Cubs

It may not crack 50 degrees in Chicago on Thursday, but for baseball fans things are certainly a little brighter. Opening Day is here, and with it, ...

That’s important, because now the Cubs have no lefties in their bullpen. - Mancini (DH) Here’s who will start the season on the

The big picture: Opening Day is "a circle-of-life ritual that means more to me than my birthday," Hoekstra tells Axios, noting that it's about baseball but also ...

We looked down at the sun in the rightfield corner." "I still stop in to say hi before every Opening Day — did so during the pandemic Opening Day. I have my Blue Cat Lodge baseball cap in my office." Founded in 1951 by second-generation Japanese immigrants, "it's the last dive bar in the neighborhood and still affordable. … Visitors included Ethan Hawke and the last Nisei regular, the late Kenny Kuzuharu." - "We've attended weddings and funerals within our community.

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs have set their Opening Day 26-man roster in advance of their 2023 season opener this afternoon vs. the Milwaukee Brewers.

21-Ethan Roberts, RHP _(60-day IL) _ 12-Codi Heuer, RHP _(60-day IL) _ the Milwaukee Brewers.

CHICAGO (CBS)-- Baseball season is back at Chicago's Wrigley Field as the Cubs take on the Milwaukee Brewers for Opening Day Thursday.

They are stocking up for an anticipated record number of people heading to the ballpark Thursday afternoon. New this year to Wrigley is Small Cheval in the Budweiser Bleachers. Single game tickets are still available for fans to purchase for Opening Day and for games throughout the regular season. The Cubs have more than 50 promotions planned for fans. Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, Tucker Barnhart, and Trey Mancini are preparing to play their first games at Wrigley Field as members of the home team. Gates will open two hours before first pitch for Opening Day.

The Milwaukee Brewers take on the Chicago Cubs on the opening day of baseball. Here's how to check out the action.

What radio station is the Brewers-Cubs game on? How can I livestream the Brewers-Cubs game What TV channel is the Brewers-Cubs game on?

It's Opening Day for the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox, with baseball fans returning to Wrigley Field while the South Siders are in Houston Thursday.

Fans will also notice another new addition: the C.D. I can feel it too for sure so just very excited to be out here and get a new season underway." "Being a Cubs fan is the worst and the best thing that has ever happened to me you know," Jake Britton said. The White Sox will take on the Astros at 6 p.m. It will be a chilly forecast for fans. The Cubs take on the Milwaukee Brewers at 1:20 p.m.

I have good news and bad news about baseball broadcasting this season. The good news is that Marquee Sports Network and NBC Sports Chicago are unaffected by ...

Astros (6:15 p.m.), July 15 at Braves (6:15 p.m.), July 22 at Twins (6:15 p.m.), Aug. Orioles) and the Sox one (Aug. 26 at Pirates (6:15 p.m.). The Cubs will appear May 16 at the Astros on a non-exclusive broadcast. The Cubs are scheduled for two appearances (April 30 at Marlins and June 18 vs. Guardians (6:15 p.m.), Aug. The Cubs are scheduled for six Fox appearances and the Sox five. After appearing on opening night, the Sox have one other ESPN game scheduled: June 14, a Wednesday night, at the Dodgers. The first of those is next Friday, when the Cubs host the Rangers at 1:20 p.m. [filed for bankruptcy,](https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/3/15/23641363/bally-sports-networks-owner-files-for-bankruptcy) clouding the channels’ future. Karl Ravech and analysts Eduardo Perez and David Cone return to call “Sunday Night Baseball.” But neither the Cubs nor Sox is scheduled to appear on a Sunday night. And Peacock, which created the “MLB Sunday Leadoff” package, won’t be free to Comcast customers starting June 26.

Start off Opening Day of the 2023 MLB season with the four best Cubs betting promos, including boosted odds and more.

New bettors will have access to a $1,000 first bet for Cubs-Brewers or any other MLB Opening Day game. FanDuel Sportsbook is giving bettors a chance to place a huge no-sweat bet on the Cubs today. Place a bet of up to $1,000 on any MLB Opening Day market. Again, this first bet will provide bettors with a forgiving backstop. Caesars Sportsbook is delivering short-term and long-term benefits to new players. In other words, someone who loses on a $100 wager will see a refund of $100 in bonus bets. From there, place a real money wager on the Cubs. The existing odds won’t matter when it comes to betting on the Cubs. Instead of betting on Chicago at +120, boost the odds to +3000. No matter which side you plan to bet on, these Cubs betting promos are a good place to start. The best Cubs betting promos for Opening Day are right here. Redeem these promos for Cubs-Brewers on Opening Day.

