Welcome back to the Cubs Beat newsletter. Jordan Bastian has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2005, including the Cubs since the 2019 season. |
MESA, Ariz. -- Pete Crow-Armstrong let out a slight laugh earlier this week when asked about the quality of Team USA’s roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It is a lineup and pitching staff stacked with All-Stars and award winners. “I mean, how can you put together a better roster than what we’ve got?” Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m so freakin’ stoked. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I feel like everybody’s going to do the work for me. I’ve just got to go play defense. That’s my job. I’m just there to go track it down and catch it.” Crow-Armstrong is part of a United States’ outfield that includes Yankees superstar Aaron Judge. Seattle’s slugging catcher, Cal Raleigh, is on board. Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. and Phillies bopper Kyle Schwarber will be in a lineup that also has new Cubs star Alex Bregman. Aces Tarik Skubal (Tigers) and Paul Skenes (Pirates) lead the rotation. |
The Cubs have eight players from their 40-man roster scheduled to head to the Classic. That includes Crow-Armstrong, Bregman and lefty Matthew Boyd for Team USA, which is part of Pool B in Houston. They will depart Chicago’s camp later this month in preparation for games that begin on March 6 at Daikin Park. “Guys like Aaron Judge,” Crow-Armstrong said, “want to play in the highest-level of baseball and competition that they can possibly find. I mean, it’s no surprise that he is leading the charge for us. Same with Skubes. I think it’s pretty admirable that Skubes is doing it on a walk year. It’s just cool stuff, man. The best players want to go do that stuff.” After signing a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs, Bregman announced that he was joining Team USA for the tournament. An injury kept him out of the picture for the '23 team that finished as the runner-up to Japan. Back in '17, when Team USA won the Classic, Bregman was in only his second Major League season. |
Bregman said he has been looking forward to suiting up for the United States again. “It’s an honor to represent your country,” Bregman said. “I’ve been able to do it five times before this [including as an amateur], and to be able to do it again with this group of players, it’s going to be very special. And I’m also looking forward to playing with guys like PCA and Boyd over there, and looking forward to furthering our relationship. “And getting to be around other guys from other teams that are the best at what they do, and kind of pick their brains and learn from them as well.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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Seiya Suzuki finished last season with 32 home runs, 31 doubles and 103 RBIs. Who was the previous Cubs player to have at least 30 homers, 30 doubles and 100 RBIs in a season? A. Javier Báez B. Anthony Rizzo C. Kris Bryant D. Alfonso Soriano |
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THREE Q'S WITH ... JAMESON TAILLON |
While Bregman, Crow-Armstrong and Boyd are heading to play for Team USA this spring, Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon is set to join Team Canada. Both of Taillon’s parents were born in Canada. Q: How excited are you to join Canada in the Classic? Taillon: “I had the opportunity to do it in 2013 when I was in Double-A, and I kind of always said if I had the chance to play for Canada again, I wanted to do it as a big leaguer. Last time, I was in my first year of my deal here, and I didn’t want to leave camp. I’m in a different spot now.” Q: Why was it important for you to suit up for Canada? Taillon: “I just want to honor my Canadian lineage and family and make people proud. My grandma on my mom’s side was a refugee of World War II from Hungary and Canada accepted her with open arms, and she built an incredible life there. Our family is very grateful for Canada and I want to honor that.”
Q: Will balancing the Classic with Spring Training be a challenge? Taillon: “To be honest, I think maybe for a young guy, a young pitcher, it might be more challenging, because they might get really excited and over-amp and over-build. For guys like me and Boyd, even [Javier Assad with Mexico], I think we’re just going to build up like professionals the right way. I’m not going to be trying to hurt myself on Day 1 or anything. I know what a proper build-up in Spring Training looks like.” |
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• Alex Bregman already making leadership felt with Cubs. Read more >> • Charles Barkley swings by Cubs camp, and other notes. Read more >> • Shota Imanaga taking philosophical approach to spring. Read more >> • Cubs have “unfinished business” to tackle in '26. Read more >> • Daniel Palencia set to open season as Cubs’ closer. Read more >> • Miguel Amaya ready to move on from injury-marred '25. Read more >> • One man made Kyle Farnsworth most-searched name in Iowa. Read more >> |
“It’s cool. And I feel like the WBC as a whole now, guys really want to play. I think you see the American team this year. You've got Skubal and Skenes and Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. -- it’s legit. Guys want to play. Even, you look at Team Canada. There’s a lot of big leaguers and a ton of pro ball guys, which in the past it didn't always seem like that. It’ll be fun.” -- Taillon, on the talented rosters in the Classic |
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C. Báez Suzuki was the first Cubs batter to reach at least 30 homers, 30 doubles and 100 RBIs in one season since 2018, when Báez did so as the runner-up for the National League MVP Award. The former Cubs star had 34 homers, 40 doubles and 111 RBIs that year. |
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