The Chicago Cubs ought to quickly get an offensive increase and shore up their protection in proper discipline.
Manager David Ross indicated Monday that Seiya Suzuki may rejoin the Cubs throughout their upcoming West Coast journey to Los Angeles (Friday by means of Sunday) and Oakland (April 17-19), calling it a “best-case scenario” for Suzuki’s return. It would align with the group’s mid-April projection when Suzuki strained his left indirect in late February.
Suzuki is 2-for-5 with an RBI, a stroll and a strikeout by means of two video games of his rehab task with Triple-A Iowa, which had Monday off. His damage prevented him from getting any plate appearances within the Cactus League earlier than camp broke. Players normally get about 50 plate appearances in spring coaching to arrange for the season.
“We’re just kind of taking it day to day and making sure he feels comfortable,” Ross stated earlier than the Cubs beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 in 10 innings within the sequence opener at Wrigley Field. “He’s nowhere near that (number), so just trying to get him built up as much as possible.”
Suzuki would deepen a Cubs lineup that was capable of string collectively hits to supply a two-run fourth inning towards Mariners ace Luis Castillo. Cody Bellinger’s first double of the season tied the sport at 1, and Trey Mancini and Eric Hosmer adopted with back-to-back singles to place the Cubs forward 2-1.
With the best way the highest third of the order — Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ — has regarded to begin the season, the Cubs want these guys within the center to supply.
Left-hander Drew Smyly held the Mariners to at least one run and two hits in 5 innings, and Adbert Alzolay, Mark Leiter Jr. and Brad Boxberger put up zeroes to arrange Michael Fulmer for a save alternative. Jarred Kelenic took Fulmer deep for a 414-foot solo dwelling run to proper to tie the sport with one out within the ninth.
Keegan Thompson pitched right into a one-out, bases-loaded scenario within the tenth however obtained out of it by hanging out Ty France and getting a Eugenio Suarez forceout to arrange the Cubs’ walk-off victory.
Nick Madrigal, pinch operating at second base to start the underside of the tenth, produced a well-timed steal of third. He took off as Mariners reliever Matt Brash started his windup and made it safely when Brash made an off-balance throw to 3rd after stepping off towards second when he noticed Madrigal had taken off.
Hoerner capitalized, delivering a one-out single to proper for his first big-league walk-off hit.
Suzuki additionally would bolster the protection in proper discipline, the place the Cubs have relied on a mixture of gamers who aren’t true outfielders. Miles Mastrobuoni obtained his fourth begin on the place Monday, whereas the Cubs even have used Mancini (three begins) and Patrick Wisdom (two) in proper.
As the Cubs await Suzuki’s return, they recalled outfielder Nelson Velázquez from Iowa on Monday and optioned right-hander Javier Assad because the corresponding transfer. The addition of Velázquez, who went 12-for-33 (.364) with two doubles and three homers in eight video games at Iowa, provides Ross an possibility when he desires a late-inning defensive improve in proper.
Ross didn’t wait lengthy to deploy Velázquez in that state of affairs. He took over in proper within the high of the eighth because the Cubs held a one-run lead.
Assad wasn’t sharp in two multi-inning reduction appearances. He surrendered six runs in 4⅓ innings, together with three runs in three innings within the Cubs’ 8-2 loss Sunday to the Texas Rangers.
Assad will probably be used as a starter at Iowa to construct up, get common work and supply beginning depth. The Cubs weren’t utilizing him sufficient as a multi-inning reliever, partly as a result of Thompson and Alzolay can fill that function too.
Ross didn’t rule out Assad returning to the Cubs bullpen in some unspecified time in the future.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com