Reigning WS champion Cubs finalize Opening Day roster
When the Chicago Cubs kick off their regular season in St. Louis against the Cardinals on April 2, manager Joe Maddon will have a deep squad to work with once again.
President of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced the finalized Opening Day roster for the defending World Series champions Wednesday, naming outfielder Matt Szczur and infielder Tommy La Stella as the final two players on the 25-man roster - although he did say things could change.
"I know there's a ton of emphasis on the Opening Day roster," Epstein said, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. "But it's really one day out of 183. There will be lots of transactions."
Szczur and La Stella will join Miguel Montero, Javier Baez, and Albert Almora Jr. on what is expected to be a strong Cubs bench.
The remainder of the Cubs' roster will consist of Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Brett Anderson, and Kyle Hendricks in the starting rotation, along with a seven-man bullpen featuring Wade Davis, Hector Rondon, Koji Uehara, Carl Edwards Jr., Pedro Strop, Justin Grimm, and Mike Montgomery.
Chicago's starting lineup is dangerous, featuring Kyle Schwarber leading off, and National League MVP Kris Bryant hitting second in front of Anthony Rizzo.
Projected starting lineup
| ORDER | PLAYER | POSITION | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Schwarber | LF | L |
| 2 | Kris Bryant | 3B | R |
| 3 | Anthony Rizzo | 1B | L |
| 4 | Ben Zobrist | 2B | S |
| 5 | Addison Russell | SS | R |
| 6 | Jason Heyward | RF | L |
| 7 | Willson Contreras | C | R |
| 8 | Jon Jay | CF | L |
The Cubs won their first World Series since 1908 last season after defeating the Cleveland Indians in seven games.