It's always tough writing about spring training because literally none of these results matter all that much, but I've been watching these Cubs games from start to finish and to no one's surprise the pitching and defense are the strengths of this team. Position wise, Seiya Suzuki's oblique strain is going to open the door for someone to win a bench job at least for a week or two into April. There's also one spot in the bullpen that was a question mark heading into spring training, but after a week of Cactus League games, I feel good about predicting who the closer will be to start the 2023 regular season for David Ross and the Cubs.

Michael Fulmer is the Closer on Opening Day

Right-hander pitcher Michael Fulmer was one of the last free agent signings by the Cubs this offseason and the former American League Rookie of the Year is showing that you don't always need throw 100mph to succeed in high leverage situations. Fulmer made his second spring training outing on Sunday and for the first time in game action he unleashed his sweeper slider.

Fulmer threw his sweeper five times and it generated three swings and misses against the Colorado Rockies. He struck out two batters in his one inning of work, stranding a runner who reached on a single. His other slider that has a lot of cut action was also nasty.

While most agree that the Cubs have great pitching depth there really isn't one guy in the bullpen who you can call the automatic closer. Maybe later in the year a younger reliever like Jeremiah Estrada could work himself into the closer's role, but Fulmer seems like the ideal candidate for David Ross to get saves to begin the season.

Since going to the bullpen on a full-time basis during the 2021 season, Fulmer has recorded a 2.98 ERA, with a 24.6 percent strikeout rate in 120.2 innings with the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. In 2021, Fulmer did have 14 saves for the Tigers.

Fulmer's ability to dominate hitters with his slider is what made him attractive in free agency and now that he's going to incorporate a sweeper to his pitching arsenal, the Cubs have to be in love with the idea of making him the closer. If Fulmer thrives in the closer's role, then the Cubs can once again prove to other players how the organization can make them better and raise their stock when they sign with the Cubs.

Fulmer signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Cubs.

Looking around at other potential closer candidates, right-hander Rowan Wick and lefty Brandon Hughes are the two guys who saved the most games for the Cubs last year that are back with the team. There's also free agent Brad Boxberger, who does have prior experience closing games. At this point though, it seems like Hughes is being prepared for a middle-relief role, while using him in high leverage spots when a matchup works in the Cubs' favor.

Wick? Well, I was surprised the Cubs didn't non-tender him in the offseason. I'm just not sure he can be consistent enough and at this point, forget about the closer role, Wick seems like he's battling to make the bullpen out of spring training.

Boxberger has been solid throughout his career and is most likely the set-up man out of the bullpen.

Michael Fulmer is the guy. He's going to be the Cubs closer in 2023.

The Cubs closer and other questions from the first week of spring training on the latest Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast. Once we get to 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, we will give away two tickets to a Cubs game and two tickets to a White Sox game.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x71I0GBNHDk