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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — With the change to Daylight Saving time for most of the USA and Canada, and Arizona not moving clocks ahead, most spring games from here on out begin at 3 p.m. CT (with a few exceptions).
The hamstring injury to Javier Baez — after which he pronounced himself “100 percent” — is apparently a bit more serious than originally reported:
Javier Baez underwent an MRI on his left hamstring Friday, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon described the injury as “minimal,” but the second baseman will remain sidelined until early next week.
”We wanted to make sure about everything and it was honestly very minimal,” Maddon said of the test results. “This is a precautionary tale right now. Talking to [athletic trainer PJ Mainville], if it was during the season, we’d be a little more aggressive. I just talked to Javy and he says he feels fine. You’ll see him back out at the beginning of next week. It’s something we don’t want to press on right now.”
Fortunately, we have more than two weeks before Opening Day and in games that don’t mean anything, there’s no reason to rush him. Sounds like Javy should be fine, and the team is exercising appropriate caution. Javy, though, is being Javy:
Baez scooted out of of clubhouse but said, “I’m 110 percent. ... that’s good enough. ... I’m serious.”
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) March 11, 2018
Also, there’s some news about Willson Contreras today:
#Cubs Contreras (ill) said he's feeling better. Expects to play Tue in one of the split squad games
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) March 11, 2018
Here are today’s particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Almora CF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Zobrist 2B, Heyward RF, Schwarber LF, Gimenez C, Caratini DH, Court SS
Athletics lineup:
Semien SS, Joyce DH, Lowrie 2B, Davis LF, Olson 1B, Piscotty RF, Fowler CF, Chapman 3B, Maxwell C
A reminder: That’s Dustin Fowler, not Dexter.
Yu Darvish gets the start for the Cubs. Cubs relievers today: Justin Wilson, Justin Grimm, Steve Cishek and Kyle Ryan.
Sean Manaea will go for the Athletics.
Today’s game is on cubs.com with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie.
Please note that during spring training, Gameday doesn't usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season -- usually, it will update after each at-bat.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Please visit our SB Nation Athletics site Athletics Nation. If you do go there to interact with A’s fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
For spring-training games, we'll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time (because I know how you all like overflow threads!). For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher boxes and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
Discuss amongst yourselves.