Happy Roster Expansion Day! Bryant Coming, Baez and West Jawing, Zobrist the Rebel, and Other Bullets

Don’t get me wrong. I’m very, very happy the Bears landed Khalil Mack this morning (well, reportedly, yada yada yada). But the mechanics – on a Saturday morning – of helping manage that side of things, while also taking care of the kids, and also being ready for today because it’s the first day of roster expansion in baseball? Oof. You couldn’t have done this a few days ago or next week, Bears? (Actually, yeah, I understand why they couldn’t … I’m just complaining.)

  • But yes, September call-ups! They start arriving around baseball today thanks to a quirky rule that basically eliminates the 25-man roster in September. Now, any player on the 40-man roster can be up with the big league team. For the Cubs, that’s going to mean several more bullpen arms, a third catcher (Bobby Wilson when he’s off the DL), and several notable returning injured players. Kris Bryant is expected back today, and Addison Russell could be back – at least on defense – as soon as today, too. It’s going to be a full house within the next week (not everyone will come right away, as Iowa still has a few games left).
  • Eventually Brandon Morrow figures to return, too, but that’s still a ways off. Here’s a question: will the Cubs move him to the 60-day DL today to accommodate someone else on the 40-man roster? That would guarantee he’s out until at least September 15, but it would punt at least one DFA decision down the road a bit.
  • Javy Baez got rung up by Joe West on a pitch outside the strike zone last night – what else is new – and apparently West was not exactly courteous when Baez asked about it (Cubs.com): “We do our best to stay in the game, obviously. I didn’t think it was a good pitch, and it wasn’t. We’re human. We struggle a lot in this sport. But we admit it to ourselves. There’s nothing wrong with asking or talking to the umpires. They need to start talking to us like humans because they’re not. If anybody doesn’t talk to me with respect, I won’t talk to them with respect either. I didn’t say anything to him and he came to me like I said something wrong. When somebody does that, I can’t control my attitude. We’re human, too.”
  • I don’t even have to know the particulars of the exchange to know that there’s no chance Baez was wrong on this one.
  • No real particulars on Jason Heyward’s hamstring injury right now, though the messaging from the team talks about tightness and soreness without using the word “strain”. Even the mildest hamstring strain can keep a guy out upwards of four weeks, so it’s really hard to know what we’re looking at here. In terms of positional talent, the Cubs obviously have an overload of guys they can call upon to fill those starts in the outfield. But in terms of having that elite glove available down the stretch? You don’t want to lose it.
  • Wow, Ben Zobrist. Getting on MLB about cleat style, getting on umpires for not being robots, and now getting on old school statistics for being outdated:
  • Who is this brash, young rebel? (Also, he’s obviously quite right. There’s very little value that batting average imparts beyond what we can get – in a much more informative way – from on-base percentage and slugging percentage.)
  • Tommy La Stella netting a record yesterday:
  • If you’re a football fan, make sure you’re following our Bears coverage on Facebook and Twitter:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    I Dug Deep on the Cubs 2024 Schedule (And I Like What I See)

    Finally, with Cody Bellinger in the fold, we can start focusing more seriously on the season ahead. So today, I thought we'd take a look at the Cubs 2024 schedule. You can flip through the Cubs 2024 schedule right here...

    Here’s What I’m Betting on the Cubs for Opening Day

    I get it. Sports betting isn't for everyone — like, say, the interpreter for an international baseball superstar — but some of us quite enjoy it! If you are one of those people, this article is for you. Below, I'm...

    WAKE UP, BASEBALL IS BACK

    The day has arrived. Opening Day. The most glorious day on the baseball calendar, save for the day of each Chicago Cubs World Series win, of course. See, I get to say things like that on Opening Day. Maybe the...

    Wrigley Field is Gonna Be Lit This Year (As in New Colored Lights!)

    Last year, the Cubs started using their new LED outfield lights to do a little dancing display during 'Go Cubs Go,' lighting along with the song and throwing in a W. It was very fun and I liked it. This...

    Why Craig Counsell Wanted Miles Mastrobuoni on the Cubs’ Bench

    I don't know why Miles Mastrobuoni bugs some folks, but it's probably heavily-weighted toward his small-sample, bad-batted-ball-luck start last year, and that time he didn't dive while playing in right field. It can be hard to shake initial impressions, I...

    Kinda Sounds Like Craig Counsell May Have a Set Top Three in the Batting Order

    New Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell has said, generally, his batting order philosophy is the very simplistic (and very correct): just get your best hitters the most at bats. Sure, there's some play in that to set up good match-ups,...

    Latest News

    Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

    The Los Angeles Chargers enter the offseason with a new era dawning. After a disappointing season, they landed a marquee hire in Jim Harbaugh, fresh off his national championship win with Michigan. Hailed as the top coaching prospect, Harbaugh brings a...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    Rangers vs. Cubs Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Texas Rangers (0-0) begin their 2024 season with a home game against the Chicago Cubs (0-0) on Thursday, with first pitch at 7:35 PM ET.The Rangers will give the nod to Nathan Eovaldi versus the Cubs and Justin Steele.Rangers...

    Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks is a game to catch on a Thursday NBA slate that includes two thrilling contests.Interested in NBA player prop bets for today's games? This article includes NBA player props for every matchup, so...

    UNC vs Alabama Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

    We have a great matchup in the Sweet 16 between (1) North Carolina and (4) Alabama. Let's break down the odds, ATS records, and more for UNC vs Alabama as March Madness continues. Read More: Today's schedule and upset picks...

    Seattle Seahawks Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

    The Seattle Seahawks turn the page on a historic era as they enter the 2024 season without Pete Carroll at the helm for the first time since 2010. Carroll's impact on the franchise is undeniable, crafting a period of sustained...

    Who Is In The Sweet 16? Updated Bracket, Odds to Win, and More

    It has been a great March Madness so far and we have more great matchups in the Sweet 16. Check out what teams are in the Sweet 16, odds, and more as the college basketball season rolls on. Latest March...

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Today’s March Madness Schedule: Updated Bracket, TV Channels for Every Game

    The Sweet 16 is here as March Madness brings us some great matchups tonight! Check out today's March Madness schedule along with game times, TV channels, and more as the college basketball season's biggest games continue. The Sweet 16 Begins...

    2024 MLB Mock Draft: Opening Day Mock Draft Projections

    Happy Opening Day! As the new baseball season begins, and hope is present among most fanbases, why not take a look at a new 2024 MLB Mock Draft? Various mock drafts meticulously analyze potential picks, emphasizing the abundance of talent...

    more cubs news