Cubs, White Sox spring-training report: When will Manny Machado sign?

White Sox pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in Glendale, Arizona, on Wednesday, but still the talk of the day revolved around unsigned Manny Machado.

Will the Sox get him? Or will he sign with the Yankees who now seem to be the favorite out of nowhere?

Poor Jon Jay and Yonder Alonso — who both with ties to Machado and were acquired this winter by the Sox — have seemingly answered more questions about the star free agent than their offseason improvements.

RELATED: White Sox camp opens, Manny Machado buzz continues

While no one really knows what’s going behind closed door except for the parties involved, Sox fans are pointing to Machado’s every little move wondering if it’s a “sign” that he could sign with their beloved team.

For example, two posts on social media this week sent Sox fans into a frenzy.

Rawlings Sports revealed that the color scheme for Machado’s gloves this season is black and white.

“I like the color scheme of black and white — is he signing with the Raiders?” Sox general manager Rick Hahn told reporters.

Funny.

The other incident happened on Instagram when Machado shared a photo of Sox-themed baby booties that had the numbers “1” and “7” under each foot. (Machado’s brother-in-law Alonso is No. 17.)

In our Rick Morrissey’s Thursday column, he pleaded with Machado to make a decision already.

Morrissey writes:

Morrissey is right. Machado has been a free agent longer than his time with the Dodgers last season. It’s time to put ink to paper and move on.

Michael Kopech’s scar

Sox top pitching prospect Michael Kopech showed off his scar from Tommy John surgery on Wednesday during a flat-ground throwing session at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.

Although he expected to be a top-of-the rotation starter in 2019, Kopech is expected to miss the 2019 season while he rehabs his pitching elbow. He overcame one of the first hurdles of his long road of recovery last week when he pitched for the first time since he had surgery in September.

Kopech believes he will be better and stronger than before when he returns in 2020.

“I’m a little too stubborn [to give up],” he said at SoxFest. “So even if my arm wasn’t up for it, my mind was, so I was going to come back one way or another.”

Honest talk with Yu

Did the six-year, $126 million mega-contract get to Yu Darvish’s head? The right-handed pitcher hinted it did and that — along with an elbow injury — was part of the reason he unraveled last season.

“Last year, I didn’t say anything about that, but definitely I was thinking [that] I had to do something for the Cubs. I should win 20 games or something,” Darvish told reporters.

But this year, Darvish said will be different and his teammates have already noticed a change in Darvish’s confidence. More on that here.

Sights to see

eam manager Rick Renteria sits in a golf cart with White Sox Executive Vice President Ken Williams and talks with General Manager Rick Hahn in another golf cart at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox, in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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Dylan Cease laughs with a teammate at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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Rick Hahn sits in a golf cart and observes the players on the field at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox, in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonofff/For the Sun-Times

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Micker Adolfo listens to fellow teammate prior to entering batting tunnel at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox, in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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Dylan Cease throws a baseball at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox, in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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During a flat ground throwing session, Michael Kopech holds a baseball inadvertently revealing the scar he had from Tommy John surgery. Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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Don Roach stands up while riding on the back of the golf cart on the way to the back fields at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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Rick Renteria and Rick Hahn watch as the pitchers throw bullpens at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago White Sox, in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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Eloy Jimenez’s follow through while hitting balls off a tee in the batting tunnels at Camelback Ranch, the Spring Training home of the Chicago Cubs in Glendale, AZ. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

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In other news…

The Cubs agreed with veteran left-hander Xavier Cedeno to a one-year, $900,000 contract, which also includes $300,000 in performance incentives, according our Gordon Wittenmyer, who broke down what this addition means for the Cubs’ bullpen.

RELATED: Jon Lester says Cubs’ front office message received loud and clear this winter

After the Sox held left fielder Eloy Jimenez down in the minors all last season, it wouldn’t make sense for them to break camp with him when all that’s needed for an additional year of team control is two or three more weeks at Class AAA Charlotte at the onset of the season, our Daryl Van Schouwen writes. Here’s Hahn’s thoughts on the matter.

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