It seems like the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs will come down to two players for the upcoming season.
When the offseason began, there were a lot of players on the Chicago Cubs’ wish list.
Unfortunately, many of those players have ended up on the rosters of other teams, making the front office search elsewhere to find players who can help them contend.
The Cubs were able to address both starting pitching and bullpen needs through signings and trades.
However, the question about there lineup and fielding positions still persist.
With it still unknown if Christopher Morel can handle the full-time third baseman role based on his defensive struggles, Chicago might use him as the designated hitter once again to keep his bat in the lineup.
Matt Chapman was seen as a candidate who would fill this need nicely.
He is an elite defender, winning multiple Gold Gloves, and is an above-average hitter who also has power in his bat.
It seemed like adding him would address both issues.
But nothing has come to fruition on that front and it seems like the Cubs are willing to let other teams ramp up their pursuits of Chapman.
That leaves two players, Patrick Wisdom and Nick Madrigal, likely to be battling it out for the starting third baseman role for Chicago on Opening Day.
Wisdom saw his time at the position reduced last season after appearing in 105 games at third in 2022. His fielding percentage has continued to crumble since joining the Cubs, making it difficult to play him there with the organization’s emphasis on infield defense.
Madrigal provides much more defensively, but his slash line of .263/.311/.352 with only two home runs and 28 RBI doesn’t bring the pop to their lineup that Chicago is looking to have.
Morel will certainly have the opportunity to showcase his ability playing the position, but manager Craig Counsell already said they view him as a player they can use across multiple roles.
As Spring Training gets closer, it seems like it will be either Wisdom or Madrigal who are manning the hot corner on Opening Day.
