3 Chicago Cubs MVP candidates, and 1 player who should be benched

Cubs player to bench: Edwin Rios

For now, Edwin Rios is slotted in as a designated hitter with Chicago. That shouldn’t last too long, as he’s hitting under .100 and has failed to contribute much of anything as a hitter.

Rios has only played in six games, and his lack of production hasn’t necessarily hurt Chicago during that time period. But still, the Cubs have too many capable bats on their bench to let Rios own that spot.

The likes of Trey Mancini, Nick Madrigal or Seiya Suzuki — all of whom do get plenty of playing time — make for a better DH than Rios. Prior to the season, Rios was eager for another opportunity, this time with the Cubs. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to last long if he keeps hitting like this.

“I’m excited,” Ríos said this spring. “It’s one of those things as a kid you dream of — just to be able to get a [lot] of at-bats in the big leagues and stuff like that. For me, I’m just excited. We have a great group here. I’m excited to win.”

Winning is one thing. Winning while getting carried by your teammates is another. Right now, Rios is doing more of the latter, which is the problem.