Cubs vs. Red Sox at Mesa preview, Monday 3/25, 8:05 CT

MESA, Arizona — The two games the Cubs are playing against the Red Sox are considered “exhibition” games rather than “Cactus League” games, even though they are being played at a Cactus League venue, if you care about the distinction.

The Cubs are the only Cactus League team still playing at its spring venue. The other Arizona-based teams are playing practice games at T-Mobile Park in Seattle (Padres/Mariners), Chase Field in Phoenix (White Sox/Diamondbacks), Oracle Park in San Francisco (Giants/Athletics), Angel Stadium in Anaheim (Angels/Dodgers), Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas (Rangers/Indians), SunTrust Park in Atlanta (Reds/Braves), Werner Park in Omaha (Royals vs. their Triple-A affiliate), Isotopes Park in Albuquerque (Rockies vs. their Triple-A affiliate) and Olympic Stadium in Montreal (Brewers/Blue Jays).

Notes:

• The 24 runs the Cubs scored Sunday against the Padres give them the MLB lead among all teams this spring with 218.
• Cristhian Adames’ 17 runs scored lead the Cactus League. His 16 RBI rank third while his 36 total bases are fifth and his 20 hits are tied for sixth.
• Tyler Chatwood has a 2.57 ERA (four earned runs in 14 innings) with four walks and nine strikeouts and he has not allowed a walk in his last four outings covering 4⅔ innings. All four of Chatwood’s walks have come in his two starts — as a reliever he has thrown 10⅔ innings, walked none and struck out seven.

And here’s a bit of history:

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Zobrist 2B, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Baez SS, Schwarber LF, Contreras C, Heyward RF, Hamels P, Almora CF

Red Sox lineup:

Benintendi LF, Betts RF, Devers 3B. Martinez DH, Bogaerts SS, Moreland 1B, Nunez 2B, Bradley CF, Vazquez C

Cole Hamels will start for the Cubs. Cubs relievers tonight: Pedro Strop, Kyle Ryan, Steve Cishek and Randy Rosario. Good to see Pedro on the list. Presuming all goes well tonight, he should be ready for Opening Day on Thursday.

Rick Porcello will go for the Red Sox.

Today’s game is on NBC Sports Chicago and 670 The Score. Yay! Radio AND television coverage in Chicago on the same day! In the Boston market the game is being carried by the Red Sox channel NESN Plus.

MLB.com Gameday

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 Red Sox site Over The Monster. If you do go there to interact with Red Sox 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 p.m. CT and 9:30 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.