MESA, Ariz. — Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell doesn’t have a ton of roster decisions to make this spring.
His starting lineup and rotation are mostly the same. Daniel Palencia returns as the closer, and most of the other bullpen pieces were signed over the offseason.
“That changes,” Counsell said Saturday morning at Sloan Park, referring to the usual spring injuries that force audibles.
Photos: An inside look at Chicago Cubs spring training
Cubs minor-leaguer Jonathon Long was removed from Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers with a left elbow sprain when Rangers hitter Mark Canha collided with his arm as Long took a throw from shortstop Jefferson Rojas.
But the roster decisions remain few, with four more weeks of games.
“I think the industry in general has kind of moved towards that a little bit, (fewer) decisions going into camp,” Counsell said. “More teams have gone in the direction of being more set.”
One significant roster roadblock was settled this weekend. Catcher/DH Moisés Ballesteros had his visa issue cleared, but the Venezuelan slugger experienced flight delays from Colombia to Houston, Counsell said. He should be in camp by Sunday, and though Ballesteros’s absence might put him back a few days, Counsell indicated it won’t affect the likelihood of him being ready for the season.
If Ballesteros is the DH, there’s only one spot in the lineup that potentially is up for grabs — the right field spot vacated by, uh … (checks notes) … Kyle Tucker.
Seiya Suzuki, last year’s DH, is the obvious choice to replace Tucker since he played there 2½ years before Counsell made him a DH during the 2024 season. Suzuki went grudgingly and was forced to return to right during Tucker’s second-half injuries.
Asked Friday if he expects more playing time in right with Tucker gone, Suzuki smiled and said through his interpreter: “Can you ask the manager?”
No problem.
Counsell answered the question Saturday, saying Suzuki would get more time there than he had last year, which wasn’t really saying much. Suzuki made 32 starts in right in 2025, and 14 in left. He’s playing center for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic but isn’t expected to get any time there during the regular season with Pete Crow-Armstrong around.
Suzuki reiterated he’d prefer being in right to DHing, suggesting it helps his offense.
“Playing the field helps me with the rhythm of the game, because you go out there, come back, get ready to hit,” he said. “If the opportunity is there, yes. But it’s up to (Counsell) for that (decision).”
The other main options are Kevin Alcántara, if he makes the roster, and Matt Shaw, a Gold Glove finalist at third base as a rookie. Shaw is being touted as a Ben Zobrist-type of utilityman, a role he gladly accepts after losing his position with the signing of Alex Bregman.
Shaw got his first start in right in Saturday’s game in front of 12,073 at Sloan. He saw only one fly ball come his way over six innings, and though it wasn’t exactly a flawless route, Shaw turned it into a routine catch.
“At the end of the day it’s just catching fly balls,” Shaw said. “I think the wind and the sun will add another element when that comes. But right now the wind wasn’t bad. The sun obviously was in Pete’s eyes, but not too bad over in right.”
Crow-Armstrong had missed a fly in center because of the sun, just as Suzuki did Friday. Suzuki asked for the sun to be moved, but even as the Cubs rule Mesa, Chairman Tom Ricketts doesn’t have that much clout.
Sun aside, Shaw said the transition to right shouldn’t be that difficult for him. Counsell concurred.
“The challenge is that we want hard plays, we want mistakes, because that’s really the best place to learn from,” Counsell said of Shaw’s spring audition. “The fly ball that goes straight up and he catches it … that does us nothing, right?
“We’re looking for more than that. You want action. You want weird plays. Those are the experiences that make you better and cause growth. The best way to do it is just have innings out there.”
Shaw said he listened to Counsell’s advice, then added: “Obviously I hope I don’t make any mistakes.”
That seems logical. Who wants to make mistakes in front of 12,000 fans?
Counsell wouldn’t bite on whether Shaw could become the primary right fielder.
“We’re going to count on Matt at a number of positions,” he said, though all of the infield positions are taken, and right is Shaw’s best chance at getting at-bats.
Shaw said he hasn’t heard any skeptics wondering why the Cubs would risk using an untested infielder in right. Wrigley Field is not the easiest ballpark to play right under any conditions.
“Skepticism in general, I haven’t heard much,” he said. “But I also don’t listen to it a whole lot. I know that I’ve been blessed to play baseball and to be able to go run around and catch fly balls, so I’m definitely not (worried).”
He’s not being asked to split the atom. But it’s still a difficult position.
The Cubs also have to think about the future beyond 2026. The former heir apparent in right, Owen Caissie, was dealt to the Miami Marlins in the Edward Cabrera trade. Suzuki also is entering his walk year. Who will play right in 2027 — or ’28 if there is no ’27 season?
Does Suzuki expect to be back?
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” he said. “Obviously it depends on my performance. If I perform well, yes, I want to stay. At the end of the day, I feel I haven’t put up the numbers people were expecting me to, so it really comes down to how I perform.”
The Cubs might not be in a hurry to think that far ahead. The owners likely will have a lockout in December if the players don’t agree to a salary cap. Players are adamant against a cap, so I asked Matt Boyd Saturday why they can’t have one if it works for the NFL, NBA and NHL.
“The money has got to go away for somebody when you’re putting a cap on it,” Boyd said. “That’s what it comes down to. I don’t think that solves all the issues. If you want to put a cap on it, what about the teams that aren’t spending and aren’t competing?
“Are they going to spend more money when we do that? Our goal is to get everybody to compete. … There are teams that are revenue sharing, and those teams (receiving it) are supposed to put it back on the field. It’d be nice to put it back into the roster to compete. I think that’s the issue.”
Maybe when the sun moves, the players will accept a cap.
Until then, play ball.
