Chicago Cubs Set 2025 Opening Day Roster

Opening Day is here, and Chicago Cubs baseball is officially back.

While 28 other teams still have another nine days to wait before their regular seasons begin, the Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers are kicking off their 2025 campaigns Tuesday morning in Tokyo. The last few days have been filled with Cubs players and staff immersing themselves in Japanese culture.

But now, it’s time to get the new season officially underway.

The Cubs enter 2025 with high expectations both inside and outside the clubhouse. Making the postseason is of course a major goal for those in the building. Many outside of it, though, view a playoff appearance as a must this year. If that doesn’t happen, it’s certainly possible changes are made in the front office.

But that’s a discussion for another time. Right now, it’s time to take a look at who Cubs manager Craig Counsell selected for the 26-man Opening Day roster.

Catchers (2): Miguel Amaya, Carson Kelly

This position group shaped up as expected.

It took Miguel Amaya a while to get going at the plate last year, but after a quick benching in early July, he posted a .799 OPS from July 7 on. Even through the struggles, Cubs pitchers praised Amaya’s work behind the plate as a game caller and game manager. Finding more consistency in 2025 will be key to continuing his development.

With Carson Kelly‘s addition this offseason, the idea is for him and Amaya to work as a tandem. Even though Amaya gets the Opening Day start, considering the demands of the catching position, it’s likely the duo will split playing time. The hope is that’ll keep the two catchers fresh, available and productive throughout the year.

The catching group’s production was near the bottom of the league for a large portion of 2024. As long as Amaya can carry his improvements from the second half into 2025, the pairing with Kelly could certainly prove to be more reliable.

Reese McGuire is on the taxi squad in Japan as the emergency catcher.

Infielders (7): Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, Michael Busch, Matt Shaw, Dansby Swanson, Justin Turner, Gage Workman

Again, there are no surprises here.

The only normal starter missing from the group is Nico Hoerner, who Counsell had ruled out of traveling to Tokyo well before the trip. He’s still recovering from offseason right flexor tendon surgery, and he stayed back in Arizona to continue his recovery and progression.

It’s still unclear if he’ll be ready for domestic Opening Day on March 27.

Hoerner being inactive for this series does allow the Cubs to keep all three utility infielders on the roster for now.

Michael Busch (first base), Dansby Swanson (shortstop) and Matt Shaw (third base) will make up three of the four starting infield spots. Jon Berti will fill in at second base, but Vidal Bruján and Gage Workman will make up part of the bench.

The Cubs will eventually have to make a decision on which of those three they keep (none of them can be optioned), but they’ve kicked that can down the road a little bit longer.

Of course, Shaw wasn’t on the 40-man roster, meaning a move had to be made to open up a 40-man spot. That came as the Cubs designated Keegan Thompson for assignment, opening up that spot for Shaw.

Now, he’ll get the first crack at locking down the hot corner — a position that’s seen a lot of turnover the last few seasons.

Outfielders (4): Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Kyle Tucker

The Cubs are rolling with four normal outfielders for this two-game set.

With Ian Happ in left, Pete Crow-Armstrong in center and Kyle Tucker in right, this is a strong starting group. Add in Seiya Suzuki, who should fill the designated hitter role more often than not in 2025, and you have the strongest position group on the Cubs.

The only real question about this group while they’re in Tokyo is whether Counsell will let Suzuki play in the field during this series. Though Suzuki has said he’s OK with being the DH if that’s what the coaches ask of him, his preference would be to play defense, too. Giving him a start, or even putting him on defense later in the game, would involve moving one of Happ or Tucker out of their position.

It’s certainly possible Counsell lets him take the field on defense. Suzuki is playing in his home country, in front of his home fans. It’d be more than reasonable for Counsell to give him that opportunity in one of these games. It might even be the right move for Counsell to make.

Starting pitchers (2): Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele

With just two games in Tokyo, the Cubs only need two true starters on the active roster.

Shota Imanaga is getting the ball in front of his home crowd on Opening Day. Justin Steele will follow him in Game 2. Imanaga and Steele finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting in 2024 and 2023, respectively, giving the Cubs a strong top two to tackle a daunting Dodgers lineup.

Imanaga is fresh off a stellar rookie season in which he posted a 2.91 ERA. He fooled hitters by posting a 97th percentile chase rate. He kept extra runners off the bases by finishing with a 97th percentile walk rate. After he emerged as one of the NL’s breakout arms in 2024, and considering Opening Day is happening in Japan, it makes sense to let him take the mound.

Steele could have gotten the start instead, for sure. Even after an Opening Day hamstring injury last year, he finished with numbers on par with 2023. That includes a 3.07 ERA, just below his 3.06 mark from two seasons ago.

Steele has been consistently strong since the summer of 2022. He and Imanaga should present a real challenge to Los Angeles.

Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd made the trip to Tokyo, too. However, with them pitching 4.1 and 4 innings Sunday, respectively, it’s no shock they aren’t on the Opening Day roster.

Bullpen (11): Ryan Brasier, Ben Brown, Porter Hodge, Julian Merryweather, Tyson Miller, Eli Morgan, Nate Pearson, Ryan Pressly, Colin Rea, Caleb Thielbar, Jordan Wicks

The Cubs’ Opening Day bullpen features an interesting mix of arms.

Ryan Pressly is a World Series champion and will likely start the year as the main option in save situations. Porter Hodge is coming off an eye-opening rookie season when he emerged as a real backend option.

Nate Pearson began to earn Counsell’s trust later on, and Julian Merryweather was a key bullpen arm in 2023. Colin Rea, Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks all have realistic shots at the fifth-starter job to begin the season.

There’s a lot of different arms there, and there’s a lot to like in the group.

Whether due to injuries or underperformance, bullpen depth has been an issue for the Cubs the last couple seasons. That has contributed to their failure to make the postseason. But between the relievers on the Opening Day roster and the pieces just below them, the bullpen depth feels strong.

One move that wasn’t made was adding Brad Keller. The Cubs could’ve opened up another 40-man spot for Keller, who’s impressed throughout camp on a spring invite, and he reportedly has an opt out in his contract if he isn’t added to the roster to start the year. Though it didn’t happen yet, it seems likely the Cubs add him before the domestic regular season slate begins.

Daniel Palencia also made the trip to Japan, but he was optioned to Triple-A Iowa when the Cubs made the roster official.

There will be relievers not on this Opening Day roster who will be in the bullpen later this season. It’s possible that happens even by domestic Opening Day next Thursday. But this is how the Cubs bullpen shakes out heading into Game No. 1 of 162.

Here’s the Projected Cubs Opening Day Lineup

1. Ian Happ, LF

2. Kyle Tucker, RF

3. Seiya Suzuki, DH

4. Michael Busch, 1B

5. Dansby Swanson, SS

6. Matt Shaw, 3B

7. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF

8. Miguel Amaya, C

9. Jon Berti, 2B