After fading down the stretch in 2023, the Chicago Cubs look to establish themselves as a true NL Central contender in 2024. The core of the 2023 squad is still together, with the additions of manager Craig Counsell and Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga to offset the loss of right-hander Marcus Stroman.

The club is 6-4 to start the year in a deep and competitive NL Central but could still improve. Here are two early-season moves the Cubs must make.

Give more playing time to Miguel Amaya over Yan Gomes

Frequently, the defensive ability of MLB catchers is based more on reputation than on-field performance. Chicago Cubs catcher Yan Gomes was statistically once one of the best defensive backstops in the game.

In 2021 he caught seven more base runners stealing than the average catcher, made 14 blocks above average, and was worth seven runs with his framing. Since that year, Gomes' defense has slipped. In 2023, the veteran's framing was worth -3 runs while this year he has already made three blocks fewer than the average catcher would be expected to make.

Gomes' decline has already seen youngster Miguel Amaya eat into his innings in 2024, resulting in an even timeshare. Amaya played in 53 games last year but has already caught five games for the Cubs this year — starting four of Chicago's nine contests. He has also been better in runs saved via framing and blocking (neither has caught a base-stealer yet).

Offensively, Amaya's bat does not have much pop (.611 OPS), but his .278 batting average is much better than Gomes — who has just two hits in 16 at-bats to begin the year. Yan Gomes is turning 37 this summer and it is time for him to give up his starting catching role to Miguel Amaya.

Demote Jose Cuas and call up Thomas Pannone or Hayden Wesneski

After being one of the strengths of the Cubs last year, the club's bullpen has struggled so far in 2024. The Chicago pen has an ERA of 5.12 and the team is just 2-6 in save opportunities. On Monday night, Adbert Alzolay gave up a go-ahead two-run homer to Fernando Tatis in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the lead, his second blown save of the year. But it never should have been close enough for Alzolay to be in or Tatis' homer to matter. Chicago led 8-0 heading in the bottom of the sixth before giving up seven runs that inning — five of them charged to the bullpen.

No reliever struggled more than Jose Cuas, who gave up three hits and four runs while getting a single out. Cuas' ERA rose to 9.00 on the year and has allowed earned runs in his last three appearances. Fortunately for Chicago, Cuas has two minor league options left and the club has a pair of quality pitchers in Triple-A ready to take his place.

The team could look to Thomas Pannone, who has 50 career appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers. The 30-year-old has yet to allow a run across 10.2 innings pitched for the Iowa Cubs, giving up just four hits and a pair of walks while striking out 11. The Cubs could also look to call up Hayden Wesneski. The right-hander has a career 3.97 ERA in 122.1 MLB innings and spent nearly all of last season on the MLB roster for Chicago. The Cubs' pitching depth knocked him down to Triple-A to begin 2024, but Wesneski carried a 3.57 ERA in 23 relief appearances in 2023 (vs. a 5.51 ERA as a starter) and would be another strong replacement in the bullpen.