Cubs should try a wrong-way platoon

Over the past week the Cubs have sent out their ineffective messengers, Carter Hawkins and Crane Kenney to try to assure the media and the fans that they have "no issue" with paying the luxury tax in 2026. We've been over and over about how that should be the case considering the penalties they will be subject to are only financial, are very minimal and if the luxury tax is still a thing after the upcoming lockout that threatens at least part of the 2027 season (and the Cubs' long awaited All-Star Game hosting gig), the Cubs have so little committed to payroll next season, even after signing Alex Bregman, that it's hardly a realistic consideration.

That should put the Nico Hoerner trade panic to rest. And assuming it is, we can focus on the Cubs trying to create a real bench for once.

Realistically there are only two bench spots available. Nobody carries fewer than the maximum 13 pitchers, so that leaves just four places on the bench. Every team's backup catcher takes up one of the spots, and the Cubs have Matt Shaw as the odd man out in the infield.

Last week they signed former Bregman teammate Chas McCormick to a minor league deal to compete for the fourth outfielder job. Chas hails from noted baseball factory Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and when he debuted with the Astros in 2017 he became the third Millersville Marauder (great nickname) to reach the big leagues, and the first in nearly 40 years when the great Jim Todd pitched in 43 games for the mighty 1974 Cubs.

Todd was a 10th round pick by the Cubs in 1969, and in early 1975 they traded him even up to the A's for Champ Summers. They missed Todd so much that two years later they made a trade with the A's to get him back in exchange for Joe Coleman who won 62 games for the Tigers from 1971-1973. The Cubs were so happy with Todd the second time that they traded him again, this time to Seattke for Pete Broberg who the Mariners had just selected from Milwaukee in the expansion draft. Got all that?

McCormick looked like a real scouting coup for the Astros. They drafted him in the 21st round and just four years later he was a valuable part of teams that went to back to back World Series (winning one). In 2023 he split time between left and center and slashed .273/.353/.489, and most importantly for the Astros, he torched lefthanded pitching (.325/.399/.610). A guy could carve out a very nice career by playing above average defense in all three outfield spots and lighting up lefty pitchers.

Alas, McCormick inexplicably struggled against lefties in 2024 (.207/.270/.280) and in 2025 (.214/.298/.381) and wasn't offered a contract after the season.

The Cubs need their fourth outfielder to be a plus defender so that Craig Counsell can hide Seiya after his final at bat to ease the fears of nervous Cubs fans who thinks he drops every flyball.

I mean, he doesn't drop ALL of them.

Nothing like that ever happens to Gold Glove outfielders, though.

McCormick will be 31 this season and even if the Astros had wanted to keep him around as an extra outfielder, and they probably didn't, he was getting expensive for that role. The Cubs got to sign him for cheap, so they'll see if he's worth it.

But he's going to have company. The Cubs already have Kevin Alcantara, who has options left so he can be sent to Iowa without risk, but who could use some real big league at bats soon. They are bringing former Cardinals' top prospect Dylan Carlson to spring training. He was spotted working out for the Cubs late last week.