Projecting the Cubs’ domestic Opening Day roster

As much as the Cubs extolled the virtues of their season-opening trip to Japan, their early schedule remains brutal. That challenge will be felt long after the jet lag wears off and the regular season resumes at a normal pace.

The Cubs went 0-2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in last week’s Tokyo Series, and they still have to face the defending World Series champions five more times in April.

Ramping back up again for domestic Opening Day, the Cubs will draw Cy Young Award contender Zac Gallen on Thursday at Chase Field, beginning a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the National League’s 2023 pennant winner.

From there, the Cubs will be part of the itinerant Athletics’ home opener at a Triple-A ballpark in Sacramento, Calif. Another West Coast trip is scheduled for the middle of April, and by that point the Cubs will have played the San Diego Padres six times.

Besides the Padres, Dodgers and Diamondbacks, the first two homestands at Wrigley Field will also feature the Texas Rangers, the 2023 World Series champs, and the Philadelphia Phillies, yet another playoff contender.

Add it up and the Cubs are projected to have the hardest month (March/April) for any team in baseball all season, followed by the easiest month (May) in the majors this year in terms of strength of schedule.

With the second phase of spring training almost over, this is a look at how the Cubs could regroup:

Lineup

1. Ian Happ, LF

2. Seiya Suzuki, DH

3. Kyle Tucker, RF

4. Michael Busch, 1B

5. Matt Shaw, 3B

6. Dansby Swanson, SS

7. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF

8. Nico Hoerner, 2B

9. Miguel Amaya, C

Bench

After a relatively smooth recovery from flexor tendon surgery, Hoerner is expected to be activated for domestic Opening Day, which would push Jon Berti into a utility role and force the Cubs to choose between Vidal Bruján and Gage Workman. The guess here is that the Cubs are too intrigued by Workman’s potential — as a left-handed hitter and a plus defender at third base — to return the Rule 5 pick to the Detroit Tigers.

Carson Kelly, the veteran catcher who signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract this offseason, will split time almost equally with Amaya behind the plate. Compared to bench options in recent seasons, Justin Turner, 40, represents a big upgrade in terms of postseason experience and a long track record of offensive production.

Rotation

• Justin Steele, LHP

• Jameson Taillon, RHP

• Shota Imanaga, LHP

• Matthew Boyd, LHP

• Ben Brown, RHP

All along, the Cubs wanted to keep Brown stretched out as a starter for as long as possible. Because once Brown’s swing-and-miss stuff was used in shorter bursts, it would become increasingly difficult to raise his pitch count again and transition him back into the rotation.

Injuries will keep happening, and Javier Assad’s oblique strain created an opening for Brown, a 6-foot-6 right-hander. He threw only 55 1/3 innings last season — and zero after June — because of a neck injury. If his workload is limited in any way this year, the Cubs might as well use him in the majors rather than expend those innings with Triple-A Iowa. His potential ceiling is that high.

Bullpen

• Ryan Pressly, RHP

• Porter Hodge, RHP

• Nate Pearson, RHP

• Brad Keller, RHP

• Ryan Brasier, RHP

• Julian Merryweather, RHP

• Colin Rea, RHP

• Caleb Thielbar, LHP

Tyson Miller’s hip injury was recently disclosed to reporters in Arizona after his rough showing in the Cactus League (nine runs, 10 hits and four walks allowed in 4 2/3 innings). That represented a small sample and a possible red flag.

Miller emerged as one of the team’s most reliable relievers last season, posting a 2.15 ERA in 49 appearances after the Seattle Mariners designated him for assignment in May. That minor trade reinforced an organizational belief that relievers can come from almost anywhere. At the same time, it’s hard to fully trust a reliever will simply maintain the same level from one season to the next.

Though the Cubs traded for an established closer in Pressly, their pitching infrastructure is still hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. Keller opened eyes during spring training and earned a roster spot. Pearson benefited from last summer’s change-of-scenery trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. “If healthy” is the qualifier with Merryweather, who has shown flashes of being a dominant late-inning reliever.

This is only a snapshot of a group that will constantly be in flux. Rea can absorb innings out of the bullpen, but the Cubs gave him a $5 million contract with the expectation he would make a significant number of starts this year due to the inevitable injuries. The Cubs already optioned Eli Morgan to Triple A with the understanding he should be a valuable piece of their major-league bullpen throughout the long season.

Depth and flexibility are not wow factors, but those elements are essential to a successful 2025 campaign. And the Cubs are set up with the fundamental pieces that show up more over 162 games — above-average talent, versatility, a good defense, a solid game-planning system, Triple-A insurance policies — rather than stand out in an international series or over a tough month.

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