Chicago Cubs Urged To Make Major Roster Move Amid Late-Season Run

The Chicago Cubs are being urged to make a major roster move as they try to make a late-season run.

Jul 14, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (30) looks on from the dugout before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Craig Counsell and the Chicago Cubs are hoping to make an improbable late-season run to get into the MLB postseason.

While their chances are extremely low, the team has been starting to show signs of life. Over their last nine games, the Cubs have gone 6-3. They have gotten better than they were, but it may be too little too late.

That being said, Chicago does have a shot at making the run. In order to make it happen, the Cubs will need to start closing out wins better than they have all year long.

With that in mind, Alexander Patt of Cubbies Crib is urging Chicago to make a major roster change. He thinks the Cubs need to remove Hector Neris from the closer role.

"It is long past time for Craig Counsell to make a change in the ninth, similar to what he did early in the year with Adbert Alzolay. While the Cubs are probably not making the postseason, they should be playing with a sense of urgency until they are officially eliminated, at the very least look to salvage as much as they can in 2024. Chicago has gotten great pitching from Jorge López, Porter Hodge and Tyson Miller lately so there are alternatives. Even if it's experimental, it's hard to continue watching the tying and go-ahead runs reach base every save opportunity regardless of the outcome."

Patt makes a very good point. Even though Neris has come through with 17 saves, he has blown five save opportunities and has nearly blown many more.

He simply is not an ideal closer.

Neris has been better suited for a role in the seventh or eighth inning. He just doesn't seem to do well in the pressure of the closer role.

All season long, Chicago has struggled to finish out games. The team has lost many close games that could have been won with a good closer. Making a change would make a lot of sense.

Any of the three options that Patt listed could make sense. Lopez and Miller seem like the best bets. Both pitchers have gotten through tough situations in relief and have shown the potential ability to be a closer.

There are 38 games remaining for the Cubs in the regular season. Each and every one of them should be viewed as a must-win scenario. They simply cannot afford to lose games when they have a lead in the ninth inning any more.

The facts are that Neris hasn't gotten the job done. Replacing him and giving another player a chance would be the right move from Counsell.