CHICAGO — Gage Workman always faced an uphill battle.

The Chicago Cubs had to roster the 25-year-old infielder throughout the 2025 major league season or risk passing him through waivers before optioning him to the minor leagues. Such is life as a Rule 5 draft pick. But the Cubs need production out of all their bench spots as they chase a run into the playoffs this season.

Workman, who hadn’t played above Double-A for the Detroit Tigers before this season, needs reps and playing time to continue to develop. That just wouldn’t align in Chicago, and it’s why the Cubs decided to designate him for assignment prior to Wednesday night’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Workman passed the first major test, as he had an impressive spring training, made the team and appeared in nine games this season. But he was lauded for his defense, and he struggled in that department.

Workman made three errors at third base in 10 chances, including two pivotal ones in Tuesday’s 11-10 win over the Dodgers. Couple that with a 3-for-14 start at the plate, and the path to keeping him on the Cubs’ roster was too complicated.

“By nature, that pick and what we’re kind of trying to accomplish, it makes the fit difficult at times,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before Wednesday’s game. “There’s some development in the position, in the roster spot. And we just didn’t feel like we could properly allocate the time to that and the playing time to that. And that puts Gage in a tough spot as well, so we made a move.

“Unfortunately, the nature of that is that you lose the player. But we think right now it’s what’s best for the team.”

The Cubs will turn to seven-year MLB veteran Nicky Lopez in the interim to fill that roster spot. He was signed to a one-year major-league contract Wednesday and will be available against the Dodgers.

“Yesterday, [my wife and I] were eating dinner, and we’re actually watching the Cubs game and then it kind of just came about,” Lopez said before the game. “They called my agent, and I’d be stupid not to accept it.”

Lopez, a Naperville native, signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs last offseason and received a spring training invite. He was one of the final cuts before the team departed for the MLB Tokyo Series against the Dodgers.

“I wanted to go to Japan. I was fortunate enough for the [World Baseball Classic with Team Italy] to experience that,” Lopez said. “So, I was looking forward to that, but to be able to get that news kind of right before, obviously it’s a gut punch.”

[READ: What Cubs said about Miguel Amaya’s game-tying ninth-inning homer]

Lopez, who also has played for the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox, signed with the Los Angeles Angels and was designated for assignment last week after playing in five games. That made him available to sign with the Cubs and play for his hometown team.

“I have a lot of family and friends that live in the Chicago area, and I know they’re very, very excited,” Lopez said. “I obviously played for the White Sox last year, and it was cool to live out the dream playing for a hometown team.

“So, to be able to come north and do that is special. So, I definitely don’t take it for granted. I’m going to go out there and give them my all and do anything I can to help this team win and continue winning, because it’s been insane to watch what they’re doing.”