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3 way too early reactions from Chicago Cubs Opening Day
Opening Day had a different vibe on Thursday for the Chicago Cubs than Opening Days in recent memory. While Opening Day will always serve as a time of renewed hope and excitement for Cubs fans, typically, the team's performance quickly sucked the energy out of the new season.
That was not the case on Thursday as Cubs' starting pitcher Marcus Stroman was electric in his outing against the Milwaukee Brewers and the team's offense took advantage of scoring opportunities as the team secured a 4-0 victory.
CUBS! pic.twitter.com/WsDPqAgcFf
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 30, 2023
In what has become a tradition for teams in the midwest, the Cubs have no game on Friday and that creates plenty of time for fans to overreact to what they saw on Thursday.
3 way too early reactions from Chicago Cubs Opening Day - Cody Bellinger is still broken
The early returns on the Cubs' free-agent signings of Dansby Swanson, Trey Mancini, Brad Boxberger, and Michael Fulmer were encouraging. Swanson had three hits in his Cubs' debut while Mancini had an RBI single and Boxberger and Fulmer pitched shutout innings in the eighth and ninth innings respectively to close out the game.
It was not an encouraging start to the season for new Cubs' center fielder Cody Bellinger. Bellinger went hitless in his four plate appearances on Thursday with a strikeout but did manage to draw a walk. Bellinger's approach on Thursday appeared to have reverted to what he had during his last two seasons with the Dodgers and that led to some less-than-ideal swings.
3 way too early reactions from Chicago Cubs Opening Day - Yan Gomes struggled in a key area
It has been no secret that Yan Gomes was a focal point of the Cubs' offseason. Gomes signed a two-year deal with the Cubs ahead of the 2022 season and the team's pitching staff saw universal success with their performance when Gomes was behind the plate last season than when Willson Contreras was the backstop.
Gomes' ability to work with the pitching staff was a large part of the reason why the Cubs were willing to part ways with Contreras and it showed on Thursday as the Brewers were shut out. There was a concern, however, as Gomes struggled with framing as he was credited with 2 passed balls. It was a cooler day at Wrigley Field on Thursday as temps were in the low 40s and that likely was the reason there was some struggle with gripping the ball. It is worth noting that both Marcus Stroman and Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes seemed to struggle with gripping the ball during the early parts of Thursday's game.
3 way too early reactions from Chicago Cubs Opening Day - Eric Hosmer should be cut
Toward the end of Spring Training, the Cubs were already beginning to entertain the idea that veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer may not be long for the roster. Edwin Rios showed in Spring Training that he has the potential to be an impact power bat from the left side for the Cubs this season and with the ability to play first base, Hosmer may be the first player waived once the Cubs are in need to make a move to their 40-man roster.
The Cubs, however, did stick to their original plan for Opening Day and Hosmer was in the starting lineup as the team's first baseman. Hosmer went hitless in his four plate appearances and while he did have an impressive pick at first base, he also showed why his defense has regressed as there was a grounder between first base and the pitcher's mound that the veteran misplayed and put Marcus Stroman at a heightened risk of injury.
dark. Next. 3 standout performances from Cubs Opening Day
The Cubs will undoubtedly give Hosmer the benefit of the doubt but if that doubt creeps into May, the team may opt to play Rios regularly or even Matt Mervis if he has a hot start to the season with the Iowa Cubs.