Update: Cubs DFA Trey Mancini

The Chicago Cubs have made it official. Trey Mancini has been designated for assignment. The move clears up a spot on the active 26-man roster for the recently acquired Jeimer Candelario.

Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami was the first to report on Tuesday that the Cubs were moving on from the veteran first basemam.

It absolutely blows that Mancini did not work out with the Cubs because he genuinely seemed to care that he wasn’t helping out the team and was hurting the club more often than not. But the Cubs are making it clear that they do believe in this roster to at least make a run in the final two months to get into the playoffs. Having Mancini on the roster was only going to hurt those chances.

If you recall, the Cubs pretty much did this last year with Jason Heyward.

The Cubs signed Mancini late in the offseason to a two-year deal that is fully guaranteed. Mancini, 31, agreed to the contract that will pay him $14 million through the 2024 season.

Mancini just did not provide much of anything to the Cubs in 2023, besides a good stretch in late April and early May. However, the Cubs have pretty much used him as a platoon hitter as of late, only starting Mancini against left-handed starters and then immediately pinch-hitting for him once a right-handed reliever came in to the game.

In 79 games this year, Mancini has a .635 OPS, with 4 home runs.

His slash line of .234/.299/.336, was dreadful and only amounted to a 74 wRC+. Mancini was worth -0.8 fWAR with the Cubs.

So, with Mancini now off the roster, the Cubs have opened room for newly acquired Jeimer Candelario. What’s even more interesting is that the switch-hitting corner infielder may end up getting more time at first base than we originally thought.

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers was ESPN 1000 on Tuesday, when he reported that Candelario will be starting at first base in his first game back with the Cubs. This shows how the Cubs might be more comfortable with Nick Madrigal at third base moving forward and honestly you can’t argue too much about the decision because Madrigal’s defense has been stellar at the hot corner this year.

In recent weeks the Cubs have been starting Cody Bellinger at first base against right-handed starting pitchers. It appears as though Tuesday night was a planned off-day for Seiya Suzuki and Mike Tauchman will be in right field.

However, with Suzuki’s struggles at the plate and Tauchman’s consistent play this summer, it is fair to wonder and maybe even expect the Cubs to now platoon Suzuki and Tauchman in right field, while maintaining Candelario in the lineup at first base.

Cubs fans are anxiously looking forward to Tuesday’s lineup against the Cincinnati Reds. We know Suzuki won’t be starting, but will David Ross continue to have Ian Happ batting third? We’ll find out later on.

After losing 6-5 Monday night, the Cubs fell five games behind the Reds in the NL Central. They’ll play three more this week at Wrigley Field. However, the Cubs begin Tuesday just 3.5 games back of the third Wild Card spot in the National League. The Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers are all tied for the final Wild Card spot with a record of 57-50.

The Cubs, 53-53, will have their ace on the mound tonight in left-handed starter Justin Steele.