The Rundown: Cubs Leave Japan Knowing What to Improve, Hoerner Close to Returning, Passan Blasts DoD for Robinson Omission
The trip to Japan was a letdown for everybody except the Cubs players and coaches. With domestic Opening Day just a week away, at least the team knows where it stands against the National League’s elite. Chicago lacked the punch to match the Dodgers at the plate, and its defense was shoddy. Matt Shaw looks like he has some work to do at the hot corner, and Jon Berti has me longing for the return of Nico Hoerner. Berti did rebound with three hits and a stolen base in the second game of the series.
The Cubs head to Arizona one week from today with a 0-2 record and matchups against Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes looming. They have five more games against Los Angeles before concluding the season series on April 23 at Wrigley Field. In fact, Chicago will play the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Padres 18 times before the calendar turns to May. Arizona and San Diego are among the six teams capable of taking down Los Angeles this season. Yikes. We’ll know if Jed Hoyer has built a 90-win team by the Kentucky Derby.
Hope is not lost, however, and I’ll give you the silver linings of Chicago’s 0-2 start:
- The bullpen looks stronger than last year. Fans shouldn’t dismiss the Opening Day performance by Ben Brown, which I believe means he will enter the season as Chicago’s fifth starter.
- Dansby Swanson is driving the ball again. He’s a streaky hitter, but he avoids prolonged slumps when he’s getting good barrels.
- Kyle Tucker stung the ball a couple of times, too.
- Miguel Amaya looks like he might sustain the success he had at the end of last season.
- Despite command issues, Shōta Imanaga pitched well and seems prepared to be the Cubs’ top starter once again.
Of greater concern: Pete Crow-Armstrong was hitless and swung at (and missed) a lot of pitches.
In the end, it’s best to view the two-game set in Tokyo as exhibition games that counted and nothing more. April brings the toughest stretch of Chicago’s season, but if Craig Counsell can steer the Cubs to a winning record come May 1, further challenges will pale by comparison. Nobody needs that more than Hoyer.
Cubs/Diamondbacks News & Notes
- CI’s Jacob Zanolla dropped his review of Chicago’s offseason.
- Justin Steele wishes he would have pitched better, but he’s keeping things in perspective. He did get his 500th career strikeout in the Game 2 loss to the Dodgers.
- The Cubs left Tokyo knowing where they needed to improve the most.
- The organization is also hoping the playoff-like atmosphere of the two-game set is a sign of things to come.
- Hoerner told Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes of 670 The Score on Tuesday that he’s gotten over 20 at-bats in minor league games, and he’s working toward potentially being available for the domestic opener on March 27. If he isn’t ready by then, Berti seems like a viable option to continue filling in.
- Hoyer is optimistic that the Tokyo series helped to grow the team’s brand in Japan.
- Derrek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome served as honorary team ambassadors during the series.
- The two visited with students at the Kyōdō Elementary School to talk about Japanese and American culture and life as MLB players.
- Talk show host Dan Patrick would rather see baseball conduct its Opening Day in the United States.
- Jordan Montgomery has made a strong case to be Arizona’s fifth starter, while manager Torey Luvullo has decided to start the season without an anointed closer. One of A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez, and Kevin Ginkel will eventually emerge but all have been throwing too well to be eliminated from contention.
- Lovullo has yet to announce his Opening Day starter.
- The Diamondbacks optioned top prospects Drey Jameson and Jordan Lawlar, though Lovullo said both deserved to make the team.
- Gage Workman and Noah Murdock (A’s) are two of 15 Rule 5 acquisitions to so far make an Opening Day roster. Three others — Anderson Pilar, Cooper Bowman, and Evan Reifert — have been returned to their original teams.
- The folks at Just Baseball predict the Brewers will edge the Cubs in this year’s race for the NL Central.
Odds & Sods
It’s fair to wonder where the Cubs would be today had they had signed Bryce Harper. Then again, his contract might have included opt-outs Harper didn’t want.
Tom Ricketts when asked about what move that “didn’t happen, but almost did” and that he would “still kind of think about”
His answer??
Bryce Harper. pic.twitter.com/DdOyZmCxd4
— 🅱️🚂 (@blakecowellx) March 20, 2025
Central Intelligence
- Milwaukee: The Brewers are moving shortstop Joey Ortiz to third base, where he will replace Willy Adames. That means Oliver Dunn will man the hot corner for Milwaukee.
- St.Louis: The Cardinals could move Willson Contreras, Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas, and Ryan Helsley ahead of this year’s trade deadline in their continuing efforts to rebuild. The St. Louis front office is still looking to find a match for Nolan Arenado as well.
- Cincinnati: The Reds don’t have a solution at third base, where several negative WAR players are competing for the starting job. Jeimer Candelario and Christian Encarnacion-Strand are the current favorites.
- Pittsburgh: According to the Post-Gazette, the Pirates have made more money selling tickets and concessions at PNC Park than they’ve spent on their player payroll. From 2022-24, the Pirates made $215.6 million in net ticket and concession revenues. During those same seasons, player salaries totaled $214 million. Additional revenues are, therefore, nothing but profit.
Spring Training News & Notes
ESPN’s Jeff Passan spearheaded an effort to restore a story about Jackie Robinson on the US Department of Defense website. The URL was initially scrubbed as part of the Trump administration’s aversion to DEI.
MLB has expanded its direct-to-consumer streaming options ($), with 26 teams participating this year. Fans living inside of those teams’ television territories can now sign up to stream games without needing a full television bundle, such as cable or satellite. The Orioles, Nationals, Astros, and Mariners are the only excluded teams.
The Dodgers are interested in at least three Japanese players that may be coming to MLB soon.
Pirates starter Jared Jones will not pitch in any more Grapefruit League games due to elbow discomfort.
The Red Sox announced that Triston Casas will be their everyday first baseman.
Closer Craig Kimbrel has reunited with the Braves on a minor league deal.
Extra innings
Cam Smith has been on a tear and could break camp with Houston. Let’s hope the young man has a successful career with the Astros. Whether Tucker stays or leaves is unimportant. The trade will ultimately be judged by the success or failure of Shaw as a third baseman.
Cam Smith Has Had An Unbelievable Spring:
4 HR I 11 RBI I .419 AVG I .500 OBP I 1.371 OPS
The Astros Have A Very Special Player.pic.twitter.com/1kpyyPFkMN
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) March 20, 2025
They Said It
- “The whole atmosphere over the last couple of days has been pretty spectacular. Stinks that we weren’t able to win any games over here. But a lot of good learning experiences as a group that we can take back and get corrected before the season starts back home.” – Swanson
- “Since we drafted Matt [Shaw], every challenge that really — baseball, the Cubs, the leagues he’s been in, that have been in front of him, he has thrived. He’s passed every test, and that makes you think he’s ready.” – Counsell
- “The kids here in Japan, they’re going to be the next ones. They’re up next. This event as well as the Tokyo Series, the fact that the kids can see MLB players live, there’s a big difference [between] watching it on TV and how you feel versus watching them live. I think [a] series like this, it’s great for the game and I think it’s big for kids in Japan.” – Fukudome
- “Do I want us [to export] Opening Day? I don’t. I understand its business. Certainly, with the Dodgers and the number of players, whether it’s Korea, whether it’s Japan — I get it. But, I don’t know if the Japanese fans would be upset if you said ‘We’re going to play two spring training games over there.’ Just having Shohei Ohtani over there [and the other Japanese stars] should be enough. We don’t need to have Opening Day over there. Have Opening Day here.” – Patrick
Friday Walk-Up Song
Welcome to the first day of Spring, with winter officially disappearing at 4:01 this morning.
