Chicago Cubs: Two eventful innings early in Spring Training

The Chicago Cubs had a lot of interesting moments in the first two innings of their game against the San Francisco Giants.

Only two innings into their second spring training game, things had already gotten interesting for the Chicago Cubs.

Those developments included an injured player, a suspended player, a displaced player and a misplaced player. If the Cubs are to continue their recent run of post-season play, any (or all) of the four could play key roles.

The injured player was infielder David Bote, who took a Madison Bumgarner pitch off the top of his head in the second inning of Chicago’s 9-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants. The game’s starting third baseman, who is projected to play a utility role this season, dropped to one knee and was examined by San Francisco’s team physician before being aided off the field. An update on his availability was expected Monday.

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The Cubs envision Bote as one interim option to replace Addison Russell, who is serving the bulk of a 40-game suspension levied by MLB following allegations of domestic abuse by a former wife last year. Bote batted .239 last season with six home runs.

Speaking of Russell, the suspended player made his first spring training appearance Sunday against the Giants. In the Cubs’ eight-run second inning, Russell batted twice, singling and then driving home a run with a sacrifice fly.

He was greeted by the Giants spring crowd with scattered boos in his first at-bat, but emphasized the positive in his comments with reporters. “It felt great to get the clay under my cleats,” Russell said. “It was a great day.”

Although he must sit out until May 1, Russell is allowed to take part in spring training drills and games.
The displaced player is Tyler Chatwood, who is being given a spring chance to demonstrate he deserves to be considered for rotation work. Chatwood projects to be the sixth or seventh option on a five-man staff following a disastrous 2018 season in which he led the National League in bases on balls, and was basically benched after the All Star break.

Chatwood’s two innings of work produced mixed results: Six outs mixed around a walk, a hit batter, and two hits, one of them a home run.

Afterward, Chatwood, who is signed through 2020, said he didn’t view his spring work as an audition for a possible trade, but as competition for a starting role with the Cubs. “That hasn’t even crossed my mind,” he said. “I chose to be here.”

Cubs manager Joe Maddon suggested the issue may be out of Chatwood’s hands. “Obviously if everybody were healthy, it’s going to be tough (for Chatwood) to fit in the five…obviously,” he said. In some order, the Cubs project a rotation of John Lester, Jose Quintana, Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks, and Cole Hamels.

The misplaced player is left fielder Kyle Schwarber…or is he? On Sunday, Schwarber showed his well-known abilities at the bat and also displayed some outfield game. In three plate appearances against the Giants, he doubled to start the eight-running, and walked twice. But what really had people talking was a diving catch he made dashing across the foul line on a fly ball off the bat of Henry Ramos. Maddon said Schwarber has worked hard on that aspect of his game.

“Just tell Schwarbs he can’t do something and then just stay out of his way,” Maddon said.