NEWSLETTER
Gotta love the early announcement on tomorrow’s Spring Training opener starters so we can get HYPED in advance. And speculate about how they’ll be ordered in the lineup! Yes, I’m that much of a nerd.
Per Jordan Bastian, here’s who David Ross said would start tomorrow behind Marcus Stroman:
C: Yan Gomes
1B: Eric Hosmer
2B: Nico Hoerner
SS: Dansby Swanson
3B: Patrick Wisdom
LF: Ian Happ
CF: Cody Bellinger
RF: Seiya Suzuki
DH: Trey Mancini
That’s four new faces making their debut for the team, in Hosmer, Swanson, Bellinger, and Mancini. I promise not to overreact to whatever they do …
I would call that as close as the Cubs have right now to a group of “regulars,” so that’s fun for a Spring Training kick-off. Each figures to get one or two plate appearance before ceding to others.
I wouldn’t read too much into Patrick Wisdom getting the first start at third base, by the way. He’s been the kinda-sorta incumbent starting third baseman when healthy the last two years, so it makes sense that he would nominally be considered a “regular” for purposes of this lineup. The third base job is still very much up for grabs (either by one guy taking it, or by multiple guys coordinating starts).
Tomorrow’s game against the Giants is at Sloan Park at 2:05pm CT. You can watch on Marquee or MLB.tv, and listen on 670 The Score.
