3 roster moves the Chicago Cubs need to make by the end of May

The Chicago Cubs are starting to get their groove going with four straight series victories against the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics. All of those teams save Oakland are likely playoff bound this year, and the Cubs took care of them in convincing fashion much of the time. Chicago is performing well on both sides of the ball, as the team ERA sits in the top 5 in MLB while the offense is top 10 in wRC+. Not bad for a team that won 74 games last year. Even though things are looking good, there are some issues that can be addressed with in-house roster moves. Here are three moves the Cubs need to make in May to ensure long-term success.

3 roster moves the Chicago Cubs need to make by the end of May - Promote Matt Mervis

The most glaring deficiency on the Cubs' active roster is their production at first base in a platoon situation between Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini. Those two are putting up some of the worst numbers in the league in terms of offensive production, and it is painful to watch considering one of the best first base prospects in the league continues to put up great numbers in Triple-A Iowa.

Through 41 at-bats for Iowa this year, Matt Mervis has 12 hits, 13 walks, and a .293/.456/1.041 slash line. It is only a matter of time before Mervis finds himself in the big league lineup, and it better be sooner than later. His left-handed power will be most welcome for run production in the speedy and on-contact-heavy Cubs lineup. There's a reason Eric Hosmer was cut by the Padres with three years and $36 million left to pay his deal. His offensive production is simply not what it was when he was with the Kansas City Royals. A 40-man roster spot will have to be cleared up for Mervis to make his big league debut, and I can think of no better path for that to happen than Hosmer getting designated for assignment.