Cubs confirm Hoerner won’t make trip to Japan; no decision yet on Shaw
Nico Hoerner was officially ruled out of the Cubs' opening series in Japan, but manager Craig Counsell spun the news in a positive fashion.
“We're excited about where Nico's at,” Counsell told reporters in Mesa, Ariz., on Thursday. “This is a good news situation.”
The Cubs will face the Los Angeles Dodgers for two games in Tokyo on March 18 and 19. They will also play two exhibition games in Japan against local teams.
Then they'll return to Arizona, play five more MLB exhibitions, before resuming the season on March 28 against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
“For Nico, it's not necessarily good news he has to miss two games and has to miss the trip,” Counsell said. “On the other side of it, it's good news because I think we are very much tracking toward domestic Opening Day, him being ready for that and prepared for that.”
Hoerner had flexor tendon surgery on his right wrist on Oct. 11. At the Cubs Convention in January, Hoerner said the injury bothered him quite a bit at the end of last season, and at the time he hadn't started any baseball activities.
“His rehab, really in the last couple of weeks, maybe three weeks, has taken a big step forward,” Counsell said. “He is starting to progress quicker. We're in a really good spot and if we can have him for domestic Opening Day, going back to surgery date, it would be a really positive result.”
Since Hoerner is still in rehab mode, Counsell explained the Cubs want him to skip the Japan trip, stay in Arizona and continue baseball workouts.
Projected third baseman Matt Shaw has been slowed by an oblique injury this spring, but he has not been ruled out of the Japan games. Counsell said Shaw, who has yet to make his major-league debut, is expected to start playing in exhibition games on Sunday.
“Nothing is off the table with Matt,” Counsell said. “We're not at a point to make any decisions on Matt yet. He is getting healthy, essentially.”
The Cubs have two utility infielders who are likely to make the Opening Day roster, Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan. Naperville Central graduate Nicky Lopez started at third base on Thursday after playing mostly shortstop this spring. Lopez signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs and isn't on the 40-man roster, which could be a barrier to starting the season in the big leagues.
Gage Workman has gotten three starts at third base this spring. He's in an unusual situation since the Cubs got him from Detroit in the Rule 5 draft. That means Workman has to make the Cubs' Opening Day roster or else be put on waivers and offered back to his previous team.
The Cubs stayed undefeated this spring by playing their second consecutive tie Thursday, finishing 4-4 against the Angels. Jonathan Long's 2-run double in the eighth put the Cubs ahead 4-2, but the Angels' Kyren Paris hit a 2-run tying homer off Brooks Kriske with two outs in the top of the ninth.
Former White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson hit a solo homer for the Angels earlier in the game.
Benintendi breaks hand
White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi suffered a broken right hand when hit by a pitch in Thursday's exhibition game and the team announced he will miss 4-6 weeks. The Sox open the season in four weeks, on March 27 at home against the Angels.
Shortstop Colson Montgomery was scratched from Thursday's lineup as a precaution due to back spasms. The good news is the White Sox finally got their first spring win after starting 0-5. They beat Cleveland 4-2 thanks to a 2-run double by Lenyn Sosa.