The Chicago Cubs and White Sox begin their 2023 seasons today, with the Sox in Houston to take on the Astros and the Cubs hosting the Milwaukee Brewers at ...

This year will be the first without Cubs super-fan [Lin Brehmer](https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/01/22/chicago-loses-best-friend-lin-brehmer), who died in January. The new Why it matters: Opening Day in Chicago is the closest thing to a sports holiday. - Limited pickoffs: Pitchers may only disengage from the rubber twice per at-bat with a man on. [DraftKings sportsbook](https://www.playillinois.com/chicago-cubs-2023-game-guide-promo-schedule-and-more/) is set to open this season, giving spectators the chance to bet on everything from wins and losses to balls and strikes. The Chicago Cubs and White Sox begin their 2023 seasons today, with the Sox in Houston to take on the Astros and the Cubs hosting the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field.

The Cactus League drew an average crowd of 7221 per game, up 34% from 5397 in 2022. The Chicago Cubs were the top draw.

The Cactus League attendance decline for this season compared with 2019 doesn't surprise Linda Naismith, who chafes at the high cost of tickets. The Chicago Cubs were the top draw of the 15 teams hosting games in Maricopa County, averaging 13,770 fans at Sloan Park in Mesa. That year, 1.74 million fans, or an average of 7,900 per game, attended. More than 1.63 million fans attended games involving the 15 Cactus League teams at 10 local ballparks, but total attendance was still down from 2019, the last spring training season not affected by COVID-19 or major league lockout disruptions. The Major League Baseball exhibition season in Arizona drew an average crowd of 7,221 per game, up from 5,397 in 2022. More baseball fans flocked to spring training games around the Valley over the past month, with Cactus League attendance jumping 34% from 2022.

Chicago Cubs lineup against the Milwaukee Brewers for the first regular season game of the year.

That said, Stroman did hold Milwaukee to 1 run over 5 innings in Game 2 of the regular season last year, and then actually dominated them two other times: Marcus Stroman earned his Opening Day start this season with a very strong second-half in 2022 (2.56 ERA over his final 16 starts … [The freshly extended Hoerner](https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1641217806896070657?s=20) is a highly engaged player, who should hit for a nice average, and has some speed. Interesting to go with the strikeout prone Wisdom over the contact-heavy Madrigal against a big strikeout pitcher like Corbin Burnes, but I’m guessing David Ross hopes Wisdom runs into a homer. Given the realistic options, he’s a good pick. Hoerner doesn’t quite offer the package of a “traditional leadoff man,” but that player basically doesn’t exist anymore.

STARTING PITCHERS. Drew Smyly, Justin Steele, Marcus Stroman, Jameson Taillon, Hayden Wesneski · RELIEF PITCHERS. Adbert Alzolay, Javier Assad, Brad Boxberger, ...

That’s important, because now the Cubs have no lefties in their bullpen. - Wisdom (3B) - Mancini (DH)

Cubs starter Marcus Stroman was called for a pitch clock violation during the third inning of Chicago's opener on Thursday against Milwaukee, making him the ...

[New York Mets](/mlb/team/_/name/nym/new-york-mets) All-Star [Jeff McNeil](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33900/jeff-mcneil) was angered by a violation called by plate umpire Larry Vanover in the sixth inning against the [Miami Marlins](/mlb/team/_/name/mia/miami-marlins). Davis](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33796/jd-davis) of the [San Francisco Giants](/mlb/team/_/name/sf/san-francisco-giants) did the same in the ninth inning of a game at Yankee Stadium. That put batter [Jeimer Candelario](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/32531/jeimer-candelario) ahead 1-0, and McHugh followed up with three more balls -- a three-pitch walk, essentially. [Austin Hays](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/36928) became the first hitter called for a pitch clock violation, doing so in the fifth inning against the Red Sox. Stroman was checking on the Brewers' [Brice Turang](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/41179/brice-turang), who was on second base, and the clock expired just before Stroman delivered a pitch from the stretch. McNeil was waiting for baserunner [Pete Alonso](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/37498/pete-alonso) to retreat to first after a foul ball when Vanover dinged him for an automatic strike. Davis took too long getting into the box to begin an at-bat against [Ron Marinaccio](https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/4228723/ron-marinaccio), prompting plate ump Laz Diaz to penalize him with an automatic strike. A routine-oriented pitcher who mixes up his pace depending on the game situation, Stroman says the pitch clock is a complicating factor for sure and one that might throw some pitchers off. Leading off the eighth inning with Boston down 10-4, Devers was looking down and kicking his cleats when umpire Lance Barksdale called the violation. "These are the moments it's so hard to replicate," Stroman said. Joining Stroman in the history book will be home plate umpire Ron Kulpa, who emphatically pointed to the pitch clock and shouted out the violation. The penalty for a pitcher running out of time is an automatic ball.

