5 Cubs on Opening Day roster who won't be on the roster next season

The Chicago Cubs find themselves in a great position to compete right now and in the future. They're squarely in contention to win what will likely be a lackluster NL Central, while also having a really exciting crop of prospects getting close to the majors.

The Cubs roster is officially set for Opening Day, but there will likely be movement throughout the season when guys like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cade Horton, and maybe even Matt Shaw are ready to go.

If these prospects don't play a role this season, they certainly will next season. That, combined with other factors, will lead to these five players not beginning next season as members of the Cubs.

5) The Cubs won't exercise their end of Drew Smyly's option

The Cubs gave Drew Smyly a two-year deal worth $19 million entering the 2023 campaign in a deal that made a whole lot of sense because the southpaw pitched extremely well in 2022. Unfortunately, he couldn't replicate that success at all last season.

Smyly wound up posting an ERA of 5.00 in 41 appearances (23 starts) and 142.1 innings of work. Credit to him for pitching in multiple roles, but it was abundantly clear where he was most effective. Smyly had an impressive 2.51 ERA as a reliever but that ballooned to 5.62 as a starter. That's why he was bumped from the rotation to begin with last season, and why he'll be part of the bullpen to begin this season.

The 34-year-old is making $10.5 million this season to likely serve as the team's long reliever. He could be the best long reliever in the sport and he still won't be worth close to that amount. He has a mutual option worth $10 million for next season, but that will presumably be declined by the Cubs barring a return to the rotation from the 34-year-old.

4) Garrett Cooper might not last this season on the Cubs

The Cubs Opening Day roster featured a surprising insertion of Garrett Cooper, and that was thanks to Patrick Wisdom opening the season on the IL with back discomfort. It's not surprising to see Cooper, a seven-year veteran on a MLB roster, but it is surprising to see him on the Cubs Opening Day roster after he joined the team on a minor league deal.

Cooper made the team, but he doesn't really have anywhere to play. Cody Bellinger should see plenty of time at first base, and when he is in the outfield, Michael Busch will likely play first. Cooper can play a little bit of corner outfield if he has to, but the Cubs are pretty set there. Perhaps he'll see at-bats against left-handed pitching as he's been great against them throughout his career, but that remains to be seen.

When Wisdom does return from the IL, there's a good chance Cooper will be sent to the minors or simply released, as it's Wisdom's spot that he took. Even if he somehow lasts the entire season, Cooper doesn't have a clear long-term role with the Cubs.

3) Mike Tauchman won't be on the Cubs next season

Mike Tauchman is a cool story. He signed with the Cubs on a minor league deal ahead of the 2023 season, earned a promotion in May, and never looked back. Tauchman wound up being productive for the Cubs, slashing .252/.363/.377 with eight home runs and 48 RBI in 108 games. He even lead off 63 times last season, something nobody could've expected.

The Cubs re-signing Bellinger along with the Michael Busch trade and the likelihood that Pete Crow-Armstrong was MLB-ready made it seem like Tauchman might not even be back for the 2024 campaign. The Cubs wound up sending Crow-Armstrong back to the minors, opening up an opportunity for him to play some center field for the Cubs.

The 33-year-old does still have two years of control after this one, but the logjam in the outfield is very real. Bellinger, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Crow-Armstrong, Alexander Canario, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara are just some outfielders who can be ready to contribute for the Cubs sometime this season or next. With that in mind, the Cubs might be better off seeing what they can get for Tauchman in a trade, as he'd have a minimal role at best if he stayed with the Cubs.

2) Hector Neris' Cubs career will be short

The Cubs got off to a slow start this offseason, but once Jed Hoyer started making moves, he made some good ones. One of those good moves was bringing in Hector Neris who signed a one-year deal worth $9 million. The deal includes a club option worth $9 million for the 2024 campaign.

Neris not getting multiple years guaranteed seemed pretty crazy considering the fact that he had a 1.71 ERA in 71 appearances last season, but that gave the Cubs an out. Will 34-year-old Neris repeat the outstanding season he just had when that ERA was accompanied by a 3.83 FIP? Feels very unlikely. Assuming he doesn't, will the Cubs be compelled to pick up that club option? Also feels very unlikely.

Relievers are often extremely volatile, and they often change teams, so Neris departing after just one season wouldn't be a surprise. The Cubs bullpen isn't filled with many household names, but guys like Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather, and Mark Leiter Jr. are all cheap, controllable, and solid. There's a good chance that the Cubs will continue to build their bullpen internally, and be pretty good at it.

1) The Kyle Hendricks Cubs era will finally come to an end

Kyle Hendricks has spent his entire ten-year career with the Cubs and has become a fan favorite. Hendricks is, of course, remembered most for the work he did to help the Cubs win the 2016 World Series, but he remains an effective pitcher at age 34 when healthy.

The right-hander was limited to 24 starts last season but pitched well, posting a 3.74 ERA in 137 innings of work. He doesn't strike many out and doesn't throw particularly hard, but he still ranked in the 98th percentile in average exit velocity according to Baseball Savant, showing he can limit hard contact with the best of them. Hendricks is a pitcher and not a thrower, something many other pitchers can't say.

There's no doubt that Hendricks is still a solid back-end starter at worst, but he's also a free agent at the end of the season and the Cubs have several younger arms to turn to. Jordan Wicks has already cemented himself as a rotation piece to begin this season, and guys like Cade Horton and Ben Brown should be ready by next season at the latest.

The Cubs might bring Hendricks back for sentimental reasons, but there isn't much of a reason to when they have so much young talent they can and should turn to.