Bloody Knuckles and Roster Cuts

[Brian Kelder]

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images

When you enter a middle school, one thing you instantly notice is the aggression—especially when you talk about the boys. Look one direction, you see guys playing bloody knuckles. Another direction, there's juveniles slapping the top of doorways like they're dunking. Turn around again, you might see ear flicking. Do you see what I mean? Aggression is par for the course in that world.

Jed Hoyer probably was not that type of aggressive when in grades seven or eight. But as I wrote last season, he isn't risk-averse, either. In 2025, we're seeing him at his most aggressive, and it's been a fun ride so far. Perhaps you shouldn't click on that link. Some of the takes haven't aged well at all!

Already this week, Moisés Ballesteros has made his big-league debut. This is but the latest in a season wherein the Cubs are fully invested, and the roster moves have reflected that. Hoyer truly is embracing his gunslinger side.

When the roster moves are evaluated, it becomes clear how aggressive and responsive the Cubs are being.

Nate Pearson was considered a possible staple in the bullpen entering the season. After eight appearances with an ERA over 10.00 and a 7.73 FIP, the plug was pulled. Jordan Wicks has not been heard from since a difficult two-inning stint in April. Luke Little had a wild inning, and is now buried again in Iowa. 

The depth in the bullpen that the Cubs built this offseason has paid off. There are options when injury or struggles strike. So far, Hoyer and Craig Counsell have given no quarter to noncompetitive relievers.

When Shota Imanaga went down with an injury, the expectation was that Chris Flexen or Jordan Wicks would make his next start. Past history would show that the guys on the 40-man roster generally get first crack at the job. As we all know, this was not Gunslinger Jed's plan. Cade Horton came up to fill the 4-inning out-getter role instead. Quite aggressive—and also, just much more fun as a fan. 

When Ian Happ went down with an oblique strain, most expected Kevin Alcántara or Owen Caissie to receive a cameo. Instead, Ballesteros was rewarded for his scorching (.368/.420/.522) Iowa stats, even though more roster machinations needed to be performed. Once again, Caissie and Alcántara were on the 40-man roster; they were bypassed by the player who was performing better. Roster gymnastics were performed, and the most deserving bat is being given a chance.

The quick demotion of Matt Shaw is also instructive about the Cubs' mindset. He was simply not producing competitive at-bats. In this season, the patience cannot be afforded to let anyone struggle at the big-league level. Everyone is on notice—even first-round picks without an obvious alternative to them on the roster. 

This is my favorite iteration of Hoyer: Cold, calculated, swift, and ruthless. This is the urgency and aggressiveness fans have pined for during the past three seasons of half-measures and soft resets. With the trade deadline two and a half months away and a full holster of prospects, we can expect an exciting summer both on the field and off of it. 

Why does this matter? Well, the division is behaving much less like everything is on the line, but they're still hanging around. The Brewers have made a trade already to shore up their own pitching shortcomings. They're struggling, but still in the mix. The Cardinals are playing well and sit only one game back of the Cubs. The Pirates, however, are still Paul Skenes and a bunch of meh, and the Reds continue to flounder. An aggressive approach would solidify the Cubs' spot as a playoff team.

This window won't remain open for long. Everyone knows Kyle Tucker will hit free agency; he's by no means certain to return. Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Dansby Swanson all are over 30, and their primes will not last forever. And frankly, some of the prospects are losing their sheen. James Triantos has dropped off the MLB.com top prospects list, and we've already discussed Caissie and Alcántara. The time for this group is now.

A favorite gag of middle school kids is the jumping out of the open window, leaving class. While this is largely a relic of the past, Jed Hoyer's window for the playoffs remains wide open. We can all hope he continues to be aggressive and jump through.

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