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3 Cubs players who'll make the Opening Day roster but won't last the season
A fan favorite is likely entering the start of his final season with the Chicago Cubs.
With Cody Bellinger officially back with the Chicago Cubs, the tune has changed about the team's offseason.
Bellinger's presence on the 26-man roster lessens the need for fans to squint at the roster to see a team capable of making the postseason. Even though Craig Counsell may be eyeing upgrades to the starting rotation, it would be safe to say that the team's Opening Day roster is pretty much set.
While there is never a Spring Training that passes where there isn't an emphasis on who will make the Opening Day roster, it's important to remember that the Opening Day is written in pencil, with names added and removed throughout the entire season.
Cubs players will be with the team on Opening Day, but their spot on the roster won't last.
Cubs players that won't last the season with the team - Patrick Wisdom
Patrick Wisdom does one thing exceptionally well, and that is hit for power. The Cubs haven't had a 30-home-run hitter since 2019, with Wisdom routinely coming close to the mark, hitting over 25 home runs in two of his last three seasons.
The issue for Wisdom is that his defensive regression at third base has made him unplayable at the position, and his lack of contact overall is one of the main reasons he was thought not to be a solution for the team's needs at first base.
With Garrett Cooper added to the mix on a non-roster invite, the Cubs may be eyeing Cooper taking over Wisdom's spot on the roster. While Cooper does not have the power that Wisdom has, he is a plus-defender at first base and presents an ideal platoon partner with Michael Busch.
2. Nick Madrigal
For as many jokes made at Nick Madrigal's expense last season when the Cubs converted him to a third baseman, he passed the eye test. Madrigal proved he was capable of handling third base, but his offensive profile still has flaws.
Madrigal's inability to take a step forward on offense in his development is likely what sparked Craig Counsell's decision to give Christopher Morel a chance at the hot corner. Madrigal has been assisting Morel with his transition to playing third base regularly and assuming Patrick Wisdom is not long for the roster, the former White Sox top prospect likely is safe in terms of making the Opening Day roster.
Madrigal will be the primary backup to Morel at third base to open the season but the ascension of 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw is something to monitor. If the Cubs have a need for offense during the second half of the season and are in a position to make the postseason, Shaw will likely get serious consideration at being promoted to the Major League level.
Shaw's arrival will likely come at Madrigal's expense, especially if the plan is for him to play at third base.
3. Mark Leiter Jr
It is impressive, if not bold that Jed Hoyer admitted that he did not fully address the bullpen last season only to address it this off-season with the signing of Hector Neris, who showed a dip in velocity with the Houston Astros last season.
Hoyer pinned the success of the Cubs' bullpen last season on the idea that Mark Leiter Jr's splitter would continue to get left-handed hitters out. It was a bet that paid off during the first half of the 2023 season while allowing the team to overcome the regression of Keegan Thompson, but the success of his splitter disappeared during the second half.
Leiter had a 8.59 ERA during the last month of the season and if the success of his splitter does not return in 2024, he likely won't last until the All-Star break.
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