Cubs
The Cubs (19-14) and Alzolay need to find answers to his struggles.
If any longtime watchers of the Cubs and Brewers didn’t know which manager was in which dugout Friday at Wrigley Field, they might have assumed the hotshot with the richest contract ever for a big-league skipper was still on the visitors’ side.
Getting Steele back will be a boost to the Cubs’ rotation and bullpen alike.
Some players in spring training complained about the fit and look. The white pants worn by some teams are see-through enough to clearly show tucked-in jersey tops.
Are you sold on the Cubs’ Imanaga as a star? Are you buying Schriffen as the White Sox’ rookie play-by-play man?
The Cubs lost 7-6 to the Mets on Thursday in 11 innings.
Notes: Shortstop Dansby Swanson got a rare day off from the starting lineup, and the Cubs boosted their stolen-base numbers.
The play at the plate was so close, the Cubs had to wait through a lengthy review before claiming their victory.
Cubs starting pitchers Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks and Jordan Wicks are also progressing.
Notes: The Cubs promoted top pitching prospect Cade Horton to Triple-A.
The Cubs squandered another strong performance from starter Javier Assad.
The Cubs scratched out a 3-1 victory, thanks to Christopher Morel’s two-run home run in the ninth inning.
The team has been snakebitten by injuries early this season.
“This has been entirely a Nike issue,” a memo from the union to players read. “At its core, what has happened here is that Nike was innovating something that didn’t need to be innovated.”
Notes: The team also made a series of bullpen moves, and Cody Bellinger made progress in his rehab.
Wesneski held the Red Sox to one earned run in four innings in the Cubs’ 5-4 loss Sunday.
After the blowout, the Cubs announced Jordan Wicks was scratched from his start Sunday with forearm tightness.
Notes: The Cubs traded first baseman Garrett Cooper to the Red Sox, and left-hander Justin Steele is taking the next step in his rehab.
Notes: Lefty Justin Steele threw in an extended spring training game Friday.
Imanaga held the Red Sox to one run through 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 7-1 win Friday.
In 1930, a 15-year-old Harry Caray was living in St. Louis when the city hosted an aircraft exhibition honoring aviator Charles Lindbergh. “The ‘first ever’ cow to fly in an airplane was introduced at the exhibition,” said Grant DePorter, Harry Caray restaurants manager. “She became the most famous cow in the world at the time and is still listed among the most famous bovines along with Mrs. O’Leary’s cow and ‘Elsie the cow.’”
Manager Craig Counsell and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy provided injury updates for Seiya Suzuki, Justin Steele and Kyle Hendricks this week.
Crow-Armstrong was recalled this week when center fielder Cody Bellinger landed on the IL.
“I need to get back to being myself,” the starting pitcher told the Sun-Times, “using my full arsenal and mixing it in and out.”
Bellinger left Tuesday’s game early after crashing into the outfield wall at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs also provided an update on outfielder Cody Bellinger’s midgame injury.
“We’re kind of living through Grae right now,” Kessinger told the Sun-Times. “I’m more excited and nervous watching him play than I was when I broke in.”
The Cubs also put left-hander Drew Smyly on the IL, DFA’d Garrett Cooper and recalled Hayden Wesneski, Matt Mervis and Luke Little from Triple-A Iowa.
Hendricks having longer outings would make things easier for manager Craig Counsell and the bullpen.
Hendricks allowed four runs in four innings, lowering his ERA from 12.71 to 12.00.