The Cubs won their final 2025 Spring Training game.
Yes, the results of spring games are meaningless, but I’m sure the Cubs didn’t want to lose all five games at Sloan Park following their return from Japan.
And they didn’t, taking the spring finale 4-2 from the Braves as Haydn McGeary hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth.
The Cubs scored first, in the first. With one out, Kyle Tucker singled and Seiya Suzuki walked. One out later, Dansby Swanson’s double scored Tucker [VIDEO].
Cubs highlights over the first four innings included some defensive gems.
Matt Shaw made this nice sliding stop in the third [VIDEO].
You know, I’ve run several of these types of plays this spring and almost every time, there’s also a nice play by Michael Busch on the other end. Busch has turned himself into a really good defensive first baseman and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a Gold Glove contender this year.
I feel like we don’t go very long without a defensive highlight from Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Before that play, in that inning, Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run homer off Ben Brown. Apart from that, Brown had a decent outing, throwing into the fifth inning and more than 70 pitches. And, manager Craig Counsell earlier Tuesday announced that Brown would be the Cubs’ fifth starter. Brown did very well in the rotation last year before injury ended his season. If Brown is healthy, this could be a huge key for the Cubs.
Here are Brown’s four strikeouts on the afternoon [VIDEO].
Counsell cleared the bench for minor leaguers by the time the Cubs scored their second run of the afternoon, tying the game, in the bottom of the fifth. The run scored on an RBI single by Carter Trice.
Now, if Josh were writing this recap you’d likely see one of his outstanding highlight drawings here. But there’s no way I can live up to his high standard, so you’ll just have to imagine Trice hitting a ground ball single to center field.
Trice was the Cubs 12th round pick last year out of NC State. He’s probably ticketed for South Bend this year.
I do have video of McGeary smashing the game-winner [VIDEO].
Other news: Here’s Nico Hoerner talking about being ready for (re)Opening Day [VIDEO].
Attendance watch: 12,099 paid for the spring finale at Sloan Park. That makes the spring attendance total at Sloan 218,401, or 12,487 per date for 17 dates. That’s down a bit from last year, when the Cubs sold 241,215 tickets for 18 dates, or 13,401 per date.
Anyway, now it all starts — or in the Cubs’ case, RE-starts — Thursday. The Cubs will be one of only three night games on the schedule for MLB’s opening day (everything else will be in the afternoon). They’ll face the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Justin Steele will start for the Cubs and Zac Gallen will be on the mound for Arizona. Game time Thursday is 9:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Stick around BCB in the meantime, as we’ll have much to say in advance of the 2025 baseball season.