Cubs set roster for domestic Opening Day against Diamondbacks with flurry of moves

PHOENIX — The Cubs made a series of moves to set their roster for domestic Opening Day, which they announced Thursday morning.

They officially selected reliever Brad Keller’s contract, after bringing him in as a non-roster invitee. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, they designated for assignment right-hander Cody Poteet, who they acquired from the Yankees this winter in the cost-cutting Cody Bellinger trade.

They put relievers Tyson Miller (left hip impingement, retroactive to March 21) and Ryan Brasier (strained left groin, retroactive to March 25) on the 15-day IL, freeing up room on the active roster for Keller and Eli Morgan, who the Cubs recalled from Triple-A Iowa.

They also put infielder Vidal Bruján on the 10-day IL with a sprained right elbow (retroactive to March 23), resolving the bench battle and bringing the Cubs’ active roster to 26. For the Tokyo Series, they were allowed 29 active roster spots, with only 26 eligible to play in the two games against the Dodgers.

Here is the Cubs’ active roster for the stateside Opening Day against the Diamondbacks:

Starting pitchers (5)

LHP Justin Steele

LHP Shota Imanaga

RHP Jameson Taillon

LHP Matt Boyd

RHP Ben Brown

Relievers (8)

LHP Caleb Thielbar

RHP Eli Morgan

RHP Porter Hodge

RHP Brad Keller

RHP Colin Rea

RHP Ryan Pressly

RHP Nate Pearson

RHP Julian Merryweather

Catchers (2)

Miguel Amaya

Carson Kelly

Infielders (7)

1B Michael Busch

2B Nico Hoerner

SS Dansby Swanson

3B Matt Shaw

1B/DH Justin Turner

UTL Jon Berti

UTL Gage Workman

Outfielders (4)

LF Ian Happ

CF Pete Crow-Armstrong

RF Kyle Tucker

DH/OF Seiya Suzuki

The Cubs face the Diamondbacks on Thursday for their domestic opening day.

By Maddie Lee

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Brown represents a different option for the Cubs, whose starting pitchers have struggled to get strikeouts.

By Kyle Williams

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Shaw, 23, the 13th pick of the 2023 draft, said his veteran teammates didn’t give him any advice as he struggled, which he took as a vote of confidence.

By Kyle Williams

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