It's Opening Day for Chicago's baseball teams and that furnishes local bars and restaurants with opportunities to get creative with their offerings.

Folks wait [hours for the burger](https://chicago.eater.com/2015/4/15/8393037/au-cheval-burger-week-the-hot-dish#0). Southpaw, [inspired by the team’s mascot](https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/fans/southpaw), is the choice for South Siders: mint chip ice cream, frosted mint syrup, Oreo sandwich cookie crumble, chocolate coffee beans, and a cocoa Sox cookie cap. [Wrigley Field](https://chicago.eater.com/venue/wrigley-field). [Gaijin](https://chicago.eater.com/venue/gaijin), a Japanese restaurant in West Loop known for savory pancakes called okonomiyaki, is selling Cubs- and White Sox-themed shave ice. [Small Cheval](https://chicago.eater.com/venue/small-cheval-2) is taking over vacant restaurant space across from Wrigley Field once occupied by former manager Joe Maddon’s restaurant. The Sox don’t play at home at [Guaranteed Rate Field](https://chicago.eater.com/venue/guaranteed-rate-field) until Monday, April 3 versus the San Francisco Giants.

The Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers will kick off the 2023 season at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon. The Cubs and Brewers have met on Opening ...

After a stretch of five playoff berths -- including three NLCS trips and a World Series title -- in six years, the Cubs were bad in 2021 and 2022. He'll be looking to start turning the tides in the Friendly Confines on Thursday. The Brewers won in 2008, but the Cubs won in 2020 and then last season. Cubs: The Golden Era of Cubs baseball is firmly in the rearview. An interesting note: Though Burnes didn't throw well on Opening Day last year, he was dominant against the Cubs the next two times he faced them, posting a 2.37 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with 24 strikeouts in 19 innings. Brewers: The Brewers are still in the midst of the best run in franchise history.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hey hey! Holy mackerel! No doubt about it! The Cubs are on their way, and fans say they are finally out of hibernation for the winter.

But now that we've had the taste of victory, I want to see another World Series in my lifetime." As for the game Thursday? Batters must also be ready to hit with 8 seconds left on the clock, and if they are not, they are considered to have taken a strike. Meanwhile upon entering the ballpark, fans might have encountered a Billy Goat Tavern popup – where members of The Second City troupe offered up a "cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger." "Before we won the World Series, it was always the new promise of winning the World Series. The old McDonald's dated back to 1980, and was torn down in 2016. "Fans are out here every day," Harris said. This could be the year." In what still seems like a miracle for many, the Cubs have won a World Series since he last visited Wrigley Field. He made the 650-mile, 10-hour commute from Oklahoma for Opening Day. "Since I was born, basically," she says. But with wintry temperatures still kind of hovering, the first fans into Gallagher Way alongside Wrigley Field on Thursday were handed gloves upon entry.

The Milwaukee Brewers take on the Chicago Cubs on the opening day of baseball. Here's how to check out the action.

JACKSON — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks are still celebrating Bear week this week. Mississippi is home to around 150 black bears and ...

Part of the increase in population is due to more and more breeding females in Mississippi’s population. MDWFP writes that females are then able to accumulate fat reserves and find the perfect den due to this delayed implantation. Black bears mostly live in the Mississippi Delta, Southwest Mississippi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Get a recap of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs baseball game.

