With the weather as perfect as it was in Chicago, so many people were out and about the past couple of days. At the same time, the Cubs were in action all weekend long out in Mesa, Arizona. While the focus is on developing players and getting them tuned up for the regular season, the Cubs still won two of their three games.
These next couple of weeks are when things will really start to ramp up for the Cubs. They will begin to expect results from their players and fine-tune them for the regular season to come. Ideally, Manager Craig Counsell will start the process of choosing the 26 players he intends to bring to Opening Day in Arlington, Texas, later this month.
The Cubs checked about every box these past few days. They officially signed Cody Bellinger and had guys make their spring debuts. They also reported a couple of injuries. It's been a busy spring so far out in Mesa. For those out enjoying the weather and disconnecting for a little while, here's what you might have missed this past weekend in Cubs baseball.
Ian Happ Has An Injury
Cubs left fielder Ian Happ has suffered a mild left hamstring strain and will be out for some time. However, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune says Counsell believes Happ will be ready for Opening Day. Ideally, they'd like him to return quickly to get more reps in Mesa before the regular season begins.
Last year, Happ and the Cubs agreed on an extension that will keep him in Chicago through 2026. He has been with the Cubs since they drafted him in the first round of the 2015 draft. He has been very vocal about wanting to be in Chicago with the Cubs for his entire career.
Happ is just 1-10 so far this spring in four games played. Counsell has had him batting in various spots in the lineup, too, including in the leadoff spot. Before he gets to the regular season, he will want to have more at-bats to ensure he is seeing the ball correctly from wherever Counsell has him hitting.
Cubs' Probable Ace Made His First Spring Start
Left-hander Justin Steel made his spring debut on Friday against the Chicago White Sox. In three innings, he struck out two and walked one. He also gave up two hits and two earned runs. But it was a no-decision for him, as the Cubs came back to win in the end.
After his outing, Steele reflected on the wonderful season he had in 2023 and how he would like to do it all again in 2024. He said he liked the movement on his breaking pitches and his control during Friday's outing. Steele feels he will be ready to go when the regular season begins.
He was also asked about being the Opening Day starter and what that would mean to him. He deflected the question by saying he is just focusing on being able to do what he did last year again, but it would be cool. If everything goes as planned, Steele will be the one to take the ball on Opening Day against the defending champion Rangers in Arlington.
Shota Imanaga Strikes Out Five In Cubs Debut
The Cubs' first big free agency splash came when they agreed to a deal with Japanese left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga. He made his spring debut on Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. His mistake came in the second inning when he gave up two consecutive singles before Andy Pages tagged him for a three-run homer. But, he then struck out the side.
In 2.1 innings, Imanaga struck out the side using the movement in the pitches the Cubs signed him for. If you take out the one swing from Pages, Imanaga had himself a memorable debut on a major league mound. He'll get at least three or four more opportunities before the regular season begins.
As we saw on Saturday, there are times when Imanaga's movement induces fly balls that can lead to trouble. This is something to watch as the weather warms and the Wrigley wind pushes out. But at the rate he fools batters into swinging and looking, the rewards will hopefully outweigh the risks. Remember, the game is different in Japan, too. He will still make adjustments to ensure he is ready by the end of this month.
Do Not Put Much Into Hendricks' Struggles
Veteran Kyle Hendricks has made two starts this spring, totaling five innings of work. While we've seen some vintage Hendricks stuff at some points, others have shown struggle. There have been a couple of two-strike walks and hit batters. But things were especially rough on Sunday.
Hendricks pitched three innings on Sunday, giving up five hits and three earned runs. He hit a pair of batters and walked another. He said he is still stretching his arm out and feeling for his pitches, which is normal. He still has a month to return to his rhythm and find where he wants to be.
Hendricks has been compared to the great Greg Maddux for much of his career. When Maddux pitched in the spring, he got tattooed more times than not when building for the regular season. This is because he purposely threw pitches he knew he would never throw in a regular-season game. Hendricks may be doing some of this to get the advantage in the regular season. So, don't take the results we see on the third day of March to heart. There's a long way to go before these things count.
The Legend Of David Bote
After busting on the scene in 2018, David Bote took advantage of his high stock price to lock down an extension with the Cubs organization through 2026. The 31-year-old spent the entire 2023 season in AAA Iowa and knew that's where he'd probably be going into 2024, barring any injuries. But that is not stopping him from playing the best he can.
So far this spring, Bote has cranked a team-high three home runs and seven runs batted in. He is batting .286 and slugging .929. Sure, the argument can be made that he is not always facing big-league pitching in these games. But he is still doing this against pitchers major league teams deem worthy of getting playing time in spring training.
One thing Bote has going for him is the question marks for the Cubs at third base. It appears it is Christopher Morel's job to lose. Then, it will be Nick Madrigal and Patrick Wisdom backing him up. But Bote will be the top option at AAA to begin the season should things go south quickly. The Cubs have him as an insurance policy waiting to be called in a time of need.
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