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The Chicago Cubs have returned from Japan and in doing so, the next week will see the Cubs trim their spring training roster ahead of stateside Opening Day against the Arizona Diamondbacks one week from today.
With international roster rules now a thing of the past among the final decisions the Cubs will make this week is finalizing the final spots in the bullpen. With Javier Assad set to begin the season on the IL, Ben Brown and Colin Rea are leading candidates to replace Assad in the starting rotation. Given how the Cubs' schedule works out over the first month of the season, the team won't need a traditional five-man rotation. It wouldn't be a complete shock if Rea and Brown see some bulk work out of the bullpen to open the season.
Two pitchers who won't be on the Cubs' Opening Day roster are Jordan Wicks and Eli Morgan. Despite both pitchers traveling with the team to Japan, the Cubs optioned each pitcher to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday.
Jordan Wicks, Eli Morgan victims of the numbers game as Cubs make latest spring training cuts
Being that Wicks opened the 2024 season in the Cubs' starting rotation and the Cubs traded for Morgan this offseason, on the surface, the decision to option each pitcher to Triple-A could be surprising. In reality, both Wicks and Morgan have minor-league options remaining, and considering the Cubs have pitchers such as Julian Merryweather and Tyson Miller, both out of options, on their roster, the team likely wants to delay any decision on either pitcher for as long as possible. Not to mention, Brown pitching out of the rotation, or even as a bullpen ace, does offer a higher ceiling for the Cubs than either Wicks or Morgan.
Given the nature of injuries during the regular season, it would be a safe bet to expect to see both Wicks and Morgan at the Major League level eventually this summer. Given the depth the Cubs acquired this offseason, moves like optioning Wicks and Morgan from the Major League roster are more plausible.