The Chicago Cubs have revealed their 26-man roster for the National League wild-card series against the San Diego Padres, set to begin Tuesday night in San Diego. The roster largely reflects the group the Cubs have utilized throughout the latter part of the season, with 12 pitchers included for the short, best-of-three series.
Notably absent from the pitching staff are left-hander Caleb Thielbar and right-hander Edward Cabrera. Cabrera had been placed on the family medical emergency list on Friday but was activated on Monday. Despite showing some promise out of the bullpen in the final two weeks of the regular season, Cabrera struggled with consistency, allowing five runs over four innings.
Manager Craig Counsell explained that Thielbar was left off the roster partly due to the Padres’ positional makeup and the anticipated use of their bench. “They’re going to pinch hit for certain guys for sure, and just didn’t see necessarily pockets,” Counsell said. He added that with only 26 players permitted, the Cubs prioritized covering a range of pitching scenarios and mitigating injury risks rather than trying to cover every possible tactical matchup.
Infielder Gabriel Arias was included as a defensive backup and potential pinch runner, offering additional balance to the bench. With designated hitter Alex Bregman slated to start, Arias provides the team with another defensive option in the outfield.
The pitching staff features a mix of left- and right-handers, including lefties Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, David Peterson, and Ryan Rolison, alongside right-handers Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman, Daniel Palencia, Aaron Civale, Jacob Webb, Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Ryan Zeferjahn.
Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya will handle catching duties. The infield consists of Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman, Pedro Ramírez, Matt Shaw, and Gabriel Arias. The outfield positions will be manned by Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Conforto, and Tyrone Taylor.
The roster construction reflects the Cubs’ strategic approach to the wild-card series, balancing pitching depth, defensive needs, and bench versatility as they seek to advance in the postseason.