Cubs vs. Angels at Mesa and vs. Giants at Scottsdale preview, Saturday 3/9, 2:05 CT

MESA, Arizona — The Cubs will be busy folks this weekend. After Friday night’s game against the Mariners, they’ll play two today, followed by another away game against the Brewers Sunday.

The Cubs made some roster cuts earlier today and you can read about those here, if you haven’t already. There are now 54 players remaining in camp, 28 pitchers and 26 position players.

I’d expect further cuts sometime net week.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup vs. Angels:

Heyward RF, Zobrist 2B, Rizzo DH, Schwarber LF, Descalso 3B, Hoerner SS, Adduci 1B, Arcia C, Field CF

Nico Hoerner gets his first start in the field for the big-league Cubs, in front of a home crowd.

Angels lineup:

Fletcher LF, Bour 1B, Smith C, Puello RF, Ward 3B, Adell CF, Tovar SS, Jones 2B, Kruger DH

The Angels are definitely sending over a team of miscellaneous guys. I thought they might send Tommy La Stella to Mesa, but he’s playing in the Angels’ home game today, as they are also a split squad this afternoon.

Cubs lineup vs. Giants:

Russell SS, Adames 1B, Bryant 3B, Baez DH, Caratini C, Zagunis RF, Young LF, Giambrone 2B, Bernard CF

The Cubs seem to be taking extended looks at Jared Young this spring. He’s a 2017 draft pick (15th round) who was not on the NRI list this year. He could move up quickly in the organization.

Giants lineup:

Ferguson CF, Posey C, Belt 1B, Longoria 3B, Crawford SS, Solarte 2B, Williamson LF, Parra RF, Sandoval DH

Alec Mills will start for the Cubs in Mesa. Cubs relievers in Mesa: Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, George Kontos, Carlos Ramirez, Oscar De La Cruz and Alberto Baldonado.

Griffin Canning will go for the Angels. Angels relievers: Jorge Tavarez, John Curtiss, Daniel Procopio, Alex Klonowski, Ryan Clark, Jake Jewell, Jeremy Rhoades and Matt Ramsey.

Cole Hamels will start for the Cubs in Scottsdale. Cubs relievers in Scottsdale: Carl Edwards Jr., Matt Carasiti, Rowan Wick, Kyle Ryan and Mike Zagurski.

Dereck Rodriguez will go for the Giants. Other Giants pitchers scheduled: Jose Lopez, Tony Watson, Will Smith and Reyes Moronta.

Today’s game in Mesa is an audio webcast on cubs.com. Today’s game in Scottsdale will be available on MLB Audio via the Giants’ KNBR/680 radio broadcast (and on over-the-air radio if you are in the San Francisco Bay area). No TV for either game today.

MLB.com Gameday for Cubs/Angels

MLB.com Gameday for Cubs/Giants

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 Giants site McCovey Chronicles. and Angels site Halos Heaven. If you do go there to interact with Giants or Angels 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 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 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.