MESA, Ariz. — When Seiya Suzuki stepped into the batter’s box on a backfield at the team’s complex, the Chicago Cubs outfielder thought he knew what pitches he would see from left-hander Shota Imanaga.
Beyond their familiarity from facing each other for years in Nippon Professional Baseball, Imanaga told Suzuki before Wednesday’s live batting practice he was going to throw him only fastballs.
“But once he gets out there, he looks bigger and I don’t want to lose him so I lied to him,” a cheeky Imanaga said through an interpreter.
Instead, Imanaga uncorked a breaking ball that Suzuki took. Imanaga, featuring a double hitch with his front leg, was not an unfamiliar look for Suzuki given their battles in Japan, which according to the lefty Suzuki often won. But not Wednesday, ending the first at-bat with a strikeout against the fastball.
“I gave up a lot of home runs to him so he’s probably pissed that we’re on the same team so his home run numbers are going to go down,” Imanaga said.
Imanaga throw about 25 pitches during live BP and will throw another before making his Cactus League debut. Left-hander Jordan Wicks gets the start Friday against the White Sox.
Imanaga generated a lot of foul balls and weak contact — except a loud homer by Patrick Wisdom. Imanaga noticed how quickly big-league hitters can make adjustments between at-bats.
“That fastball is real nice,” Wisdom said afterward. “He threw one in to me and it got in there. It was nice getting in there and see what he’s all about. It’s fun to compete against guys like that for sure.”
Counsell staying open minded on DH, leadoff hitter
As the Cubs evaluate their 26-man roster options in the coming weeks, manager Craig Counsell isn’t dwelling on who will slot into the designated hitter spot or whom he will pencil in at the top of the order.
Without revealing any names, Counsell said he has some candidates to bat leadoff but wants to see how some positional decisions shake out, which he anticipates will help with that decision. Counsell doesn’t believe it needs to be one guy who is the everyday option at leadoff. Nico Hoerner (74 games) and Mike Tauchman (63) started the most games as their leadoff hitter last season.
“You want good hitters getting the most (at-bats), that’s where I sit with lineups,” Counsell said. “It’s going to be a good hitter so it’s going to be a guy that plays a lot, that tends to be one guy a lot.”
The Cubs are also flexible and open to how they will deploy the DH this year. The current plan, Counsell said, is to rotate players at DH to get players rest while keeping a good bat in the lineup.
“You don’t don’t necessarily plan on that spot as much,” Counsell said. “Some teams may, but I don’t think we at this point will. You can always kind of back yourself into that. … Maybe during the season if you settle into something that’s working good, then you’re open to that too.”
Cubs hope Brennen Davis finishes healthy
This is an important year for outfielder Davis, who will have one minor-league option remaining after this season.
Davis, the former Cubs top prospect, has been limited to 105 games at Triple-A Iowa in the last two years because of injuries. Back surgery cost him most of 2022, and hernia surgery sidelined him in 2023. Age is still on Davis’ side after turning only 24 in November. But he needs to show he can stay on the field.
“He so badly wants to be on a field and playing and for us it’s get the foundation of health so that the minor-league season can go really well so we just have to be cognizant of that with him,” Counsell said. “I’m sure he wants to be out there every day all day because he’s healthy right now so he can do it.”
The Cubs want to give Davis playing time in spring training and provide a good foundation as a jumping-off point for the minor-league season and then, Counsell said, “do something special and make us think about what’s going on.”
Counsell acknowledged that no player wants to hear they’re not going to be part of the opening-day team, especially at the onset of camp, however, that is Davis’ current reality.
“But that’s real — Brennen’s not going to make the big-league roster, and it’s important he finishes camp as a healthy player for us that puts some at-bats under his belt,” Counsell said.
With only 59 players in big-league camp, Davis and other prospects such as infielder Matt Shaw and outfielder Owen Caissie will get regular playing time in Cactus League games.
“I break that bucket into, like, Matt Shaw is here to experience major-league camp, he’s not here to compete for anything,” Counsell said. “He’s here to prepare for his season and experience big-league camp and you so you build his program around getting good experiences.”
Vandy bunt drill incorporated into workouts
Counsell halted the drill before the first rep could be completed.
Situated near second base on the makeshift infield on the grass, Counsell stopped Cubs pitchers moments after a bunted ball was fielded to explain how pitchers should read the shortstop’s movements and understand what base to throw the ball. Called the Vandy bunt drill, a pitcher is used at each defensive infield position as well as fielding the bunt off his delivery.
The drill teaches pitchers what infielder’s responsibility is during bunt coverage. Counsell learned it from former Vanderbilt coach Derek Johnson, who is now the Cincinnati Reds pitching coach. Asked about the advantage of having pitchers run through the bunt coverage and physically learn it, a grinning Counsell replied, “Because I think they would prefer that than sitting in a classroom and doing it.”
Ben Brown was among the eight pitchers who were part of the drill Tuesday. He appreciated seeing Counsell so hands-on during it, creating added emphasis on its importance.
“It helps understand where everyone is moving and build confidence so the play becomes second nature during a game,” Brown told the Tribune.
