Chicago Cubs Roster
- NL Central
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- Wrigley Field
Chicago Cubs manager David Ross said that the Opening Day start will come down to starting pitchers Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks. That will come on the road on Thursday, March 26, against the Brewers. Darvish is more of a volatile fantasy selection because of his injury history, but he also offers more strikeout upside than Hendricks and is going at an ADP of 68 compared to that of 142 for Hendricks. The Japanese right-hander finished the 2019 season on a really high note, giving those who draft him some optimism that he can bring that into 2020. Hendricks had a very decent 3.46 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 150 K's in 177 innings across 30 starts last season.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Miller, who hit .264/.346/.431 in Triple-A last season with the Twins and Mariners, is batting .375/.459/.469 and is leading the majors with eight stolen bases in spring training. It has given him a chance to break camp as the 26th man on Chicago's roster after being a non-roster spring invite. The 28-year-old had just 17 at-bats with the Twins in 2019 and hit .176 with an RBI on three hits. In 106 games for Triple-A Tacoma last year, Miller hit .269 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI and 29 stolen bases. Speed is his biggest asset, but for now he's just a name to watch as he attempts to make the Cubs roster as a bench guy.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish (illness) will throw three innings during a simulated game on Friday. Darvish was supposed to pitch Thursday, but was scratched with the flu. Darvish finished 2019 strong and has top-20 potential heading into 2020.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish (illness) was scratched from his Grapefruit League start on Thursday because he's dealing with a cold. It was initially reported that he was dealing with the flu, but tests proved otherwise. Second baseman Jason Kipnis is also taking the day off due to illness. Darvish, the expected Opening Day starter, should be just fine moving forward as long as he's not sidelined for too long. The Japanese right-hander has made one spring outing covering two innings, but he was hitting 98 mph with his fastball and he struck out three hitters. After a strong second half in Chicago in 2019, Darvish could be a value pick at his current ADP.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (finger) has been scratched from Thursdays lineup with a blister on his right middle finger. Rizzo should be considered day-to-day for now. Rizzo is ranked 40th overall by RotoBaller and is a safe pick in between rounds four and five in upcoming drafts. He might miss a few days in camp, but this shouldn't be a serious issue at all.