Cubs wrap up spring training with division-rivalry games against Cardinals

MESA, Ariz. — Third baseman Christopher Morel spotted Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras talking with reliever Adbert Alzolay by the batting cages at the Cubs’ spring-training complex Monday.

Morel ran up to his former teammate and jumped into a hug. It was a heartwarming beginning to the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry games this season.

The National League Central foes are facing off for two exhibition games in Mesa to wrap up spring training, with the Cardinals traveling west from their Grapefruit League base in Jupiter, Florida. The Cubs lost 6-3 on Monday.

The Cubs open the regular season Thursday at the Rangers, and the Cardinals head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers.

‘‘Most managers and players are always wary when they are playing somebody right away after spring-training games,’’ manager Craig Counsell said when asked about the division matchup. ‘‘But other than that, I don’t think we generally get that wary of it.’’

He gave the example of the Cubs playing the Rangers last week. Opening Day starter Justin Steele pitched in a minor-league game instead of facing the Rangers so close to the regular season. Only two pitchers who made the Cubs’ Opening Day roster pitched in that game: Javier Assad, who is lined up to make his first start of the season against the Rockies at Wrigley Field, and reliever Yency Almonte.

‘‘We had a bunch of pitchers a little wary about that one,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘But when you’re not playing [the Cardinals] until [late May] — we used to play them 20 times.”

With the balanced schedule, teams play only 14 games against each division rival. Before last season, they used to play each one 19 times.

‘‘Theoretically, for a starter, you could still make four starts against a team,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘I’m sure there will be a starter in the division that we face four times. But then if you talk to Kyle Hendricks, you’re like, ‘Does that really matter?’ ’’

Hendricks, who has spent his decadelong major-league career with the Cubs, has made between 24 and 34 starts against each team in the NL Central. Against the Brewers, whom Counsell managed for nine seasons and whom Hendricks faced the most, he has a 3.46 ERA.

‘‘That’s the beauty of baseball,’’ Counsell said, ‘‘that cat-and-mouse and those subtle adjustments that Kyle and [Cardinals first baseman] Paul Goldschmidt are making against each other game to game.’’

Taillon throws live BP

Right-hander Jameson Taillon (tightness in lower back) threw one inning of live batting practice. It was a positive step, as he progressed from a pair of bullpen sessions last week.

Taillon is scheduled to throw another live BP session Friday. If all goes well, the next step will be for him to get into a minor-league game. The Cubs, however, haven’t yet decided where he will begin that buildup, Counsell said.

Left fielder Ian Happ returned to the lineup, as planned, after Counsell had said over the weekend that his recovery from a strained left hamstring had ‘‘plateaued.’’

Counsell said Happ was ‘‘on track’’ for Opening Day.

Roster moves

In addition to optioning outfielder Alexander Canario and right-hander Hayden Wesneski to Triple-A Iowa, the Cubs returned catcher Joe Hudson to minor-league camp and released catcher Jorge Alfaro. They had notified them that they hadn’t made the team last week.

Cardinals 6, Cubs 3

The Cubs (17-13-3) rolled out a version of their lineup that likely will be seen in the regular season, if not on Opening Day. Ian Happ led off, with Seiya Suzuki batting second, Cody Bellinger in the 3-hole and Christopher Morel hitting cleanup. Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, Michael Busch, Yan Gomes and Mike Tauchman rounded out the rest of the batting order.

• In his last spring start, left-hander Jordan Wicks held the
Cardinals to one run through four innings. ‘‘First two innings were a little bit off-line, wasn’t really moving as efficiently as I felt like I could have,’’ he said. ‘‘And then we made that adjustment in-game, which is going to be something I’m going to have to do this year.’’

• Suzuki went 2-for-2 with his fifth and sixth home runs of the spring. He has been the Cubs’ hottest hitter in Cactus League play.

• On deck: Cardinals at Cubs, 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, Mesa, Marquee, Kyle Gibson vs. Shota Imanaga.