GLENDALE and MESA, Ariz. — While most teams are still in the grind of spring training and build-up mode, the Chicago Cubs are about to turn their focus to regular-season games.
The Cubs will depart for Japan following Tuesday’s Cactus League game ahead of their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 18 in the Tokyo Dome.
The Chicago White Sox starters look to continue their spring progression. A couple of the possible options for the opening-day assignment are lined up early this week, with Martín Pérez scheduled for Monday’s game against the Athletics and Jonathan Cannon in line for Tuesday’s game against the San Diego Padres.
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.
Want more baseball news? Sign up for our Cubs Insider and White Sox Insider.
Cubs’ Kyle Tucker breaks spring 0-fer with a home run
Going more than two weeks into the spring schedule without a hit isn’t the preferred way to kick things off with a new organization.
Kyle Tucker had been patient, though, believing in the process and not worrying about results as he prepared for his first season with the Cubs. The first-hit drought emphatically ended for Tucker with a home run to center field in the third inning Sunday at Sloan Park to halt his 0-for-20 start to the spring.
The silent treatment greeted Tucker as he returned to the dugout, his Cubs teammates having some fun with the slugger after he finally recorded his elusive first hit.
“I wasn’t sure whether that was going to happen or not,” Tucker said of their reaction.
Although one player didn’t hold off long from celebrating.
“Everyone was mad at (Pete Crow-Armstrong) because he was dabbing me up and stuff, they were yelling at him,” an amused Tucker said. “It was funny, it was a good time.”
Tucker had felt he was close to breaking through, his timing just a tick off; the previous at-bat he connected on a ball that died at the warning track in the same area where his home run landed over the wall two innings later.
“I’ve just missed a few balls that I hit well, but they just didn’t quite catch the barrel or didn’t carry or just didn’t fall,” Tucker said. “So I don’t think too much into stuff like that. I did what I could out there and made a good at-bat and got a piece of the ball pretty decently and that’s roughly all I can do and control.”
Sox 3B Miguel Vargas, an ‘important piece,’ aims for consistency
Miguel Vargas is targeted to spend most of 2025 at third base for the Sox.
But he flashed some leather at first base Saturday, making a diving stab to field a hard-hit grounder by Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages in the second inning of the contest at Camelback Ranch.
Vargas light-heartedly ribbed Pages on the way to stepping on the bag. Pages playfully kicked in the direction of his former teammate and fellow Cuban.
“Andy’s my brother,” Vargas said Saturday. “I’ve known Andy for a long time and I love him. We’re just trying to have fun out there.”
The fun continued for Vargas in the bottom of the second when he led off the inning with a home run, his first of the spring.
“Just trying to be aggressive at the plate,” Vargas said.
Before the game, manager Will Venable described Vargas as “an important piece of this roster.”
“Overall great day (Saturday) for Vargy,” Venable said Sunday. “We expect a lot from him, so it’s nice to see him have a great day.”
Vargas, 25, is hitting .294 this spring (5-for-17) in seven games. He is looking to bounce back from a down 2024 season, when he hit .104 in 42 games after being acquired by the Sox from the Dodgers in a July trade.
“I feel I’m in a pretty good spot right now,” Vargas said. “I feel better, I feel stronger, I feel like everything is going the way I want.
“Just have to keep doing my job and being consistent with it.”
Number of the week: 6
Sox prospect Grant Taylor struck out six of the seven batters he faced Saturday against the Dodgers. The outing included eight swings-and-misses. Four of his nine four-seam fastballs reached 98.6 mph. Taylor, tied for the team lead with nine strikeouts this spring, was reassigned to minor-league camp Sunday.
Week ahead: Cubs
- Monday: at Guardians, 3:05 p.m.
- Tuesday: vs. Brewers, 3:05 p.m.
- Wednesday: team off day in Tokyo
- Thursday: workout day in Tokyo
- Friday: vs. Hanshin Tigers (exhibition), 10 p.m. Marquee
- Saturday: workout day in Tokyo
- Sunday: vs. Yomiuri Giants (exhibition), 5 a.m. Marquee
Cubs top pitching prospect Cade Horton hit an important marker as he looks to get off to a good start this season.
