NEWSLETTER
The Cubs have just THREE more Cactus League games until the regular season kicks off on Thursday at Wrigley Field (Brett, Bryant, Luis, Eli, and I will all be there in the right field bleachers!).
One of those games is tonight at 8:05 CT, when we’ll see more competition from the crowded outfield picture (Rafael Ortega, Clint Frazier, and Michael Hermosillo are all in there this evening, but at least one of them is not likely to be on the Cubs Opening Day roster come Thursday (only Frazier has an option left, but you can’t demote him at this point)). We remain of the mind that (1) Keeping Jason Heyward and starting him in center field against most righties at this point is a mistake and (2) it’s exactly what the Cubs are going to do, perhaps at the expense of a potentially useful outfielder like Hermosillo or (more likely) Ortega, who excels against righties.
We also get a couple of top prospects in there at DH (Alexander Canario) and second base (Ed Howard). Howard, who’s a sure-thing defensively at short, moves off the position to provide just a little more time for David Ross to decide if Ildemaro Vargas is going to break camp with the team in Andrelton Simmons’ absence.
And Jesse Chavez, who just made the team officially, is on the mound, throwing to Yan Gomes. Go Cubs.
Game Info
Chicago Cubs (9-6-3) at Cleveland Guardians (8:05 CT) – Sunday, April 3 at 8:05 CT on Marquee, 670 The Score
Starting Pitchers
Guardians: Cal Quantrill (R)
versus
Cubs:Â Jesse Chavez (R)
Chicago Cubs:
1. Rafael Ortega, CF
2. Clint Frazier, LF
3. Yan Gomes, C
4. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
5. Alfonso Rivas, 1B
6. Michael Hermosillo, RF
7. Ildemaro Vargas, SS
8. Alexander Canario, DH
9. Ed Howard, 2B
Cleveland Guardians:
1. Myles Straw, CF
2. Amed Rosario, SS
3. Jose Ramirez, 3B
4. Franmil Reyes, DH
5. Bobby Bradley, 1B
6. Yu Chang, 2B
7. Steven Kwan, RF
8. Ernie Clement, LF
9. Bryan Lavastida, C
