Spring Training Miscellany: Cubs Lost Both Games Today, But Boy Are There So Many Positive Pitching Stories

The Cubs dropped both halves of the split squad day today, to the Guardians and to the Diamondbacks, but I could not possibly care less. For reasons you’ll see below, it was a very, very happy day of Cubs baseball-watching. I had my MLB dot tv cranked up so I could bounce back and forth between the games and see as much as I could. I love the Cubs’ young arms, man. So many bright spots, and today was just a sampling.

Let’s get through a lot …

  • I almost hate how good Caleb Kilian looked today, because I don’t want to do it to myself. I don’t want to treat two spring innings like a referendum on how his offseason went, and how much the knee injury may have been responsible for his struggles last year. But … I mean, he looked SO GOOD.
  • Specifically, Kilian looked like the guy we saw late in 2021: he pounded the zone, he got swings and misses, the cutter (at freaking 92/93 mph) looked awesome, the four-seamer was 95 mph with some cut, and the sinker was 96/97 mph (IN FEBRUARY). It was as good as he’s looked, and if you were basing a prospect evaluation based on today, you would wonder why the heck he fell at all over the past year.
  • It was mostly a great day for relievers from where I sat. I wasn’t able to watch everyone, but Jeremiah Estrada looked good – his fastball, which sat 95 mph, had that good life to it. Julian Merryweather looked really interesting. I like the delivery, and he’s got a good frame. Not hard to see why the Cubs wanted to take a shot on him. Anthony Kay was throwing 96-97 mph, despite being more like 94 mph last year. That’s QUITE an offseason bump.
  • Speaking of velocity, Ryan Jensen and Cam Sanders BOTH touched 99 mph today, which is just bonkers for February. And it was at Salt River, which has full Statcast available, so those were – theoretically – legit readings.
  • I love watching Jensen pitch, by the way. The stuff is just so nasty. So much movement on everything he throws. Yes, there was still some of that characteristic wildness, but the shortened arm stroke seems to help, and it certainly hasn’t done anything to hurt his velo or his stuff. He’s gonna be a dude to follow.
  • Brad Boxberger and Michael Fulmer both had scoreless Cubs debuts. Tyler Duffey, who is on a non-roster invite but has a real chance of winning a spot in the bullpen, struck out the side in his inning of work.
  • Nick Burdi, the former flamethrowing big leaguer whom the Cubs got in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 this year, was a bit wild – but also touched 100 mph and also threw a naaaaasty slider for a strikeout. It’d be awfully fun if he wound up returning to the big leagues this year.
  • Not that it was all good news on the pitching front, with Rowan Wick exceptionally wild, and Jordan Holloway leaving with the athletic trainer:
  • Jameson Taillon made his spring debut, and because he’s a veteran who is just building up his pitch count and getting in his work, I do a whole lot less evaluating. He left a lot up in the zone and got hit, but he also snapped off an exceptionally nasty slider that got a swinging strikeout of Steven Kwan (which is basically impossible):
  • I can’t quite tell if that’s a sweeper or just a gyro slider that really took off. Taillon said after the game that he threw just one sweeper in his two innings, and he’s still working on the pitch.
  • David Ross updated us on Javier Assad’s appearance from yesterday, which I was praising this morning. Turns out the Cubs’ guns had him up to 95 mph yesterday, which, whoa. Whoa.
  • Gameday caused quite a stir when it said that Alexander Canario had entered the game against the Diamondbacks, but it was just a mistake:
  • In fun with the pitch clock, we saw our first 1-1 opening count today:
  • Speaking of pitch clockery, the game against the Diamondbacks barely lasted two hours. The game against the Guardians went almost three hours. That’s some extremely wide variance in two games being played at the same time. Messes with my brain.
  • Beautiful:
  • Hey, I hope Kris Bryant is healthy this year and hits 50 homers (which might help the Rockies win 65+ games):
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 5, Pirates 4 – May 12, 2024

    It's Mother's Day. I'm hanging with the family. I don't feel like being as pissed off as a game like that threatened to make me. So I am QUITE relieved by that 10th inning (and the fact that the Cubs...

    Christopher Morel Kicks Off Mother’s Day With Some Love

    I'll just presume he was sending this one out for mom. And I'll also presume that the knee is indeed feeling good. Home run number nine on the season for Christopher Morel: https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1789713524052087082

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Pirates (12:35 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs have played thirteen series so far this season, and this is already their eighth rubber match. Let's see if Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs can bring this one in. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Nico Hoerner, SS...

