Tyler Austin Injury Confirms Major Change for 2026 Chicago Cubs Lineup
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell talked about it briefly back in January, but the latest injury to the group of position players competing for a bench role has once again confirmed a major change for the 2026 Cubs lineup.
Earlier this week right-handed hitter Tyler Austin underwent knee surgery and Counsell revealed that the free agent signee coming over from Japan would be out of months. That immediately brought speculation regarding the rest of the bench heading into the 2026 season, but one factor that really won’t be affected is what Austin’s presence means at first base.
No More Platoon for Michael Busch
When Austin signed a one-year contract in the offseason, fans thought he would be the primary backup to Michael Busch at first base. The thought was that Austin would fill the Justin Turner role and be the right-handed hitter off the bench to serve in a platoon role against left-handed pitchers in 2026.
In 2025, Busch had 95 plate appearances vs. left-handed pitching and the overall numbers were poor. Busch slashed .207/.274/.368, with and 81 wRC+ in those matchups. However, he made great strides as the season progressed when facing left-handers and from July 4 through the end of the year Busch posted a 152 wRC+ against lefties, hitting four home runs with a slash line of .289/.333/.578, in 48 plate appearances.
So, half of his trips to the plates vs. LHP in the final three months of the year produced a pretty damn good hitter. The success against southpaws continued in the postseason, when Busch went 4-for-11, with a home run.
Cubs fans won’t have to worry about watching Busch have a big game one day and then see him on the bench the next just because a lefty is starting. Patrick Mooney eased any fears that Busch will continue to be in a platoon in his latest article in The Athletic.
Inevitably, Austin’s injury led to reporters asking Counsell several versions of this question: Who’s on first?
The answer is the Cubs want to give Busch 600-plus plate appearances, the long runway to build off a strong season (38 home runs, including last year’s playoffs) and continue proving himself as a Gold Glove-caliber defender. There’s no platoon system for a left-handed hitter who’s 28 with well-rounded skills and an October highlight reel.
Not only did Busch lead the Cubs’ offense in 2025, with 34 home runs and a 140 wRC+ in the regular season, the left-handed hitter ended the year as a top-10 hitter in MLB, sandwiched between Pete Alonso and Freddie Freeman.
So, entering his third year with the Cubs, Busch will no longer be trapped in a platoon under Counsell. The Cubs can easily hide Busch lower in the batting order when they’re facing a left-handed starter and honestly that may not even be a big deal in today’s game. Starting pitchers simply do not go deep in games, so it might just mean Busch faces a lefty once or twice before the opposing team goes to the bullpen.
Who Is Affected by Tyler Austin’s Injury?
While Busch’s playing time won’t be changed by Austin’s injury there are a few players who now have a big opportunity to make the Opening Day roster.
Michael Conforto signed a minor league deal with the Cubs and he now has a clear path to make the team with Austin out of the mix. Conforto gives the Cubs a solid track record to lean on, a left-handed bat off the bench and insurance in case rookie Moises Ballesteros stumbles out of the gate as the team’s primary designated hitter.
Meanwhile, looking ahead to the regular season, it doesn’t sound like Austin will return any time soon which means Cubs prospect Jonathon Long could be given a look if the team needs a righty bat. Long may have had a path to earning a bench role to begin the regular season, but he’s dealing with an injury of his own, setting him back in spring training.