The Chicago Cubs start their West Coast journey Friday with a three-game collection in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the place Seiya Suzuki is predicted to make his season debut.
Here are 4 takeaways from collection win over the Seattle Mariners.
1. Jed Hoyer’s 3-year plan
With two three-year contracts within the books for Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ, president Jed Hoyer has made it clear the Cubs desire short-term offers free of charge brokers.
So who’s subsequent?
Marcus Stroman has an opt-out after this season on his three-year, $71 million deal that pays him $21 million in 2024. Hoyer would possibly need to lock Stroman up for a couple of extra years earlier than the pitcher decides to decide out for a long-term deal.
Cody Bellinger could also be holding down middle till prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong is prepared, which seems to be quickly. Bellinger signed a one-year, $17.5 million cope with the Cubs with a mutual $24 million choice for 2024.
The solely different outstanding potential free agent is Kyle Hendricks, who’s rehabbing in Arizona after shoulder surgical procedure and making ready for a minor-league rehab stint.
The Cubs clearly must see Hendricks’ restoration earlier than making a choice on his future. They maintain a $16 million membership choice for 2024, however may decide that up and tack on extra years in the event that they imagine he can return to kind.
Hendricks didn’t know on the finish of spring the place his rehab would start.
“Wherever it is, I’m just excited to get back into the game mode, competing, getting hitters in the box,” he stated.
If he’s wholesome, making Hendricks a Cub for all times must be a no brainer. He’s the one participant left from the 2016 World Series champions and the one star from that workforce who was prepared to sacrifice cash on the free-agent market to remain within the group.
Like Happ, Hendricks has at all times stated he’s wished to remain, however doesn’t dwell on being the final man standing from 2016.
“I keep it simple, focus on today and the present,” Hendricks informed the Tribune. “When you reminisce, speaking to a few of your buddies now who’re on different groups, that’s when it could possibly come up. You give it some thought then. Yeah, it’s fairly bizarre and wonderful, the turnover within the sport, and it’s faster and faster because the years go by.
“At the end of the day, I’m so grateful for the time I’ve had. This organization has been amazing to me and I love everything about it — the fans, the atmosphere at Wrigley, everything. I’m just so grateful I’ve gotten this amount of time here, and I’m trying to focus on me getting back.”
Does Hendricks really feel previous?
“Definitely not,” he stated laughing. “I’m 33, still young. The injury tried to make me feel old a little bit, but we’ve got all these young guys, and brought in some older guys than me, so that helps.”
2. Cody Bellinger’s weekend plans
Bellinger will get the homecoming therapy this weekend at Dodger Stadium when the previous Los Angeles star returns house.
But first, Bellinger plans to cease on Thursday’s off day in Arizona, the place his girlfriend, mannequin Chase Carter, was virtually prepared to offer beginning to their second youngster. The pair introduced the information on Instagram final October earlier than Bellinger was non-tendered by the Dodgers and signed by the Cubs.
A fan favourite in Los Angeles, he misplaced favor with administration after back-to-back offensive struggles in 2021 (. 542 OPS) and 2022 (. 654 OPS). After beginning 0-for-11, Bellinger is 10-for-31 (. 323) with two house runs and eight RBI over his final eight video games this season.
After Wednesday’s sport at Wrigley, Bellinger stated he didn’t know what to anticipate when he stands on the plate for the primary time as a Cub in Los Angeles.
“I’m sure in the moment it will all hit me,” he stated. “But I’ve obtained to go house, go to Arizona, possibly have a child, in order that’s what I’m targeted on proper now.
“I’m excited to see the guys. A lot of good memories over there. I really don’t know what to expect, but I imagine I’ll be excited.”
The Cubs may even face Jason Heyward for the primary time because the proper fielder was launched. In a strict platoon function with the Dodgers, Heyward has three house runs in his first 18 at-bats. Last yr he completed with one homer in 137 at-bats.
The Cubs are paying Heyward $22 million in 2023, the ultimate yr of his eight-year, $184 million deal.
3. Jarred Kelenic, ‘Big Z’ and the Bill Veeck seats
Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic capped off his huge week in Chicago with a 482-foot house run into the right-center discipline higher deck, just a few ft away from what as soon as had been generally known as the Bill Veeck seats.
The solely participant to hit one there within the Statcast period since 2015 was Javier Báez, who cranked one to left-center in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 23, 2018.
“That was one of my dreams: to hit a ball like that with the wind blowing out,” Báez stated that day. “Finally, we got it.”
The longest homer at Wrigley since 2015 was Kris Bryant’s 495-foot blast in opposition to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 6, 2015, in accordance with Statcast. Kelenic’s shot was aided by a 19 mph wind, however it will’ve been out even when the wind was blowning in.
MLB Network studio host Mark DeRosa, a former Cub second baseman, stated on his present the one time he noticed a ball land within the higher deck at Wrigley got here throughout a batting apply session. That hitter was Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who had 24 profession house runs.
“It doesn’t make sense,” DeRosa stated of Kelenic’s shot.
The entrance row seats on the fitting aspect of the higher deck had been the popular seats for Veeck, the previous baseball proprietor, and his entourage within the early Eighties. Veeck was boycotting previous Comiskey Park after his sale of the workforce and often sat within the middle discipline bleachers at Wrigley.
4. How many Cubs presidents does it take to screw in an LED mild bulb?
Since Dallas Green’s hardball techniques obtained the Cubs their lights at Wrigley Field in 1988, six Cubs presidents have loved the advantages of evening baseball: Don Grenesko, Andy MacPhail, John McDonough, Crane Kenney, Theo Epstein and now Hoyer.
But years of dimly lit corners couldn’t persuade anybody to make a change within the lighting, till Kenney and Hoyer ushered in a plan this, changing the 34-year-old fixtures with LED lights to make the sector brighter and the Cubs extra power environment friendly.
The Cubs at the moment are 2-0 below the brand new LED lights and have programmed them to flash on “W”s throughout a postgame mild present after wins.
Energy effectivity was the Cubs’ purported aim within the lights swap. Now they will work on closing the home windows within the press field when the air con is working full blast.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com