I think the Cubs realistically are out of the playoff hunt at this point 5.5 games out with 5 teams ahead of them to get that last wild card spot. I very much hope they throw in the town by Sept 1 and cut some of the deadweight off the 40 man like those 2 guys as they should not be back next season and calling up a few prospects to get a look at in the last stretch of the season is more important than keeping Wisdom and Bote on the roster. That opens up 2 more spots on top of the 2 they get with the roster expansion. Even then they'll need to make an effort not to give them the Canario treatment like last season and find some ways to get them into the lineup a few days of the week which means giving some of the regulars more days off. The past month or so Counsell hasn't really changed the lineup much and run the same group out there nearly every game so would not hurt to sit 1 of the OF for a game a week and use the DH to get them some back-to-back starts.
I'd like to see Caissie, Canario (if he's healthy which right now he is not and sounds like best case scenario is mid September) Vazquez and maybe even Mervis then for pitchers (again all based on health) Kilian, Wicks, Wesneski, Thompson, maybe get another look at Palencia although his ERA is not great in Iowa. May only have 2-4 roster spots at most to get looks at those guys and some of it will depend on health of guys rehabbing as well as the health of the big league players too on who gets the call ups. Just think the best thing for the development of Shaw, Alcantara, and Ballesterios right now is finishing out the year in AAA as all 3 probably will start there again next year.