NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Cubs signed Andrelton Simmons for his elite defense at shortstop, so if his throwing arm isn’t just about 100%, there’s not a whole lot of wisdom in carrying him on the roster.
I say that because Simmons has been dealing with a sore shoulder throughout camp, but we’re now less than a week away from Opening Day, and he has yet to see the field in a Spring Training game. The Cubs haven’t made the call, but it does seem less and less likely that he’ll be able to open the season on the active roster:
Andrelton Simmons (right shoulder soreness) will throw again today. Seems unlikely at this point he will be ready for opening day.
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) April 1, 2022
On the one hand, Simmons starting on the IL would allow the Cubs to keep all of their outfielders for the moment, as we’ve discussed. That’s a good thing. On the other hand, the guy was signed for a reason. And with ANOTHER pitcher going down (Wade Miley, elbow soreness), the defense is going to keep on increasing in importance if the Cubs want any hope at staying afloat in the first half of the season. Being without Simmons’ glove at shortstop is going to hurt. I have little doubt about that.
In the meantime, you just hope that keeping all the outfield bats winds up for the best, and then you hope Nico Hoerner can play really solid defense at shortstop with this opportunity (while taking another step forward with the bat). And, hey, it’s not like it would be a bad outcome if Hoerner was just hitting too well and playing too well at shortstop to make any changes when Simmons is ready to go.
