False hope or high expectations? After strong spring, Cubs ready to play for real

The Cubs have been focused on the sights, culture and traditions of Japan.

Reality is about to hit, though, since they'll be playing actual MLB games in two days against the defending World Series champs.

The main question as the Cubs crossed the Pacific was what's real and what might be false hope. The bats dominated in Arizona, with an MLB-best .305 batting average in spring training.

Already, they've hit the opposite extreme. The Cubs managed just 3 singles and 2 walks in a 3-0 loss to the Hanshin Tigers on Friday, the first of two exhibitions they'll play against Japanese teams. Left-hander Keito Mombetsu was the star of the game, tossing five perfect innings.

OK, maybe that's no big deal. There were no scouting reports on the pitchers faced, they were still getting used to a new environment and were using slightly different Japanese baseballs. That didn't stop the Dodgers from belting 3 home runs in their opening exhibition against the Yomiuri Giants.

Here's a rundown of the offensive watchlist:

· Three Cubs with something to prove this season tore the cover off the ball in Arizona. Catcher Miguel Amaya hit .524, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong hit .519 and first baseman Michael Busch checked in at .452. If those three third-year players are still ascending, the Cubs offense should be in great shape.

· The most disappointing performance of the spring was also the Cubs' biggest investment. Including the game against Hanshin, right fielder Kyle Tucker is 1-for-27 at the plate. This is the guy who is supposed to be capable of lifting the entire lineup and posting an OPS in the .900s.

· The Cubs are hoping for the same solid defense, plus more at the plate from Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner. Both had surgeries after last season and should be closer to 100% this year. Swanson (.222) wasn't great in Arizona and Hoerner hasn't played in any games yet.

· Seiya Suzuki has understandably gotten the most attention in Japan, and he was the only Cubs player to reach base twice in the exhibition game, with a single and walk.

In three seasons with the Cubs, Suzuki's high mark is 138 games played, something manager Craig Counsell referenced Friday.

“Really, all we need from Seiya is we need him out there every day,” Counsell said. “If we get that, we know we're going to get a good season from him. He's such a talented hitter. My goal is to write his name in the lineup as much as possible.”

Pitching was not a strength in Arizona, with the Cubs posting a team ERA of 5.24. Most of the projected starters did not shine, including Justin Steele (9.35 ERA), Matthew Boyd (7.88), Ben Brown (6.75) and Shota Imanaga (5.73).

The Cubs talked about Jameson Taillon and Boyd splitting Sunday's second exhibition game against Yomiuri. They used relievers against Hanshin, with Caleb Thielbar, Tyson Miller and Porter Hodge giving up single runs.

There was a strange bit of pitching news this week when USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported the Cubs have approached veteran Lance Lynn about a one-year deal. Nothing happened yet, so no point overreacting. But why would Cubs management feel like they need starting pitcher depth?

They already seem to have too many starters. Lynn, 37, has had some rough campaigns, notably with the White Sox in '23, but he did post a 3.84 ERA in 23 starts for the Cardinals last year.

Do the Cubs think one of their current starters is headed for the injured list? They're already slow-playing Javier Assad's return from oblique soreness, claiming from the beginning it wasn't a significant injury. Brown and Jordan Wicks have options left and could conceivably be sent to Iowa as depth pieces.

The bullpen was decent in Arizona, with the most troubling performance Tyson Miller's 17.36 ERA. They'll likely open the season with Ryan Pressley, Ryan Brasier, Hodge, Thielbar, Julian Merryweather, Eli Morgan, Nate Pearson and one more — probably Miller, Brown or Wicks. Or Lynn, if they choose that path.

“In some ways, this feels a little bit unnatural,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told reporters before the team left Arizona. “We were making decisions and cuts and telling guy they're not on the team on March 8 and 9, normally (that's) the middle of their spring training.

“There is a quickness to it that feels strange, but it is what it is and we have to make these decisions. I feel good about how guys have been performing in camp.”

Maybe the accelerated timeline helps explain why the Cubs hitters were ready to shine in Arizona and the pitchers struggled to keep up.

Ready or not, there's a game that counts at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.