PEORIA, Ariz. — Monday represented one other good take a look at on Jordan Wicks’ journey towards a doable spot within the Opening Day rotation.
Tasked with dealing with a Padres lineup that featured all the workforce’s star gamers (Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado), Wicks’ third Cactus League outing was strong.
He pitched into the 4th inning, permitting a lone run in 3.1 frames. He didn’t strike out a batter and now carries a 2.25 ERA in Cactus League play.
Wicks mentioned he’s extra centered on his personal work proper now than the opponent however acknowledged it was essential competitors to face guys like Tatis and Machado.
The 24-year-old southpaw made his MLB debut for the Cubs down the stretch final season — simply over 2 years after he was drafted twenty first general. Wicks offered a lift to the rotation with a 3.00 ERA in 6 begins earlier than a tough outing (6 ER in 1.2 IP) to shut out his season.
He entered camp competing with the likes of Drew Smyly, Javier Assad and Hayden Wesneski for the ultimate spot within the Cubs rotation.
However that didn’t change Wicks’ strategy as he got here entered spring.
“I’m an enormous no matter occurs, occurs man,” Wicks mentioned. “I do know I should be in a specific place for the season and I believe I’m more durable on myself than anyone else can be.
“For me, I need to get myself in the absolute best place for Opening Day. Wherever that’s, it’s. For me, executing my pitches is just one thing I can management. Lots of issues like outcomes and issues exterior of myself I can’t management, I attempt to not fear about these.”
Wicks entered the offseason understanding he had to enhance his secondary stuff so he may throw his full repertoire at big-league hitters.
The slider was his essential focus over the winter and he feels actually good about the place that pitch stands proper now.
“We’ve seen some actually good shapes with that early on,” Wicks siad. “I believe it’s appeared actually good at occasions. The execution half is one thing we’re nonetheless fine-tuning. Breaking ball command for me is often one of many later issues to come back round.”
Sim sport motion
Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon took half in a simulated sport on the backfields on the Cubs complicated Monday.
Taillon threw 3 innings dealing with Bellinger and a set of minor leaguers.
Bellinger roped a single off lefty Thomas Pannone (a non-roster invite to camp) and flew out deep to left discipline amongst his 6 journeys to the plate.
This was one other ramp-up alternative for Bellinger, who will get right into a sport Wednesday because the DH. He’s on monitor to play the sector in Friday’s contest with an off-day in between.
Bellinger’s first official exercise day was final Wednesday, Feb. 28 and the primary dwell pitching he noticed all offseason was the next day (Feb. 29).
Bellinger has been taking swings all offseason in Arizona along with his private hitting coach, Micah Franklin. His rapport and comfortability with the Cubs teaching workers is an asset as he works to rise up to hurry after becoming a member of the workforce two weeks into Spring Coaching.
Taillon, in the meantime, was pitching on the backfields to get some work in in a managed atmosphere. He has been slowed a bit by calf soreness and is engaged on honing in parts of his supply and arm movement.
He’s on the identical development as the remainder of the Cubs starters.
With so many pitchers in camp vying for spots on the roster, the Cubs are using sim video games to get common work in for a couple of veterans, permitting a few of the youthful arms to proceed to get expertise in video games.
With out the sim sport, Taillon and Jordan Wicks would have needed to piggyback one another in Monday’s contest in opposition to the Padres.
Smyly, Mark Leiter Jr. and Julian Merryweather are slated to throw in a sim sport Tuesday whereas Caleb Kilian will begin the Cactus League sport at evening in Shock, Ariz., in opposition to the Royals.
Damage updates
Nick Madrigal left Monday’s sport with a proper leg cramp. He began at second and grounded out in his solely plate look earlier than being lifted for a pinch-hitter within the third inning.
He has been hampered by leg accidents all through his profession, lacking time in every of the final 3 seasons. He had a hamstring tear in 2021 that price him important time after which went on the IL three separate occasions in 2022 with a low again pressure, a left groin pressure and a proper groin pressure. Twice final season, he was positioned on the IL with a proper hamstring pressure.
Outfielder Brennen Davis has been out for the final week with a gentle concussion. He was struck within the head with a pitch in a sport final Tuesday.
Davis has not been in a position to get on the observe discipline since then however he was scheduled to perform a little little bit of exercise Monday.
“It’s going in all probability slower than I had first said,” Craig Counsell mentioned. “He’s progressed the final couple days and so at present, it’s the primary day we’ll attempt to ramp up and we’ll begin a technique of bodily exercise.”
Patrick Knowledge (quad) was originially scheduled to return to the Cubs lineup Tuesday however that has been pushed again. He was in line to do some baseball exercise Monday and the Cubs are contemplating him “day-to-day.”
“Simply not going as quick as we wish it,” Counsell mentioned. “So simply be somewhat cautious there.”
If Knowledge is ready to be prepared by Opening Day, he may very well be within the combine at first and third base in addition to DH, enjoying principally in opposition to left-handed pitchers.