Chicago Cubs Face Roster Challenges Amid Injuries and Struggles

Swanson’s Injury Raises Concerns

The Chicago Cubs roster was under scrutiny ahead of their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The focus intensified when shortstop Dansby Swanson left the game after experiencing tightness on his left side. Swanson’s exit during the Cubs’ 11-4 defeat may lead to him spending time on the injured list, according to manager Craig Counsell.

“We don’t really know anything yet,” Swanson remarked after the game. “We’ll find out more tomorrow once we get some imaging done. At that point, everything’s kind of TBD.”

Rookie James Triantos stepped in at second base while Nico Hoerner shifted to shortstop. With Swanson sidelined, Hoerner will continue at shortstop. Rookie Pedro Ramírez might see time at second base, as he made his first appearance at first base for the Cubs on Sunday. This gave regular first baseman Michael Busch a day off.

The Cubs lack a backup first baseman post-trade deadline, creating a need for additional support in case of further injuries like Swanson’s. Counsell expressed concern over this gap.

“First base is a spot where we’re a little concerned about what’s next should something happen to Michael,” Counsell stated. “We need to get somebody that, at a certain point of the season, is comfortable playing there should a need arise.”

Cabrera’s Return Brings Rotation Questions

Edward Cabrera returned from the injured list for the series finale against the Cardinals, marking one of the Cubs’ significant offseason acquisitions. His comeback necessitated pitcher Javier Assad’s move to Iowa to maintain roster balance. Assad has been a versatile pitcher with a 1.88 ERA since July, which made his reassignment challenging.

“I think at this point the decision we made was to preserve every pitcher we could,” Counsell stated. “And certainly, if I was in Javi’s shoes, that doesn’t feel fair. But from a depth perspective, this was a way to preserve everybody and keep maximum depth and move forward with that.”

Cabrera faced difficulties, giving up seven runs, raising his ERA to 5.68. He attributed the performance issues to a blister on his pitching hand.

“That was what affected me there in the last inning,” Cabrera admitted. “I tried to battle, but I couldn’t finish the inning.”

Consequently, the Cubs have more roster considerations to address. With Cabrera’s return, David Peterson is shifted to a bullpen role temporarily. Cabrera’s command issues have been persistent, contributing to doubts about his role in the rotation.

Counsell noted, “We’re going to have to talk about that, yeah,” when asked about Cabrera’s future starts.

Cabrera, despite the blister, aims to continue pitching without interruption, asserting past experiences with similar issues have not sidelined him before.

“It’s a blister,” Cabrera said. “I have had those in the past. In my mind, I’m not going to miss a start over a blister.”