Cubs: 3 glaring roster holes keeping Chicago from World Series contention
By Tim Boyle
These three glaring roster holes will prevent the Chicago Cubs from winning the 2022 World Series.
What exactly are the expectations for the Chicago Cubs this year? They signed Marcus Stroman and Seiya Suzuki this offseason to help bolster the roster in a big way — at least on paper. They added a few other strong pieces, bringing in Jonathan Villar for some infield depth and Andrelton Simmons to play shortstop. Their bullpen also appears to have gotten stronger, too.
The Cubs made the kind of moves one might expect from a club only a few moves away from contention. This isn’t what the Cubs are. They sold off major pieces at last year’s trade deadline and are far away from doing anything more than spoiling the season for some of their National League foes.
Three specific glaring roster holes stick out the most as to why the Cubs won’t be winning another World Series in 2022.
3. The Cubs do not have the starting pitching needed to win a World Series
Marcus Stroman was a nice signing even if it hasn’t started off so well. Along with franchise mainstay Kyle Hendrick and what looks to be a savvy pickup with lefty Drew Smyly, the Cubs have a decent rotation. Once Wade Miley returns, it can get even deeper.
However, the team doesn’t have much else beyond those four and even they have some questions. Smyly and Miley have been up and down throughout their careers. Stroman has gotten off to a bumpy start, making him an early investment by the club that looks like it may be a major mistake.
This isn’t the elite-level starting rotation a team needs in order to win a championship. It’s good but not great. These guys are mostly number two starters with no clear ace. The Cubs opted to overhaul the bullpen instead over the winter. A wise decision to do so, they may have left a little too big of a gap in the starting rotation. With Miley already out to begin the season, we’re seeing the effects.