    Cubs Roster Move: Kyle Hendricks Activated to Start Today

    No surprises here, as the decision to start Kyle Hendricks this afternoon against the Pirates was made yesterday, but the news has officially hit the wire, and here it is. Kyle Hendricks Activated Kyle Hendricks is returning from his short...

    Horrible History, Morel’s Knee, Almonte’s Shoulder, Hoerner, Wesneski, Hendricks, Mervis, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Happy Mother's Day to the mothers among you, and to the mothers in my life! I'll be doing some extra family stuff today, so I'm gonna cruise through these Bullets ... Up front, because this was certainly the thing most...

    Kyle Hendricks Will Start for the Big League Cubs Tomorrow

    The Sunday TBD has been D'd, and it's going to be Kyle Hendricks coming back an outing early. Instead of making another rehab start at Iowa, Hendricks is going to be activated from the IL to rejoin the rotation tomorrow:...

    Enhanced Box Score: Pirates 10, Cubs 9 – May 11, 2024

    The Cubs came within 90 feet of keeping that ridiculous game going. No dice. Stupid game. Early on, it just kinda seemed like the Cubs might lose a perfectly normal - bad, but normal - game. Justin Steele did not...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Pirates (3:05 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — After a little tease yesterday, Seiya Suzuki is actually, officially in the Cubs lineup today. And he'll be greeted with a tough matchup against the top pitching prospect in Major League Baseball. Welcome back! Chicago Cubs Lineup:...

    Oh, Good, Yency Almonte is Now Also Hurt

    Today the Chicago Cubs placed reliever Yency Almonte on the Injured List with a right shoulder strain. Jose Cuas has been recalled from Iowa to take his place in the bullpen. Almonte, together with Mark Leiter Jr., had been performing...

    Credit to Assad, Huge Ups to Brown, Hopes for Taillon, Happ’s Bat and Glove, Bellinger History, and Other Cubs Bullets

    How did I not know that the Aurora Borealis was going to be visible last night?!?!? I woke up this morning to all these awesome pictures from friends and other people in the area, and I'm MISERABLE ABOUT IT. With...

    Latest News

    Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 5, Pirates 4 – May 12, 2024

    It's Mother's Day. I'm hanging with the family. I don't feel like being as pissed off as a game like that threatened to make me. So I am QUITE relieved by that 10th inning (and the fact that the Cubs...

    Nikola Jokic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Timberwolves – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    Nikola Jokic must make two 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Denver Nuggets play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.Nikola Jokic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....

    Michael Porter Jr. Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Timberwolves – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, Michael Porter Jr. must make three from beyond the arc on Sunday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, starting at 8:00 PM...

    Anthony Edwards Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    On Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Anthony Edwards' 3-pointer over/under for this matchup requires three treys.Anthony Edwards' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....

    Jamal Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Timberwolves – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, Jamal Murray must make two from beyond the arc on Sunday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, starting at 8:00 PM ET.Jamal...

    Karl-Anthony Towns Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – Conference Semifinals Game 4, Sunday, May 12, 2024

    Karl-Anthony Towns must make two 3-pointers to beat his over/under when the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at 8:00 PM ET, in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.Karl-Anthony Towns' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs....

    Top Player Prop Bets for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets Western Conference Semifinals Game 4 on May 12, 2024

    Player prop betting options for Anthony Edwards, Nikola Jokic and others are available in the Minnesota Timberwolves-Denver Nuggets matchup at Target Center on Sunday (starting at 8:00 PM ET).How to Watch Timberwolves vs. NuggetsDate: Sunday, May 12, 2024Time: 8:00 PM...

    Christopher Morel Kicks Off Mother’s Day With Some Love

    I'll just presume he was sending this one out for mom. And I'll also presume that the knee is indeed feeling good. Home run number nine on the season for Christopher Morel: https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1789713524052087082

    Rome Odunze Missed Saturday’s Bears Rookie Minicamp Practice

    I was rounding up this morning's set of Bears Bullets when I saw this note from the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer on rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze sitting out Saturday's practice with hamstring tightness and I knew I had to...

    Cubs Roster Move: Kyle Hendricks Activated to Start Today

    No surprises here, as the decision to start Kyle Hendricks this afternoon against the Pirates was made yesterday, but the news has officially hit the wire, and here it is. Kyle Hendricks Activated Kyle Hendricks is returning from his short...

    more cubs news