It also was a tough day for Brewers ace [Corbin Burnes](http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/39878/corbin-burnes), who allowed four hits and issued three walks in five innings. Steele went 4-7 with a 3.18 ERA in a career-best 24 starts for Chicago. Woodruff went 13-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 27 starts for Milwaukee last year. “We'll let him calm down just from the adrenaline stuff and then evaluate it,” Counsell said. [majors' first violation](https://apnews.com/article/opening-day-mlb-rules-changes-violations-520024261f330e6af4c595f6cbf7cc2d) of its new pitch clock. Each IL stint was made retroactive to Monday. Hoerner scored on a throwing error on shortstop Adames. Between pitches, pitchers have 15 seconds with nobody on and 20 seconds if there is a baserunner. The addition of the Georgia native was the marquee move in a busy offseason for the Cubs after finishing third in the NL Central with a 74-88 record. [Brice Turang](http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/41179/brice-turang), [Willy Adames](http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33675/willy-adames), [Brian Anderson](http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/33776/brian-anderson) and [William Contreras](http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/39895/william-contreras). Swanson's first hit with his new team was an RBI single that sparked a four-run third. “It's an amazing city, organization.

The final pitch that Stroman spun on Thursday was a breaking ball that eluded the bat of Brewers catcher William Contreras. As the Cubs starter headed off the ...

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The Chicago Cubs made a lot of moves during the offseason, and some of them already paid dividends in a 4-0 Opening Day victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

After lining out on a 109 MPH blast in the first inning, Swanson went the opposite way with an RBI single in the third, scoring fellow newcomer Miles Mastrobuoni. The duo combined for two innings of shutout relief, with one hit and three strikeouts between the pair. “It was just an amazing day, an amazing city, (and) organization,” Swanson said after the game.

The Cubs made some history in a 4-0 shutout victory over the rival Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

While the Cubs have picked up a few March victories to start their season in years past, those season-starting triumphs were all on the road. The only previous March game at Wrigley Field for the Cubs was the season opener in 2008, which ended in a Cubs loss despite this unforgettable moment in the bottom of the ninth inning. For the first time in franchise history, the Cubs won a game at Wrigley Field in the month of March.

The Chicago Cubs made a lot of moves during the offseason, and some of them already paid dividends in a 4-0 Opening Day victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

After lining out on a 109 MPH blast in the first inning, Swanson went the opposite way with an RBI single in the third, scoring fellow newcomer Miles Mastrobuoni. Eric Hosmer went 0-for-4 in the victory. The duo combined for two innings of shutout relief, with one hit and three strikeouts between the pair.

Hoerner's extension and an Opening Day victory mean Cubs fans can wake up before Game 2 feeling a little more optimistic.

“(The extension) is a vote of confidence in the direction the team is going,” Hoerner said. The hope has to be that that feeling isn’t gone by the summer. We got one out of the way, but a lot more to go.” But this is how it’s going to look if the 2023 season is going to be successful. We’ve got a lot of proven guys on this team and it’s nice to be able to mesh this early. On a 1-2 count, Stroman threw a breaking ball down and a little away to the left-handed Tellez, who pulled the ball toward the hole between first and second. “I think one of the most satisfying things I could do in a career would be to be in one place from rebuild to the next championship. “I think the world of Nico, I think he’s such a great kid,” team president Jed Hoyer said. “I do feel very in tune with the organization,” Hoerner said. Defense and pitching will be the mantra that one hears over and over this season. An errant throw by the Brewers allowed Hoerner to score as third-base coach Willie Harris bellowed at a dirtied-up Hoerner to get up and get that run in. But it very easily could have been a summation of the playing style of [Nico Hoerner](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/nico-hoerner-Kuwj5u6wl0Zejo84/).

Here's everything you need to know about today's Cubs home opener against the Brewers at Wrigley Field.

To accommodate fans returning home, the Yellow Line will run for an hour later from Howard – until midnight – for all night games at Wrigley Field. for night and weekend games, with a free shuttle service to and from Wrigley Field. Public Transportation for Wrigley Field: The CTA runs extra trains and buses before and after Cubs games. At first pitch, the temperature is expected to be 42 degrees. Other games, the gates will open 90 minutes prior to first pitch. And from free agents to food, the Cubs 2023-2024 season is already shaping up to look a lot different. Thursday, the Chicago Cubs will take on the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. Parking at Wrigley Field: Free remote parking is available at 3900 N. Gates open two hours prior to first pitch at 11:20 a.m. More parking options and a map can be found here. Winds are expected to blow out of the south (that’s out to left field for you, Cubs fans), and temperatures are expected to remain in the low-to-mid 40s. Thursday’s game between the Cubs and Brewers is set to start at 1:20 p.m., with pitcher Marcus Stroman making the start for the North Siders.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson didn't waste any time in making an impact on his new team, registering his first hit and his first RBI in his first ...

