Back with a smile: Robertson catching up

MESA, Ariz. -- As Opening Day approaches, here are three takeaways from Tuesday's events around Cubs camp.

1. Robertson's return
This was not the ninth inning with a win hanging in the balance. It was Field 1 on Tuesday morning, and David Robertson was facing Michael Hermosillo, his locker neighbor in the Cubs' clubhouse.

"This is about as fun of an atmosphere that you can have," Robertson said. "Pitching against your teammates, you just want to make sure you don't hit one of them. I'm working on stuff. I'm not really too focused on strikeouts or walks or anything like that."

So you will have to excuse Robertson for letting out a laugh when Hermosillo drilled a hanging breaking ball over the left-center-field fence for a home run. The veteran reliever was having a good time, while regaining a feel for his arsenal in a 25-pitch workout.

The 36-year-old Robertson just returned from Rhode Island, where he was present for the birth of his third child, a baby boy named Everett. While away from the team, he did play catch with another dad from his neighborhood and had another friend come out to catch a bullpen.

"I'm just trying to catch up on a little sleep," Robertson quipped.

With the clock ticking to Chicago's April 7 season opener against the Brewers, Robertson expressed confidence in his ability to be ready in time. He said he might get into a Cactus League game by the end of the week, and the righty has been encouraged by how his body feels.

"We'll figure it out," he said. "I know we've got eight days left, so it's crunch time. But I feel good physically. It's a different camp, so I'm going to do the best I can to be ready."

Robertson added that he will be ready for whatever role manager David Ross has in mind.

"It doesn't matter," Robertson said. "We can win games in the sixth and seventh innings. We can swing the momentum. But if I'm asked to close, I'll do my best. If I'm asked to throw the seventh, eighth inning, I'll do that. If they want me to start one, I've done it before. I'll do it again."

2. Steele's learning experience
Cubs lefty Justin Steele has a new changeup that he wants to keep developing as a fifth pitch this season. In the Cubs' 3-2 Cactus League win over the D-backs on Tuesday, he just did not have the right moment to give the offspeed weapon a test run.

"I was too busy trying to find the fastball," Steele said with a laugh.

Last season, Steele did have a changeup he broke out occasionally, throwing it just 2.4 percent of the time, per Statcast. It averaged 87.7 mph, compared to roughly 93 mph for his two fastballs. Steele's new grip has the ball deeper in his hand, helping reduce spin and velocity for better separation from his heaters.

When will be the right time to break it out?

"Once I'm in a comfortable count," Steele said, "where I can throw it, really work on it and develop it, that's when I'll start deploying it."

Against Arizona, Steele worked 2 2/3 innings, but that included being pulled with two outs in the second and then re-entering in the third. He walked four and allowed two runs on three hits, as he kept firing fastballs in search of his command.

Steele said he was able to make a mid-game adjustment before a 10-pitch third inning.

"Something to learn from," he said of his outing.

3. Getting the most out of Contreras
The towering home run that Willson Contreras launched in Tuesday's game was a reminder of why the Cubs want his bat in the lineup as often as possible. The arrival of the designated hitter, plus the presence of Yan Gomes, will help.

"We'll make sure we take care of Willson's legs," Ross said. "Making sure we take care of his health and keeping him fresh is going to be really important for our success, I believe."

Last season, Contreras was leading Major League catchers in innings caught (793) when a right knee issue sidelined him in August. Ross had been asking a lot of the All-Star, as the Cubs cycled through eight backup catchers. Gomes -- an experienced veteran capable of being a No. 1 option -- will give Ross a way to better manage the playing time.

"We've got a great catching corps," Ross said. "Willson and Yan have worked well together already. I think Yan brings a ton of experience. Obviously, Willson has a ton of experience, too.

"Both of them are world champs. They know how to navigate pitching staffs and work through things. I think they'll both get a lot of playing time. It gives us a lot of luxury."