a catch-22 with Ballesteros on the major league roster. Conventional wisdom would suggest that he had been given regular plate appearances over the past month, he may have broke free of the slump he's been since the calendar flipped to May. That wasn't entirely possible, considering the struggles of the overall offense, and Conforto initially having success.

This move with Ballesteros feels different form when the Cubs optioned Kevin Alcantara earlier this season. It remains clear that the Cubs believe in his bat, and generally, there's no reason they shouldn't. For now, the best thing for the Cubs and Ballesteros is for him to get everyday plate appearances with the I-Cubs. There remains a strong chance that Ballesteros will once again help this Cubs team before the end of the season.

Speaking of Alcantara, the fact that he wasn't the man replacing Ballesteros is another sign of the fading belief the organization may have him. Instead, the Cubs have selected the contract of Justin Dean.

An outfielder known for his speed and defense, Dean is the ideal option to fill the vacancy left by Ballesteros on the bench. Especially since it's a role that's not going to come with many plate appearances.

If nothing else, the move with Ballesteros may suggest the urgency has ticked up for Jed Hoyer and Co. Now is the time for the Cubs to get the most out of their roster, especially if the plan is to be an active buyer at the deadline.

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