[Click here to follow the Cubs Talk Podcast.](https://link.chtbl.com/CubsTalk) Swanson had struggled for most of spring training, but hit two late home runs to get his season preparations back on track. [according to The Blogfines]( https://twitter.com/TheBlogfines/status/1641509788797530112 ).

Cubs starter Marcus Stroman committed MLB's first pitch-clock violation in the third inning of Thursday's opening day game.

You’re trying to worry about the pitch. You’re trying to worry about the guys on base. You’re trying to worry about your grip,” Stroman said after the game. As the 20-second pitch clock ran out, home plate umpire Ron Kulpa stood up and pointed to his wrist to announce the violation, and the automatic ball made it a 2-2 count against Yelich. He was given an automatic strike to go down 0-1 and struck out. With no outs in the bottom of the third inning, Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich was at the plate with a 1-2 count and rookie Brice Turang on second base.

The Chicago Cubs took full advantage of Major League Baseball's new pitch clock, winning their fastest Opening Day game in more than 35 years.

It adds another layer to the game.” The game was nearly a full hour faster than their 2022 Opening Day tilt, which lasted for three hours and 18 minutes. Louis Cardinals at the old Busch Stadium.

Jake Peavy did not hold back in his 2023 bold prediction. He believes the Cubs are going to “contend” this season and “build” towards a World Series.

They'll have a tough race with the St. On Thursday, they kicked the season off right with a win over division rival Milwaukee Brewers with a 4-0 win at Wrigley Field. The aforementioned Swanson, Mancini, Hosmer, Jameson Taillon, Cody Bellinger and others. Indeed, the Cubs made a plethora of offseason moves to bolster their roster from last season. "My bold prediction is they're gonna build a statue to the one David Ross outside Wrigleyville at some point in the near future," Peavy said. He now gets to take this elderly group with a lot of young talent and mesh something special together."

The Cubs made some history in a 4-0 shutout victory over the rival Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

While the Cubs have picked up a few March victories to start their season in years past, those season-starting triumphs were all on the road. For the first time in franchise history, the Cubs won a game at Wrigley Field in the month of March. [Cubs win at Wrigley Field in March for first time ever](https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-win-wrigley-field-march-first-time-ever?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs&chrcontext=WMAQ) originally appeared on [NBC Sports Chicago](https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago?cid=MSN&chrcontext=WMAQ)

"Hearing 'Go Cubs Go' is a lot better when you're on the team," Swanson said.

The less-than-capacity crowd on Opening Day (36,054) is a sign that the Cubs need more personalities and new energy. Frankly, when you sign any deal and you come to a new place, there’s a real tendency to try and impress the new fans or impress your new employer. [Marcus Stroman](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/marcus-stroman-HD85zMDdl431ujN3/) set the tone by throwing six scoreless innings against the [Brewers](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/brewers/), allowing Ross to match up [Keegan Thompson](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/keegan-thompson-GC07T4Fd8EV9cdmC/), [Brad Boxberger](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/brad-boxberger-gxraWKy0bXo6jUfP/) and [Michael Fulmer](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/michael-fulmer-Rt40bh3OrpQNxToD/) for the last nine outs. [Jason Heyward](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/jason-heyward-CsvkcJhisQ4xXfHK/) never quite found the consistent offensive level that once seemed possible, though his Gold Glove defense and leadership skills helped end a 108-year championship drought. [Nico Hoerner](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/nico-hoerner-Kuwj5u6wl0Zejo84/) turned a momentum-shifting double play in the third inning, allowing Stroman to escape a bases-loaded jam. He believes that good players create good habits and do the same things every day. Swanson then scored from second base on [Trey Mancini](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/trey-mancini-paGwK0eEh1vI03yI/)’s two-out single, showing how the Cubs hope to be a team that avoids errors and capitalizes when the opponent makes mistakes. Jon Lester fought through it to become one of the best free-agent signings in Chicago sports history and merit Hall of Fame consideration. So there’s a little bit of frustration because you can start talking yourself into a slump or a lull — whatever you want to call it — and you have to get back to work. Just as the Cubs envisioned, Swanson and [Mets](https://theathletic.com/mlb/team/mets/) placed [Justin Verlander](https://theathletic.com/mlb/player/justin-verlander-oSSR8tLIfacQiNPd/) on the injured list at the last minute. Swanson even hears the voice of Ken Ravizza, the sports psychologist Joe Maddon once brought on as a consultant for the Cubs, reminding them to never let the pressure exceed the pleasure.