Horton, who didn’t pitch after May last year due to a shoulder injury, made his Cactus League debut in Saturday’s win, closing out the ninth inning. Counsell described Horton’s appearance as “almost a milestone and symbolic” to pitch in the sold-out environment at Sloan Park. Horton allowed a solo home run, struck out one and didn’t walk a batter during his outing against the Mariners.
“Now it’s taking steps forward, and a lot of it’s going to happen on the (minor-league) side and just keeping that same focus and build up,” Counsell said. “And then at some point in the season, we’ve got to call Cade Horton up, that’s kind of how you want it to feel and that’s his job.”
Horton, 23, reached Triple A for the first time in his career in 2024 and appeared on track to potentially help the Cubs as a September call-up. But a Grade 2 right subscapularis strain and subsequent setback during the rehab process limited him to only nine starts between Double A and Triple A. Horton has focused this spring getting back to being athletic on the mound, and the Cubs are confident a fully-healthy Horton remains a high-upside starter.
Week ahead: White Sox
- Monday: at Athletics, 3:05 p.m.
- Tuesday: at Padres, 3:05 p.m.
- Wednesday: vs. Angels, 3:05 p.m.
- Thursday: vs. Brewers, 3:05 p.m.
- Friday: vs. Reds, 3:05 p.m. (whitesox.com)
- Saturday: vs. Rockies, 3:05 p.m. (whitesox.com); at Diamondbacks, 3:10 p.m. (split squad)
- Sunday: at Rangers, 3:05 p.m.
Bryse Wilson found himself in a jam to begin Wednesday’s outing against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The right-hander got out of the first inning allowing just one run, and followed that up with two scoreless innings in the 8-2 win at American Family Fields of Phoenix.
“I was happy with how I battled,” Wilson told the Tribune on Sunday. “Started off with two doubles, back-to-back. Even if I thought they were pretty good pitches, just good swings as well. I was happy with how I bounced back after the first inning and just kind of grinding through those innings.”
Wilson allowed the one run on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in three innings.
“I was really happy with the offspeed,” Wilson said. “Just being able to throw it in all counts is really nice.”
He returns to the mound Monday, scheduled to follow Pérez against the Athletics in Mesa, Ariz.
Wilson is an option for the rotation after signing a one-year deal with the Sox in the offseason. He has experience both as a starter and a reliever. Wilson has a 1.80 ERA in his two outings (one start) this spring, pitching five innings.
“Obviously a lot of competition going around, but friendly competition,” Wilson said. “I’m extremely happy with where I’m at. Coaches have been awesome and looking forward to getting it going.”
Wilson has liked his execution against left-handed hitters this spring. And he is looking, in general, to get ahead of batters quicker.
“Just kind of putting it all together, I guess you could say, is the next step,” Wilson said. “And just being consistent with it.”
What we’re reading
- Column: Opening Day is upon us, and the new baseball book ‘Justice Batted Last’ hits a homer
- ‘A fun experiment’: Chicago White Sox get a close look at Automated Ball-Strike System testing at Camelback Ranch
- Column: Chicago Cubs — back as NL Central favorites again — will only go as far as their bullpen takes them
- Column: Other than a Flo Rida concert, how can the Chicago White Sox convince fans to come to the ballpark?
- Jerry Weinstein’s love of baseball and teaching continues to fuel the 1st-year Chicago Cubs coach — at age 81
- Chicago White Sox pitcher Justin Dunn has ‘special’ day with his brother — who also is Kevin Durant’s teammate
- Topps’ debut patch cards have become a sought-after collectible for some young major leaguers
Quotable
“If I had an intent behind a pitch, I can live with it no matter what, so I had the right idea, I just didn’t execute it and I can live with that. I struggle when I might not have intent behind a pitch or conviction. Those are the ones that keep me up. But I don’t really care.” — Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon on giving up home runs in spring training
