The Chicago Cubs might have flaws, but they've still proven to be World Series contenders. At 54-36, they lead the NL Central, have the second-best record in the National League and hold the fourth-best record in the majors. Their offense has carried the load all year, but their pitching has been good enough, especially given their injuries.
While there's a lot to be excited about with this Cubs team, again, their roster does have flaws. They could use an infielder, a starter, and a reliever at a minimum. Assuming Jed Hoyer makes multiple deadline moves, there's a good chance that these five players won't be on the roster once the calendar flips to August.
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5) Jordan Wicks, starting pitcher
Once upon a time, Jordan Wicks seemingly had a chance to earn a spot in the Cubs' starting rotation long-term. Unfortunately, he's been limited to just three appearances and hasn't made a single start at the MLB level this season, as he's spent most of the campaign in Triple-A.
Wicks did pitch well his last time out, and he might make a start or two this month with Jameson Taillon sidelined with an injury, but even with Taillon out, the odds of Wicks remaining in the majors past the trade deadline feel pretty slim.
The Cubs needed a starting pitcher even with Taillon healthy. Taillon's injury will only add to their urgency to add a starter. They can do so and keep whomever they were going to remove from the rotation, presumably Colin Rea, as a starter until Taillon comes back healthy. This would ensure Wicks, a pitcher who has not established himself as MLB-caliber and one who has options, would get sent down to Triple-A.
4) Vidal Brujan, infielder/outfielder
Cubs fans didn't expect much from Vidal Brujan when the team acquired him in an offseason trade with the Miami Marlins, but it feels as if he's been even worse than expected. The 27-year-old has a total of five hits in 33 at-bats this season (.152 batting average) and has been worth -0.3 bWAR.
Small sample, sure, but Brujan has been on the active roster since mid-April when he was activated off the IL and has started a total of six games. Yes, he's essentially started two games per month for half the season, which is absurd. For the most part, he's either entered a game as a defensive replacement, a pinch-runner, or as a pinch-hitter in a blowout.
Brujan can play a variety of positions, which is valuable, but what else does he offer? He has a .389 OPS this season and a .522 OPS in parts of five MLB seasons, so he can't really hit. He's known for having good speed, but he's stolen only 16 bases in 30 attempts in his career, has gone 2-for-3 this season, and ranks in the 42nd percentile in sprint speed according to Baseball Savant. Again, I ask what value does he bring? It wouldn't be hard to find an upgrade.
3) Reese McGuire, catcher
Miguel Amaya's injury created an opening on the Cubs' roster for Reese McGuire and he's done nothing but take advantage of the opportunity. The 30-year-old has already tied a career-high with five home runs in just 62 plate appearances this season. He has a .771 OPS in 18 games, which, for a third-string catcher, is as good as you can ask for.
While McGuire has played well, Amaya is expected to be back sometime by the end of the month. Assuming he doesn't have a setback, he'll rejoin the team sometime before the deadline and go back to splitting playing time with Carson Kelly. Remember, prior to Amaya's injury, the Cubs were getting elite production from their catchers.
This is a tough break for McGuire who deserves a roster spot, but since he's out of options, there's a chance that his play will lead to either the Cubs trading him to a team needing catching depth or a waiver claim.
2) Justin Turner, first baseman
The Cubs signed Justin Turner hoping he'd be an ideal platoon partner for Michael Busch, but while Busch has more than held up his end of the bargain, Turner has struggled mightily. It's gotten to the point where he should be on DFA-watch.
Turner is slashing .208/.290/.264 with one home run and 12 RBI this season. He's recorded just four extra-base hits in 124 plate appearances, which is truly astonishing. Among the 336 position players with at least 120 plate appearances, his 61 WRC+ ranks 310th. It's the lowest of any Cubs player with that many plate appearances.
He's been somewhat decent against left-handed pitching, as he has a .675 OPS against southpaws, but even that mark is below league-average, especially for a platoon player. If the Cubs don't want to play Busch against lefties, they must find a better option than Turner. It was fair to give him some leash, given his track record, but it's July. It's time for the Cubs to admit this offseason mistake and find a better fit.
1) Matt Shaw, third baseman
This is easily the most consequential name on here. The Cubs wanted Matt Shaw to run away with their third base job very badly. They handed him the job coming out of spring training, but his early-season struggles led to a demotion back to Triple-A. He earned his way back up to the majors and got off to a hot start after his recall, but he's now hitless in his last 13 at-bats, and he's hitting .168 with a .482 OPS in 30 games since the start of June.
Overall, Shaw is slashing .207/.288/.293 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 59 games. He's drawn a good amount of walks and has stolen 11 bases, but his bat just isn't good enough and isn't getting any better.
There are few weaknesses in this talented and deep Cubs lineup, but third base has been one all season long. Cubs' third basemen rank 29th in the majors with a 59 WRC+ and last with -0.5 fWAR. That isn't all Shaw's fault, but he's obviously played there far more than anybody else. Giving Shaw the rest of the season to improve in a low-pressure environment like Triple-A while replacing him with a veteran upgrade to help them down the stretch could prove to be useful not only for the 2025 Cubs, but for Shaw - a player who should play a key role in this team in the future.