3 questions the Cubs must answer this spring

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The big question facing the Cubs this season is whether their flurry of offseason moves will help the club turn the corner on a two-year rebuild and vault the North Siders back into contention. That answer will reveal itself over the course of the 2023 season. In the meantime, here are three questions the Cubs will be looking to answer this spring.

1. How will Kyle Hendricks’ situation impact the pitching staff?

At Cubs Convention, the consistent messaging -- whether from manager David Ross, front-office members, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy or Hendricks himself -- was that the veteran pitcher is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Hendricks is on a strict throwing program as he works his way back from a shoulder issue and focuses on reworking his arm action.

The absence of Hendricks until sometime in April (or later) could have been a massive blow, but the Cubs also have Marcus Stroman, Jameson Taillon, Drew Smyly and Justin Steele. Barring any unforeseen developments, that leaves one starting spot open with a handful of candidates.

Where things get interesting for Chicago is what happens behind the fifth spot. The club has rotation candidates in Adbert Alzolay, Javier Assad, Adrian Sampson, Keegan Thompson and Hayden Wesneski. If Assad and Wesneski are not in the Opening Day rotation plans, it seems likely they’ll head to Triple-A Iowa for regular work. Alzolay, Thompson and Sampson could each fill multi-inning rotation roles.

• Projecting the Cubs' Opening Day roster

So the Hendricks situation will also impact how Ross assembles the bullpen, which has multiple jobs up for grabs among a long list of contenders. That trickle-down impact will be something to monitor.

2. Who will emerge as the primary leadoff hitter?

Dexter Fowler's retirement announcement served as a reminder of how the Cubs have struggled to fill that “you go, we go” leadoff role he handled so well. Since Fowler left Chicago, the North Siders have given 31 players at least one start in the No. 1 slot. Last year, the total was 10 (six of those hitters are no longer with the club).

Ross has some thinking to do over the coming weeks as he weighs his batting order, especially with so many new additions.

Maybe an all-around bat like shortstop Dansby Swanson can grab that job, though the bulk of his career experience is in the second slot. An on-base-focused hitter like Seiya Suzuki could be an option, but Ross has liked him more in that No. 2-4 range. And where should switch-hitter Ian Happ, elite contact bat Nico Hoerner or comeback candidate Cody Bellinger have homes?

In a perfect world, that revolving door at the top would stop spinning with one clear-cut answer. Maybe the solution does not reveal itself until midseason, but the Cubs will use the coming weeks to weigh various options.

3. Which prospect(s) will make a push for the Opening Day roster?

Chicago brought in a long list of veterans over the offseason to fill prominent roles in the starting lineup and pitching staff. Still, there are jobs open around the edges of the roster, and it’s possible some prospects at least make a case during Spring Training.

• Cubs' non-roster invitees for 2023 Spring Training

Yes, the Cubs signed first basemen Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini, but the presence of the designated hitter helps slugging prospect Matt Mervis at least have a possible path to the roster. True, Bellinger is on board to handle center, but could Brennen Davis (even coming back from an injury-marred 2022) try to provide a right-handed option?

What about Wesneski or Assad? They were stellar down the stretch in the '22 rotation.

In all likelihood, that group will be at Triple-A Iowa to start the season, while someone like hard-throwing righty Jeremiah Estrada makes a push for the Opening Day roster as part of the bullpen. The relief corps could find a number of younger options in the mix this spring.