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SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — The big news is the optioning of Ian Happ to Triple-A and you can read about that here
Some useful information about some of the relievers who will appear in tonight’s game can be found in this Mark Gonzales article in the Tribune.
Reliever Steve Cishek, who hasn’t pitched since Sunday because of an illness, is scheduled to follow Jon Lester against the Rockies on Saturday night. Alec Mills, sidelined since March 4 with back tightness, also is scheduled to pitch.
Cishek will be on the Opening Day roster. Mills is likely going to be in the rotation at Iowa. The article also mentions Junichi Tazawa, but:
If the Red Sox want to make an external relief addition, here's an option: Old friend Junichi Tazawa.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 23, 2019
Tazawa was just released by the Cubs after a strong spring-- 0 R, 2 H, 9 K in 5.2 innings.
Tazawa's release could very well be an effort by the Cubs to avoid paying the $100k retention bonus... but if not, he could flirt with other teams. Totally speculative on Sox.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 23, 2019
Thus it’s entirely possible Tazawa still winds up at Iowa. He made 14 Triple-A appearances last year in the Angels and Tigers organizations. And, there’s this:
No word yet on any camp moves for Cubs. There's a report out that Junichi Tazawa has been released (via @ChrisCotillo), but the pitcher still has a locker. Next roster trimming announcement may come Sunday.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 23, 2019
As always, we await developments.
Here are today’s particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Almora CF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Baez SS, Contreras C, Zobrist 2B, Heyward RF, Lester P, Schwarber LF
I wouldn’t read anything into Kyle Schwarber batting ninth, though it’s interesting.
Rockies lineup:
Blackmon RF, Murphy 1B, Arenado 3B, Story SS, Desmond CF, Dahl LF, McMahon 2B, Iannetta C, Freeland P
Jon Lester will start for the Cubs. Cubs relievers tonight: Steve Cishek, Kyle Ryan and Alec Mills.
Kyle Freeland will go for the Rockies. Rockies relievers: Mike Dunn, Jake McGee and Scott Oberg.
Tonight’s game will have an audio webcast on cubs.com. It’s on TV via the Rockies network AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, and available on MLB.tv and also live on MLB Network (including in the Chicago market territory, no blackout).
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 Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies 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 8:30 p.m. CT and 10 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.