The Cubs won again today, beating the Cactus-League-leading Royals 5-0 in a zippy game that broke the two hour mark.
- Justin Steele, who got to face a minor league Royals lineup for his final tuneup, was exactly as dominant as you’d hope he would be. Just cruised through six scoreless. Everything looked good. I don’t even care that it was a no-name lineup – you just wanted to see him have a chance to execute for a full outing. He’ll be ready to go on Saturday.
- Supporting Steele on offense, the Cubs swatted three homers – Patrick Wisdom, Dansby Swanson, and Cody Bellinger:
- Obviously great to see Swanson finally get one, and to see Bellinger still swinging it. But special props to Wisdom on his huge spring. Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn’t, but if he can rebound from his down year defensively in 2022, you’re then still talking about an above-average bat playing above-average defense at third base. And with the ability to sit him against some of the pitchers who excel at elevating premium fastballs (Wisdom’s kryptonite), maybe you can minimize the 4K days that drag down his production and the middle of the order.
- The best part of the day, outside of the homers and Steele, was definitely getting to see the Cubs’ middle infield showing off the gloves (Swanson had several of these, too):
- How about a Gold Glove middle of the field this year? I think Yan Gomes and Tucker Barnhart will probably split each other, but all of Hoerner, Swanson, and Bellinger have a legit shot.