Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Chicago Cubs are once again battling the injury bug. Earlier this week, news broke from the club’s spring training home in Mesa, Arizona, that the squad’s newly acquired backup first baseman, Tyler Austin, suffered an injury to his knee. The injury will require the veteran to undergo surgery, and forecasts have him set for a return no earlier than late May. 

With this setback, the Cubs encountered their first real speed bump on the road to what they hope is a division title and a long playoff run. Depth at first is quite sparse for the North Siders at the moment, and as such, the club is getting looks at several options, including catchers Christian Bethancourt and Miguel Amaya. Bethancourt last spent time with the squad in 2024, when he held his own as a bench option at catcher with a .301 OBP. Changes to his swing mechanics seemingly changed what Amaya can bring to this ball club. Before injury curtailed his 2025 season, Amaya had 27 hits in 96 at-bats and an OPS+ of 131. He’s quietly becoming a fan favorite, and his abilities at the plate and his potential to fill in at first base could help his club make noise—if he, himself, can stay on the field better this season.

Rather than counting on Bethancourt or Amaya at first, though, Chicago will leave no stone unturned at forming a contingency plan for every position on the diamond. Certainly, bringing on former Dodger Michael Conforto on a minor-league deal is evidence of this. It should make one feel a stronger sense of security in the team’s outlook; they’ve tried to create the depth needed to survive this kind of injury. 

There are times when it feels as though sports fans in the modern age get more enjoyment from overreacting than from the actual play on the field. This is no time for overreactions. At a minimum, the actions of the franchise this past offseason have demonstrated that when they break camp in late March, each individual who makes the final cut will be ready. Austin’s loss poses some challenges, but Counsell is one of the highest-paid managers ever for a reason, and the team has enough fallback plans to survive without one piece of their would-be bench corps.