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To say the 2024 Chicago Cubs season has been a disappointment is an understatement. Lofty expectations followed the Cubbies entering the year after they came away from the offseason with a rejuvenated Cody Bellinger and secured the services of Shota Imanaga, among other moves. Many had them picked as the favorites for the NL Central.
As the final week of August gets closer, the Cubs are nowhere near the top of the division and have four teams separating them from a Wild Card spot. A 5 1/2 game deficit can be made up over five weeks, but Chicago's chances at a playoff push appear slim to none.
While it's a tough pill for the Cubs and their fans to digest, there are pieces in place to find success in 2025. Chicago won’t return its entire roster, but the makings of a solid core are there. They might use September as an opportunity to promote prospects having stellar seasons in the minors and give more young players a shot.
Of course, somebody always has to go when a new player arrives. Whether it's getting demoted, placed on waivers, or straight up getting released, losing an MLB roster spot is never easy on a player. Some are lucky enough to find a new home rather quickly. That might be the case for a few Cubs whose time in the Windy City could be dwindling.
Players have to be on a team's 40-man roster by the end of August to be postseason eligible but they can still make an impact for a contender in September regardless. The Cubs have several players who could fit that bill.
Journeyman reliever looks for another team
Jorge Lopez has had quite a year. The right-hander began the season with the New York Mets, pitching to a 3.76 ERA with two saves in 28 games. His time with the Mets was cut short on the second-to-last day of May after he threw his glove in the stands and seemingly criticized the team following an ejection.
The Cubs scooped him up despite his actions and he's looked outstanding with Chicago. Lopez allowed two runs in 21 2/3 innings so far for a 0.83 ERA with the Cubs. He's struck out 23 batters compared to seven walks and secured his first save with the club on Saturday even after surrendering a solo home run.
He was flawless in August before that, giving the Cubs seven scoreless outings with 11 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .215 off Lopez during his time in Chicago, much improved from the .265 mark they had against him when he was with New York.
While it doesn’t make a ton of sense for the Cubs to put Lopez on waivers, perhaps the veteran will ask for his release in hopes of latching onto a contending team in September. He is a free agent at the end of the season and Chicago does not owe him much money, so cutting him loose to shave his salary isn’t in the cards.
Still, Jorge Lopez is a player teams would look at, especially if they are desperate for another bullpen arm. If he feels his time in Chicago is up, the Cubs would do him right to let him go in search of potentially his sixth MLB team over the last two seasons.
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Veteran catcher ends short stint with Cubs
Backup catchers are typically hit or miss in today's MLB. There are barely 30 starting-caliber backstops to begin with so the pool of backups/platoon options is higher than that of starters. Among the former is Christian Bethancourt, an eight-year veteran enjoying a mini resurgence in a Cubs uniform.
After being released by the Miami Marlins in June, the Cubs signed Bethancourt to a minor-league deal on July 5. Chicago promoted him three weeks later when Tomas Nido went down with a knee sprain and Bethancourt is producing in a limited role.
The defense-first catcher is 7-for-20 in nine games with the Cubs. Five of his hits went for extra bases, including a pair of home runs to go along with seven RBIs.
Nido resumed baseball activities last week and is expected to return in early September. The Cubs will have to decide between him and Bethancourt and will likely lean toward Nido. If that's the case, there's little reason to keep Bethancourt around.
He's not going to start for a playoff team, but if a contender is looking for veteran catching depth toward the end of the season, there are few better options than Bethancourt. He is still a great defender and has a knack for throwing out base runners. He's gunned down 33 percent of runners this year on 27 steal attempts, well above the MLB average of 21 percent.
Christian Bethancourt got valuable playoff experience as well over the last two seasons, starting two games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022. He's not a name that will move the needle, but he's at least an option for a team if their incumbent backup goes down in the next few weeks should the Cubs send him to waivers.
