3 Cubs roster holes and how the team should fill them

3. Cubs roster hole at first base: Fill it with Josh Bell

Options at first base are plentiful. Josh Bell, who just turned 30 in August, might be one of the better options for the Cubs to explore. Through his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, and San Diego Padres, Bell has hit .252/.351/.459 while averaging 25 home runs per 162 games.

Bell is not the ideal fit at first base but he is much better than their internal options and many others in free agency. Jose Abreu is getting too old. Trey Mancini might not be good enough to provide them with offense.

As a switch hitter with power and consistently good OBP numbers, the Cubs are getting a decent fit at a position where they got very little from in the post-Anthony Rizzo time period. Bell shouldn’t cost a large bundle. His game isn’t flawed and nothing seems to suggest a big decline is on the way even if he did struggle with San Diego post-trade deadline.

Thanks to the DH in the National League now, the team will have some flexibility. Bell could always end up there if a better opportunity at first base comes along. What’s most important is that the Cubs do something here. Alonso Rivas is not the solution anyone can count on. It’s time to go a little bigger and better.