Welcome back to the Cubs Beat newsletter. Jordan Bastian has covered baseball for MLB.com since 2005, including the Cubs since the 2019 season. |
CHICAGO -- In another season under different circumstances, the highly touted outfield duo of Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara might have spent more time in Chicago already. With a stacked Major League outfield and the Cubs focused on chasing down a postseason spot, the prospects have had to remain patient. With Ian Happ in left, Pete Crow-Armstrong in center, Kyle Tucker in right and Seiya Suzuki getting his at-bats as the designated hitter, there has not been a path to regular at-bats this season for the Cubs’ next wave of young talent. Caissie finally got a taste of The Show over the past few weeks, while Alcántara is now with the Cubs to help off the bench. “I think in the long run, this is going to be good for those players, that they got a lot of at-bats under their belt,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Caissie and Alcántara spending most of this season with Triple-A Iowa. “When players of that age take the jump that establishes them as good Major Leaguers, we don't know exactly when it’s going to happen. “They’re going to need some opportunity in the big leagues for that to happen.” |
The 23-year-old Caissie -- MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 Cubs prospect and No. 44 on the Top 100 list -- had an opportunity in mid-August after catcher Miguel Amaya landed on the injured list and the Cubs were also looking to give Tucker a brief period of rest. Caissie got 11 games under his belt (six starts), but the at-bats became more sporadic leading up to his trip back to Iowa on Monday. “When you get sent down at this time of year,” Counsell said, “sometimes you think, ‘My Major League season could be over.’ I think it’s important for [Caissie] not to think that.” Getting Caissie back into Iowa's lineup regularly will, in theory, help the outfielder regain a rhythm in the batter’s box. That would, in turn, make him more prepared to step into the mix for Chicago if a need arises down the stretch. In the meantime, the 23-year-old Alcántara was promoted on Monday to help against left-handed pitching and as Counsell aimed to use this week to offer Crow-Armstrong a “physical and mental break.”
“I only care about winning,” said Alcántara, who is the Cubs’ No. 5-ranked prospect. “I talked to Counsell a lot. He said, ‘If I need you, I’ll put you in the game.’ I said, ‘OK, if you need me to run, you need me to go [play] defense, I’ll do whatever you want.’ I’m staying right here for winning. If I’m winning and I’m on the bench, I’m happy.”
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Alcántara got his first exposure to the big leagues down the stretch last season, helping remove the initial nerves that come with a debut. This time around, the outfielder returns having hit .266/.349/.470 with 17 homers, 26 doubles and 69 RBIs in 102 games at Triple-A. Entering Wednesday, Alcántara was batting .323 with a .998 OPS in 105 plate appearances against lefty pitching this year. “Kevin had a good learning year,” Counsell said. “Basically, a healthy season of playing every day at the highest Minor League level. And he got better because of it. … There may have been other opportunities for him [to be promoted], but the opportunity to be a regular player wasn’t ever there this year. It’s not going to be there here this year, either. “But we’re at the point of the season where he’s got a full season of Minor League Baseball in and we can take advantage of some spots where Kevin, we think, can be a successful player and help this team win.” |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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CUBS HALL OF FAME WEEKEND ON DECK |
Cubs greats Sammy Sosa and Derrek Lee will be celebrated this weekend as the newest members of the team’s Hall of Fame. Sosa will be honored throughout Friday’s game against the Nationals, while Lee will have his career celebrated during Saturday’s game. On Sunday, they will receive their Cubs Hall of Fame jackets, throw out the ceremonial first pitch, sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and have their plaques unveiled in the left-field concourse. Memorabilia from their careers will be on display in a pop-up exhibit at the razr room in Gallagher Way all weekend.
Check out Cubs.com/halloffame for more information on those who have been inducted over the years.
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In light of Kyle Tucker’s gorgeous home run to left field on Tuesday night -- his first opposite-field blast for the Cubs -- do you know who has the most oppo shots for the North Siders in the Statcast Era (since 2015)? A. Kris Bryant B. Ian Happ C. Kyle Schwarber D. Javier Báez |
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• Tucker launches 3-run homer, exits early with calf issue Read more >> • Gutsy bunt from PCA sets Cubs on path to walk-off win Read more >> • Cubs send top prospect Caissie back to Iowa for regular ABs Read more >> • Cubs sign veteran Santana, claim Civale to bolster depth Read more >> • This Cubs prospect made Jim Callis’ all-breakout team Read more >> |
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“He had a wonderful game defensively. Incredible game. Sometimes we don’t talk enough about it, but those were two brilliant plays. And those are plays that, it’s something I feel like this team is just good at, whether it takes pitches off a pitcher’s ledger, gets him into a different inning, or it’s the kind of thing that makes bullpens better, when you get bullpens in the spot they’re supposed to get to. Wonderful plays, and Dansby’s done it all year.” -- Counsell, on the pair of defensive gems (here and here) made by shortstop Dansby Swanson on Tuesday |
The 20th annual Race to Wrigley is just around the corner on Sept. 21, with proceeds benefiting Cubs Charities. Participants have the chance to run/walk through the Lakeview neighborhood, into Wrigley Field and finish near the famous red Marquee. For more information on the in-person or virtual entries, click here. |
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C. Kyle Schwarber Happ is the Cubs’ active leader with 30 opposite-field homers since Statcast began tracking blasts, and the veteran outfielder is closing in on the leader. Schwarber (34) tops this particular list, followed by Báez (33). |
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