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3 biggest Cubs stories through 3 weeks of spring training
We're just about two weeks from the Cubs home opener against the Milwaukee. Hopefully, that means warmer temperatures here in Chicago, but I've also sat through enough misty, damp Opening Days at the Friendly Confines to know better than to expect such luck.
In the meantime, at least we can tune into spring training action and check in on the Cubs, who boast the fourth-best record in Cactus League play. As the roster starts to take shape and we draw nearer to David Ross and Jed Hoyer making critical decisions about who breaks camp with the big league club and who heads down to Iowa, let's look at 3 of the biggest storylines around the team so far.
3 biggest Cubs spring training storylines: #3 - David Bote trying to hit his way onto the Opening Day roster
Outrighted off the 40-man last fall, David Bote finds himself in a weird spot this spring. With a crowded infield picture following the signing of Dansby Swanson and no clear route to reps in the outfield, earning a bench spot feels like a best case scenario for Bote - and he's certainly done everything in his power to earn it.
Entering action Wednesday, Bote carried a 1.317 OPS - although it comes with a caveat of a small 27 plate appearance sample size. Every year, there's a guy who plays out of his mind in spring training only to be a non-factor in the regular season. Hopefully, that isn't the case for the almost-30-year-old infielder.
After whiffing in 35 percent of his trips to the plate last year in limited action, Bote has just five strikeouts to four walks this spring. Hopefully, he can find a way to bring value to the team, especially since he's still got two years left on that extension he signed back during the Theo Epstein era (plus two options, but it seems like a guarantee the Cubs will buy them out).
3 biggest Cubs stories through 3 weeks of spring training: #2 Trey Mancini looks at home with his new team
One of the final pieces Jed Hoyer added this offseason came in the form of Trey Mancini, a veteran first baseman/corner outfielder coming off a World Series championship with the Astros.
A longtime Baltimore Orioles fan favorite, Mancini was traded to Houston at the deadline last summer and, although he struggled post-trade, has a pretty consistent track record to his credit (113 career OPS+). That led the Cubs to give him a two-year, $14 million deal, adding a versatile piece to the puzzle.
Mancini has looked comfortable with his new team from the start and the results speak for themselves. He carries a 1.221 OPS this spring that trails only Bote - and while he's struck out more than you'd like, he's showcasing a shortened stroke and peppering the ball all over the diamond. Of his 13 hits, just two have been for extra-bases (and both left the yard).
But as he continues to hone in, I suspect we'll see more power, especially as the regular season wears on. After all, this is a guy who popped 35 long balls back in 2019. While I don't think he's going to take aim at that mark in Chicago (given his focus on using the whole field and the new shift ban), he can definitely make some noise for the Cubs.
3 biggest Cubs stories through 3 weeks of spring training: #1 - Hayden Wesneski is out to steal the final spot in the rotation
I'm not sure what more the Cubs could have hoped for from rookie right-hander Hayden Wesneski this spring. Looking to secure the fifth and final spot in the starting rotation, he's been absolutely dominant this spring.
The other two candidates to round out the starting five, Adrian Sampson and Javier Assad, have had wildly differing spring showings. Sampson has been a total disaster, allowing 13 earned runs in just 8 1/3 innings of work - while Assad has dazzled, both with the Cubs and Team Mexico in the WBC. At this point, it's got to be considered a two-man race, with Sampson on the outside looking in.
Next. 5 Chicago Cubs Spring Training surprises so far. dark
Given what the Cubs gave up for Wesneski (rookie reliever Scott Effross) and David Ross' penchant for old-school, gritty players, I have a hard time believing anyone other than Wesneski comes away with that final spot in teh rotation. He's not only showcased plus stuff, he's hit his spots (11 strikeouts to just two walks), building on his breakout cup of coffee with the big league team in 2022.