Cubs have one roster move staring them in the face that needs to happen immediately

On Wednesday night, with the Chicago Cubs in the middle of a potentially improbable comeback against the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth, Craig Counsell made the controversial call to go to B.J. Murray Jr. off the bench against Abner Uribe. Since being added to the big-league roster as part of September call-ups, the young utility player has only notched a single hit in ten plate appearances and has looked overmatched by the highest level of pitching thus far. Facing one of baseball's best relievers with a 2.06 ERA and 2.91 FIP, he didn't stand much of a chance, and the rally ended at 8-6.

The logic from Counsell is somewhat understandable. Uribe has extreme splits, holding righties to just .126/.217/.168 for the year, while Carson Kelly is the same, crushing lefties but only hitting .235/.313/.322 against right-handers. That would've been about as awful a match-up on paper as imaginable, but Kelly is still a veteran and just came up clutch the night before against an also brutal reliever in Trevor Megill. Murray was far from an ideal answer, and it's worth wondering what he brings to the team at a suddenly crucial time.

It wasn't an out-of-left-field decision to call up the 26-year-old when the calendar turned. Murray has had a lengthy minor league journey that first saw him reach Triple-A in 2024, only to struggle mightily and earn a demotion back to Double-A Knoxville. Since then, he bounced back well, hitting convincingly enough in the lower affiliate to get back to the highest level of the minors in 2026 and demonstrate a lot of promise with a .294/.395/.500 slash line and 128 wRC+. With his defensive versatility between first, third, and the outfield, there was logic in giving him some limited looks to understand what they have in their #19 prospect.

However, the Cubs could use every advantage possible right now. Their recent skid has pushed them into the second Wild Card spot, with the Padres only 2.5 games back and playing hot lately. The Arizona Diamondbacks, meanwhile, are just three games out. Falling out of contention completely is not likely, but it's no longer inconceivable that, despite having the best offense in baseball with a 115 wRC+ and the top defense by far with 65 outs above average, they could end up on the outside looking in.

Changing out Murray for another minor league hitter like Kevin Alcantara, who has more experience in the majors, isn't going to flip a switch or anything, but his spot on the roster could still be used better. The obvious answer will be to send him back down the second Dansby Swanson rejoins the team. That could come as early as next week, depending on what the Cubs deem best to ensure he's set for the rest of the season with as little a chance of reinjury as possible.

The Cubs may have missed a chance to call up an exciting top prospect

Between Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez in the infield, the trade addition of Tyrone Taylor, and defensive specialist Gabriel Arias, the Cubs mostly have the depth needed to get by without having to utilize Murray much, even with Swanson out. It does feel, however, like there was a bit of a missed opportunity in picking him over catching prospect Owen Ayers to join the squad. He was considered for a call-up at the time, but it would've required moving him to the 40-man roster, which, in turn, would've prevented him from playing in the minors during the all-but-certain lockout.

Still, there was real value to be had in giving him big-league experience and having him learn to handle the pitching staff from Miguel Amaya and Kelly, too. Ayers' breakthrough campaign this year has him set to be a big part of the Cubs' catching plans in 2027, with Kelly expected to walk in free agency. It feels unlikely he'll get the call now that only 15 games remain in the season and he has yet to fully find the slug at Triple-A with a .257/.372/.375 slash line.

Murray's call-up was undoubtedly a feel-good story and well-deserved for a player who has fought hard to rise through the minors. If he's going to be this limited and unlikely to contribute much of anything in the middle of an increasingly tense playoff race, though, it couldn't hurt for the Cubs to make a swap, even if it's not Ayers.

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