(670 The Score) Early in this regular season, the Cubs have already been tested.
Ace Justin Steele will soon undergo season-ending surgery on his injured left elbow. Meanwhile, the Cubs’ bullpen has struggled considerably with a collective 5.23 ERA. With that, there have been calls for the Cubs to upgrade their roster.
But Cubs manager Craig Counsell cautioned that trades of substance in April simply aren’t feasible, and he emphasized that his team will have to rely on options from within.
“Trades are not made at this time of year,” Counsell told the Spiegel & Holmes Show on Tuesday. “I mean, there are trades made, but they’re not going to be the big trades. That’s just not what happens this time of year. This is why you build depth in the offseason, because things like this happen. You can’t be surprised by them. You know they’re going to happen.
“We feel like we’re well-equipped. It is a next-man-up strategy. But we feel like we got that group kind of lineup, preparing, and we go from there.”
Entering play Tuesday, the Cubs were 11-8 and led the NL Central. They'll visit the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 8:40 p.m. CT. Pregame coverage start at 8:05 p.m. on 670 The Score and the Audacy app.