GLENDALE and MESA, Ariz. — The Chicago Cubs are rolling.
Sure, Cactus League performance isn’t a harbinger of regular-season success, but the Cubs are off to a 4-0 start this spring following a 6-5 victory Sunday against the Texas Rangers at Sloan Park. The Cubs only have 16 more games until departing for Japan to open the MLB regular season at the Tokyo Dome on March 18-19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Davis Martin will be among the White Sox pitchers making their first starts of the spring this week. The right-hander is scheduled for Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Every Monday during spring training, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and White Sox.
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Cubs pitching prospect Brandon Birdsell slowed by an injury
Right-hander Brandon Birdsell’s first big-league camp experience isn’t off to an ideal start.
Birdsell will not throw for about three more weeks after being diagnosed last week with a right lat strain. Handling the mental side is the most challenging part of the injury because Birdsell, 24, wants to be pitching and show the organization what he’s capable of this spring.
“But at the end of the day, what really matters is my season,” Birdsell told the Tribune. “So making sure I’m healthy for that, and it’s a very long season. Regardless if I miss two weeks or a month, I’m going to still make my 20 starts. It’s just trying to keep it day to day and worrying about what you can control each day and trying to get better each day, to get ready for whenever it’s time to start ramping back up.”
Birdsell initially felt tightness in his lat a month ago and then “something happened” while doing a pull-up in the gym. The ailment progressed in the ensuing couple of days, and after he threw a bullpen with the issue still lingering, Birdsell realized he needed to tell the team something didn’t feel right. It can be a hard balance between knowing when discomfort is part of normal soreness as a pitcher and when it instead needs to be addressed as a possible injury.
“Every single one of us are dealing with something, but majority of the time it’s normal stuff when you’re ramping up for the season, and so if every single time that something minor happened and you shut down, you would never be able to pitch a full season,” Birdsell said. “So it’s like, is this something that is seriously affecting the way that I throw or is it something I’m still able to work through as I’m still building up?”
Birdsell, who had a 3.91 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) between Double A and Triple A last year, is still finding value being part of major-league camp even though he’s currently shut down. Veteran pitchers Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea have both been helpful to Birdsell early in camp.
“There’s a locker room full of guys who’ve done it, guys that have played this game at a very high level for a long time so being surrounded by some of those guys, man, you just try to pick their brain, pick up what maybe they wished they had known at my age,” Birdsell said. “Trying to find little victories in being here.”
White Sox prospect Colson Montgomery displays his ‘A’ swing.
Brandon Drury began Saturday’s fourth inning against the Cubs with a double.
Colson Montgomery came up with the mindset of getting Drury to third.
“No outs, guy on second — I was trying to do the job,” Montgomery said Saturday. “But when (the count) was 0-1, I’ve still got my ‘A’ swing going.”
Montgomery put that “A” swing to good use, hitting a two-run home run to center field in a lefty-on-lefty matchup against Caleb Thielbar.
“We had a really good game plan before I went up to the plate,” Montgomery said. “Had a really good scouting (report) with (hitting coach) Marcus (Thames), and he just threw it where I was looking.
“I had a good idea (it was gone) just because we are in Arizona, too — I know the ball flies. I know I barreled it up pretty well. I was pretty sure I got it. And I got (Drury) over — got him over and in.”
Montgomery, who is vying for a spot on the 26-man roster, went 1-for-2 Saturday with the home run and two RBIs in the 7-3 loss at Sloan Park. He also made a nice play at shortstop, backing up to get the proper hop to start a 6-4-3 double play in the fourth inning.
Montgomery took a lot away from the Cactus League opener.
“Good learning experience, too, for when I get in another scenario like this, I can tone it back and do what I need to do offensively,” Montgomery said. “It was a really cool environment.”
Number of the week
10
Reliever Steven Wilson struck out one and walked one in while tossing a scoreless inning for the Sox in Saturday’s game against the Cubs. In the process, the right-hander extended his spring training scoreless streak to 10 innings. Wilson last allowed a run in a spring training game on March 26, 2023, against Seattle while with San Diego.
What we’re reading
- Column: Impending ESPN-MLB divorce is another reminder that all good things must come to an end
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- ‘This is a great fit’: Joey Gallo hopes adjustments pay off as he joins the Chicago White Sox at camp
- Chicago Cubs betting on Pete Crow-Armstrong — with a new number and starry hair — to make an impact this season
- Chicago White Sox shortstop prospect Colson Montgomery eager for opportunity this spring
This week in Chicago baseball
Cubs
- Monday: at Padres, 2:10 p.m.
- Tuesday: vs. Diamondbacks, 2:05 p.m., Marquee
- Wednesday: at Giants, 2:05 p.m.
- Thursday: vs. Angels, 2:05 p.m., Marquee
- Friday: at Rangers, 2:05 p.m.
- Saturday: vs. Guardians, 2:05 p.m., Marquee; at Royals, 7:05 p.m.
Third baseman Matt Shaw (left oblique) is expected to ramp up on-field work this week.
By later in the week, Counsell anticipates Shaw will be fielding grounders and throwing to first base as well as hitting on the field. Right-hander Javier Assad (left oblique) has been playing catch and is getting close to throwing a bullpen, his first since sustaining the injury at the onset of camp. Second baseman Nico Hoerner continues to progress in his throwing program as he builds up from offseason surgery on his right flexor tendon.
Outfield prospect Owen Caissie is shut down for roughly 7-10 days because of a mild-to-moderate groin strain. The Cubs will be cautious with Caissie as he works to get back on the field.
Sox
- Monday: vs. Rangers, 2:05 p.m., CHSN
- Tuesday: at Rockies, 2:10 p.m.
- Wednesday: vs. Padres, 2:05 p.m., CHSN
- Thursday: vs. Guardians, 2:05 p.m., CHSN
- Friday: at Angels, 2:10 p.m.
- Saturday: at Mariners, 2:10 p.m.
- Sunday: at Dodgers, 2:05 p.m., whitesox.com
Pitching prospect Noah Schultz is slated to make his Cactus League debut during Wednesday’s game against the Padres.
“I have that date circled,” Schultz said last week. “It’s going to be an exciting day. Getting ready for it.”
Schultz is the No. 16 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com. He has thrown a pair of live batting practice sessions since camp began. Schultz had a 2.24 ERA in 23 starts for Class A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham in 2024.
“I think last year I started throwing lives a little bit later,” he said. “This year, a little bit earlier because I have a bigger workload this year. I’m confident I’m able to handle it. I’m getting ready.”
Quotable
“He’s a teacher, and he enjoys doing it, and he’s got two areas, outfield play and base running, that he’s very passionate about. I don’t allow him to talk about hitting.” — Counsell joking about third base coach and former big-leaguer Quintin Berry
