The Cubs had a lot of hits Sunday… and also got hit.
The Cubs sent several players onto the field for the second straight game Sunday afternoon, ramping up as the team gets ready to head to Japan.
The starters put together a pretty good offense before departing, scoring in each of the first five innings. Unfortunately, non-roster invitee Brandon Hughes got hit pretty hard in the ninth and the Giants scored five and won the game over the Cubs 8-6.
Ian Happ led off the first with a double and two outs later, scored on this single by Michael Busch [VIDEO].
The Giants tied the game on a home run by Casey Schmitt off Jameson Taillon in the second, but the Cubs took the lead right back in the bottom of the inning.
Pete Crow-Armstrong singled with one out and advanced to third on a double by Carson Kelly.
Both runners scored on this double by Jon Berti [VIDEO].
The next batter was Happ, who was hit by a pitch. It didn’t look too serious, but he was taken out of the game as a precaution. He didn’t say anything about it in this interview, so it seems like he’s fine:
“To be the longest-tenured Cub, it’s special. It’s something that means a lot to me. I’ve cherished this organization and the fanbase.”
Ian Happ on his tenure with the @Cubs. pic.twitter.com/MO9m7u0jBV
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 9, 2025
In the fourth, Kyle Tucker registered his first hit of the spring. And it was a big one — a solo homer [VIDEO].
Tucker got the silent treatment from his teammates after his homer, a baseball tradition for the first such blast for a new team:
“Everyone was mad at PCA because he dapped me up and stuff.”
Kyle Tucker on his silent treatment pic.twitter.com/cDCMCWku1O
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 9, 2025
The Giants scored again off Taillon in the fourth. Jamo finished four innings, allowing a pair of solo homers and striking out four. Overall, it was a good outing. Looks like Taillon will be throwing in one of the Cubs’ exhibition games against NPB teams in Tokyo next weekend. Here are his four K’s [VIDEO].
In the fourth, Kelly singled with one out and one out later, Reese McGuire, batting for Happ, was hit by a pitch. (Contagious?)
Seiya Suzuki followed with this RBI single [VIDEO].
The Giants plated a run off Eli Morgan in the fifth to make it 5-3, but the Cubs again got that run back in the bottom of the inning. Busch singled and went to second on an infield out.
Gage Workman singled him in [VIDEO].
On the Marquee broadcast, it was noted that Craig Counsell told reporters Sunday morning that Workman has likely made the Japan roster ahead of Vidal Bruján, though it seems possible that Bruján could go as part of the taxi squad. That’ll all be announced in a couple of days, as the Cubs depart for Tokyo on Wednesday.
After that all the Cubs starters were removed, so the rest of any interest in this game was the relievers. Caleb Thielbar loaded the bases on a single and two walks, but got out of the sixth with no runs scoring.
Brad Keller, who might make this team after showing well in a non-roster invited, threw the seventh and eighth innings, also scoreless, with a pair of strikeouts. On the Marquee broadcast they speculated on whether Keller might be on the Japan roster. As always, we await developments.
Hughes, trying to make his way back to the big leagues as a NRI, had a rough ninth inning, allowing two runs, including a solo homer. Minor leaguer Cayne Ueckert entered to try to finish things off; instead, he served up a three-run homer that gave the Giants the lead. It wasn’t all on Hughes, obviously, but he did not help his chances in this one.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Cubs announced the spring roster had been cut to 35 players. Here are the cuts:
Infielder Ben Cowles has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-handed pitcher Cade Horton, left-handed pitcher Brandon Hughes, catchers Moises Ballesteros and Carlos Perez, infielder Nicky Lopez and outfielder Travis Jankowski have been returned to the minor-league camp.
Again, none of these cuts should surprise you.
The spring roster of 35 players now consists of 19 pitchers (one non-roster invitee), three catchers (one non-roster invitee), eight infielders (one non-roster invitee) and five outfielders. (NOTE: The one non-roster invitee pitcher is Keller.)
Attendance watch: The Sloan Park crowd of 13,423 wasn’t quite as big as Saturday’s Cactus League record, but was still a very good turnout. That makes the spring total for 11 dates 138,276, or 12,570 per date.
Monday, the Cubs will head to Goodyear to play their final away game of Arizona Spring Training for this year against the Guardians. Shōta Imanaga will make his final tune-up start before starting the first game of the Tokyo Series on the 18th. Triston McKenzie will start for Cleveland. Important note! Monday’s game will be the last Cubs game this year that will not be televised. No TV, but there will be a radio broadcast via the Guardians radio crew. Game time Monday is 3:05 p.m. CT.