Cubs still involved in free-agent market as spring training opens

MESA, Ariz. — Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins still are working the phones, even as pitchers and catchers went through their first official spring-training workout Wednesday.

‘‘I think the closer’s definitely warming up at this point,’’ Hoyer said when asked to describe this stage of the offseason.

During the Cubs Convention last month, Hoyer said on ESPN 1000 that they were in the fourth or fifth inning of the offseason. The later innings, so to speak, brought the signing of reliever Hector Neris, adding experience and depth to the back end of the bullpen. But the Cubs are going to need a hot bat to pull off an offseason victory.

‘‘There’s a lot of good free agents out there,’’ Hoyer said. ‘‘Certainly, it’s been a really late-evolving offseason. And so every day we’re in contact with different free agents. And we may well add one or more players to the roster. But at this point, as we sit down and think about it . . . it is Day 1 of spring training, and we’re trying to focus on the guys who are here.’’

Nice try. Hoyer still would have to field questions about one of those good free agents — former Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger — again.

‘‘I’ve said dozens of times at this point [that] I have nothing but admiration for him,’’ Hoyer said.

Free-agent negotiations are all about leverage, but the calendar becomes part of the equation at this point. Bellinger’s agent, Scott Boras, has shown a willingness to carry talks deep into spring training, so it’s hard to say when Bellinger will make his decision.

‘‘He was just such a great friend, great teammate, great clubhouse presence for us,’’ left-hander Justin Steele said. ‘‘And, obviously, what he did on the field was really special. But I would say pretty much everyone that played with him last year, it’s a widely known consensus that we would like to play with him again.’’

The first day

Wednesday was manager Craig Counsell’s first day officially running Cubs spring training. But he has game-planned against the Cubs plenty from the Brewers’ side of the field.

‘‘I was just talking to Justin Steele about not understanding how the Brewers couldn’t score against you,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘And I liked that he’s got the facial hair back.’’

Steele shaved for his wedding this offseason and was still clean-cut at the Cubs Convention. Counsell joked he liked the rougher look better.

‘‘I don’t like haircuts, and I don’t like shaving, really,’’ a whiskered Steele said. ‘‘So it’ll be no problem.’’

Counsell’s familiarity with the Cubs from the opposing dugout might be beneficial in a more technical way, as well.

‘‘It’ll be important for all of us to go have a conversation of what he saw and what he thought I could have been better at,’’ catcher Yan Gomes said. ‘‘He’s one of us now.’’

Bullpen work

New left-hander Shota Imanaga drew a crowd for his bullpen session. He was joined by right-handers Adbert Alzolay, Mark Leiter Jr. and Hayden Wesneski in the first group. The second group featured right-handers Javier Assad, Julian Merryweather and Keegan Thompson and left-hander Bailey Horn.