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. -- During his final Cactus League appearance on Saturday, Cubs righty Jameson Taillon was already thinking ahead to his first outing of the season. The starter was looking over how he faced lefties in the Rockies’ lineup and contemplated how it might apply when he takes on the D-backs on Friday at Chase Field. The Cubs already have two regular-season games in the books -- a pair of losses to the Dodgers in the Tokyo Series last week -- and the task ahead is not getting any easier. The planning has already started because the first month of the 162-game marathon is a bit of a gauntlet for the North Siders as they begin their quest to make the playoffs. “It’d be nice to get out to a nice start,” Taillon said. “We have a really tough April -- I think everyone’s aware of it.” Following the Tokyo Series, the first 27 games for the Cubs look like this: |
Road: D-backs (four), A’s (three), Dodgers (three), Padres (three) Home: Padres (three), Rangers (three), D-backs (three), Dodgers (two), Phillies (three) Including the two games overseas, the Cubs’ opponents’ projected winning percentage for the first 29 games is .529 combined, per FanGraphs' full-season projected standings. That equates to an 86-win pace. The A’s (77 wins) rank the lowest in the list, but it’s worth noting that they were an above-.500 team (39-37) for the final three months in ‘24. Beginning with the Pirates series on April 29, things theoretically get easier. Using the same FanGraphs standings, the Cubs’ next 30 games from that point include teams with a combined projected winning percentage of .465 (or a 75-win pace). That run of games for the Cubs looks like this: Road: Pirates (three), Brewers (three), Mets (three), Marlins (three), Reds (three) Home: Giants (three), Marlins (three), White Sox (three), Rockies (three), Reds (three) The Cubs already got a taste of a postseason-like environment in Japan and will encounter a group of teams in the first few weeks who look like potential playoff contenders this year. The way Taillon views things, that could be a good litmus test out of the chute for the Cubs. |
“I think it can’t hurt,” Taillon said. “You see it in college football sometimes. Teams will have easy cake schedules and stomp people and then when they get tested, it’s like, ‘Oh [man], we have a lot to work on.’ You also see teams that test themselves early and might lose a close game, and then get really a lot better for it as the season goes. “I think we have the opportunity to, one, show we can play with these teams, and also, if anything gets exposed early, I’d rather have it early than late so you can address it and clean it up. But again, I don’t want to overcook it. The games against last place teams matter as much as against first place teams.” That last point is a valid one, and Cubs manager Craig Counsell was also quick to point to the fact that the balanced schedule makes things better across the board. Each team will have harder and easier segments in its respective calendar. The run of difficult opponents just happens to come at the front end for Chicago. “I think you can look at it and say that [it’s a good test], but it doesn't help us to do that,” Counsell said. “We’ve got to go play the games and we’ve got to live with the results, and there’s going to be a game the next day. No matter who you’re playing or who’s pitching, we’re going to try to win that game. |
“The great thing about the schedule now is it really is the same for everybody. When you play teams, you’ve got no control over, and who’s hurt and all that stuff. But the schedule’s the same for everybody now, and I think that’s a good thing.” |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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THREE Q’S WITH … SHOTA IMANAGA |
Shota Imanaga spun four no-hit innings in his Opening Day outing against the Dodgers in the Tokyo Series, retiring Shohei Ohtani twice in their “made-for-TV” matchup. Back in Arizona, the Cubs lefty reflected on the week in Japan and his start as he prepares to face the D-backs on Saturday at Chase Field. Q: How exhausting was the Tokyo trip for you emotionally and mentally, not only physically? SI (via interpreter, Edwin Stanberry): “Outside of baseball, there were a lot of interviews, as well as greetings to supporters and people supporting me. Yeah, it was a lot.” Q: Overall, were you satisfied with your performance? SI: “I feel like I did my best and what I was capable of for that day.” Q: It was only four innings, but what did you take away from that outing? SI: “If I’m able to throw my fastball -- my best fastball -- I can compete. I feel like this last outing, I was able to confirm that my fastball is there.” |
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• Ben Brown squarely in mix for Cubs’ fifth rotation spot. Read more >> • Nico Hoerner makes Cactus League debut, on target for opener. Read more >> • Justin Steele gets the nod for Cubs’ domestic opener vs. D-backs. Read more >> • MLB.com’s Sarah Langs with one stat to know for each team. Read more >> |
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“Top to bottom, bottom to top, we just have a lot of really talented arms. There’s probably a lot of guys that might not start the season starting and that could start on a lot of other teams in the big leagues, and are going to make a lot of starts on our team. Whether I'm included in that group, I’m not sure. It is really cool. I think it’s a testament to the development and the work ethic of a lot of our starters and pitching coaches.” -- Brown, on the Cubs’ rotation depth |
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