Any player on the team's 40 man Reserve List (or on designated disabled list) is eligible for post-season play if he was on the 40 man roster prior to midnight on August 31. Clubs have already submitted to the league office their playoff player lists.
This is important because a couple of Maddon's late September go-to guys like reliever Trevor Cahill are not currently eligible. Cahill would only be on a playoff roster if there is an injury to a player eligible for the playoffs.
So it stands that the critical wild card game will come down to 15 players selected from this list:
PITCHERS: 21
Jake Arrieta
Dallas Beeler
Carl Edwards Jr
Justin Grimm
Jason Hammel
Dan Haren
Kyle Hendricks
Tommy Hunter
* Eric Jokisch
* Jon Lester
Yoervis Medina
Jason Motte
Neil Ramirez
* Clayton Richard
Fernando Rodney
Hector Rondon
* Zac Rosscup
Pedro Strop
Jacob Turner
* Tsuyoshi Wada
* Travis Wood
>>>>> For the Wild Card game, the Cubs only need to activate ONE starter, either Arrieta or Lester. Most people believe Arrieta will get the call, leaving Lester to throw Game 1 in the divisional series.
The rest of the roster would be made up of 10 bullpen arms and 14 position players.
The bullpen arms would be: Grimm, Ramirez, Motte, Richard, Strop, Wada, Wood, Rondon, Hunter and Rodney.
CATCHERS: 3
* Miguel Montero
David Ross
* Kyle Schwarber
>>>>> All three catchers make the wild card game roster.
INFIELDERS: 9
# Arismendy Alcantara
Javy Baez
Kris Bryant
Starlin Castro
# Jonathan Herrera
* Tommy LaStella
* Anthony Rizzo
Addison Russell
Christian Villanueva
>>>>> Infield starters will be Bryant, Russell, Castro and Rizzo.
The bench infielders would be Baez and LaStella.
OUTFIELDERS: 7
* Quintin Berry
* Chris Coghlan
Chris Denorfia
# Dexter Fowler
Austin Jackson
Jorge Soler
Matt Szczur
>>>>> This leaves 5 outfield spots.
Schwarber may start in LF against Cole so the other two will probably be Fowler and Soler.
The bench OF slots would be Coghlan, Denorfia, Jackson and Szczur.