Nearly an hour after the final out was recorded in the Cubs' 4-0 win over the Brewers on Opening Day at Wrigley Field, Dansby Swanson was still wearing the ...

It was a showcase of the bolstered defense up the middle with Hoerner and Swanson, and it proved to be a pivotal moment in the game. I keep saying that over and over again because it’s just the truth.” One year earlier, Swanson was part of a Braves team that won only 87 games before winning the World Series. In the top of the 3rd inning of a scoreless game, Stroman was in a bases-loaded jam with one out. The Cubs lost 179 games over a pair of challenging last two seasons while Hoyer reshaped this ballclub with “the next great Cubs team” in mind, as he has often termed it. Cody Bellinger had a really good spring and looks really comfortable and has a good way about him. “Well, we got a former MVP (Cody Bellinger) on the team, so that’s a great player,” Ross said. The Brewers are once again built with a formidable starting rotation and should contend this season. Swanson will prove to be a key piece as the Cubs look to make those aspirations come to fruition this season. “I don’t think there’s a bigger compliment you can get from your fan base than just, ‘I love watching your team play.’ We got some of that end at the back end of last year, just with how the guys went about it. It all went how he had hoped, and not because of a 3-hit performance that led the way for this lineup. These Cubs have a firm plan in place that’s just starting to take shape.

I don't think Dansby Swanson is the type to feel the weight of that contract as added pressure, but debuting at home with your new team in front of a fan base ...

In addition to everything else yesterday was, it was also the debut of the Chicago Cubs’ new $177 million shortstop. [Swanson said](https://theathletic.com/4366737/2023/03/31/dansby-swanson-cubs-debut/). Swanson joined a small group in the game, too, with his three hits in a Cubs debut:

"I just really like this double play combination," Plesac said. "I thought getting Dansby Swanson in the free agent market was huge for the Cubs.

But MLB Network's Dan Plesac is squarely on the Cubs' bandwagon. And it boils down to the middle infield combo of Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner. "I just ...

And they added [Jameson Taillon to the starting rotation](https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-announce-signing-jameson-taillon-4-year-deal). [My bold prediction is they're gonna build a statue](https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/jake-peavy-predicts-cubs-contend-and-build-toward-world-series) to the one David Ross outside Wrigleyville at some point in the near future," Peavy said. He now gets to take this elderly group with a lot of young talent and mesh something special together." "I thought getting Dansby Swanson in the free agent market was huge for the Cubs. I'm buying Dansby Swanson. "I just really like this double play combination," Plesac said.

133. Cubs Mid-Field Defensive Transformation, Options at 3B, How Much Have Cubs Improved? 52:23.

This Cubs team should end up being really fun to watch and could be right up there in the playoff hunt on the basis of playing clean, aggressive baseball up and down the roster. They also came up big on defense in spite of a throwing error by [Nico Hoerner](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hoernni01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.cubsinsider.com&utm_campaign=2023-03-31_br) and two passed balls charged to [Yan Gomes](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gomesya01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.cubsinsider.com&utm_campaign=2023-03-31_br). [Corbin Burnes](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burneco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.cubsinsider.com&utm_campaign=2023-03-31_br) and a Brewers team expected to be carried by its pitching. Not that this team’s ceiling is quite as high as those squads from a few years back, but there have been glimpses of a legit contender when you see the Cubs playing at full strength. And that the offense, though not littered with mashers, has a number of run-manufacturers whose aggregate talents should produce a little more continuity than what we’ve seen since about 2017 or so. Add in the new rules on limiting shifts and increasing the size of bases and you can really see how the front office felt it could squeeze more intrinsic value from a group that might not be very impressive on paper. At the very least, we have some extra time to ride the wave of optimism from an Opening Day W. One day into the regular season, the Cubs are undefeated and sit in a tie for first place in the NL Central after a game that surely offered enough evidence from which to draw definitive conclusions. Even if I’m using the royal “we” a bit liberally here, thereby including those among you who remain unshaken in your belief that this is a cheap group of castoffs destined to finish fourth or fifth in the division, a few obvious facets have stood out for months. While they didn’t swipe any bags on Thursday, they went first to third three times in their four-run 3rd inning. Okay, maybe we need to wait another day or two before making any real pronouncements, but Thursday’s shutout victory over the Brewers at Wrigley did reinforce a few beliefs we had about the Cubs. “But it’s just awesome when you’re proved right.

Right after it was over, Dansby Swanson soaked in one more moment in a very special debut with the Chicago Cubs.