MESA, Ariz. – Cubs starters Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton were among a group of pitchers who found seats behind home plate in Sloan Park’s empty stands Friday morning. They were not going to miss this milestone day for lefty Justin Steele. With players and staff looking on, Steele took

MESA, Ariz. -- As Matthew Boyd walked across an agility field at the Cubs’ complex on Thursday morning, he stopped briefly to chat with fellow pitchers Justin Steele and Cade Horton. Steele was Chicago’s Opening Day starter two years ago. Horton might very well have such assignments coming in the

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs asked Matt Shaw recently if he was willing to try his hand at first base as part of his move to a super utility role for this season. Shaw was all in, but he would need to find the proper glove to add to his

MESA, Ariz. -- Andre Dawson was in camp with the Cubs on Wednesday morning, wearing team gear, keeping an eye on the practice fields and spending time chatting with fellow team greats Fergie Jenkins and Rick Sutcliffe. The Hall of Famer always feels at home when he is back around

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Perhaps in the past, Cade Horton would have been worked up over what took place at Surprise Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. The Cubs pitcher has learned, however, not to overreact to results, especially in a Spring Training setting. “The results, they can sometimes lie to you,” Horton

MESA, Ariz. -- Nico Hoerner admitted that the reaction from the fans packed into Wrigley Field took him by surprise. After a defensive gem late in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series, the second baseman heard his full name being chanted, increasing in volume as the Cubs

MESA, Ariz. – While a group of the Cubs’ stars are taking part in the World Baseball Classic, the team has the ongoing task in Arizona of evaluating the group and thinking about ways to build its Opening Day roster. Coming off a 92-win season that ended with a run

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs entered Spring Training with the hope that Porter Hodge was on the cusp of a strong comeback campaign out of the ballclub’s bullpen. That may still play out this season, but the righty has encountered an obstacle that has stalled that storyline. On Sunday morning,

MESA, Ariz. -- Javier Assad’s performance for Mexico in the last World Baseball Classic three years ago helped the pitcher cement his case for inclusion on the Cubs’ Opening Day roster. The righty is once again on the international stage while also competing for a place in Chicago’s pitching staff.

MESA, Ariz. -- Five months later, Nico Hoerner still remembers the sequence. The Padres had hard-throwing reliever Robert Suarez on the mound at Wrigley Field and he threw four consecutive changeups to Cubs slugger Michael Busch. In a tense October environment, Busch swung through two of them and watched two

MESA, Ariz. -- With roughly three weeks left until Opening Day, the Cubs’ pitching staff is taking shape. There is little to solve right now in terms of constructing that side of Chicago’s roster, but there are jumps in velocity, new pitches being developed and issues to iron out before

MESA, Ariz. -- When Cubs manager Craig Counsell received the lineup and travel squad from the D-backs ahead of Thursday’s Cactus League game, he sent a photo of the list to his wife, Michelle. Their son Brady was included in the group of extra players heading to Sloan Park. The

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs have balanced building a playoff-contending roster with creating developmental runway for prospects in the Major Leagues in recent seasons. Names like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, Cade Horton and Matt Shaw have jumped from Pipeline’s rankings to postseason races. Spring Breakout offers a chance to get

MARYVALE, Ariz. -- Cubs catcher Moisés Ballesteros positioned himself on one knee, holding up his glove in the heart of the zone for Edward Cabrera. The hard-throwing righty then unleashed his signature changeup, which only briefly flirted with a trajectory to that visual target. The pitch broke down sharply, veering

MESA, Ariz. -- Vinnie Pasquantino has jokingly reminded his grandfather, Denny, that he has been playing games regularly for the Royals this Spring Training. Old news. His grandpa wants to hear all about Team Italy and the World Baseball Classic. “My grandfather won’t shut up asking me about Italy,” Pasquantino

MESA, Ariz. – Jonathon Long was looking forward to experiencing the World Baseball Classic, especially considering his taste of the upcoming tournament would begin inside the famous Tokyo Dome in Japan. In the end, the first baseman felt staying in camp with the Cubs was the appropriate decision. On Thursday,

MESA, Ariz. -- It has been a long time since Michael Conforto came to Spring Training knowing he had to try to win a spot on a roster. The outfielder has a decade’s worth of big league experience with a solid track record, but the struggles he experienced last season

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MESA, Ariz. -- One more win in October for the Cubs and Cade Horton would have joined the roster for the National League Championship Series. That victory did not arrive and the pitcher’s first postseason experience with the North Siders was limited to watching, learning and hoping. Horton hoped he

MESA, Ariz. – When the Cubs signed Tyler Austin over the offseason, the team viewed him as a solid backup option behind first baseman Michael Busch and a hitter who could serve as a bench piece against lefty pitching. Chicago is now examining its contingency plans for those sections on

MESA, Ariz. -- There was a significantly larger crowd of Japanese media gathered around Cubs starter Shota Imanaga after his spring debut on Tuesday afternoon. With so many of MLB’s Japanese stars en route to Tokyo for the World Baseball Classic, Imanaga found himself in front of reporters who had

MESA, Ariz. -- The scene on Tuesday morning at Cubs camp was a glimpse into a day in the life of Pete Crow-Armstrong. Between the scheduled baseball work, there were photos and interviews and autographs for the star center fielder. “Go easy on him,” Cubs first baseman Michael Busch quipped

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs have a strong starting outfield trio, but the ballclub continues to look for ways to build up the depth behind that group and to create more contingency plans. That constant search for more help has led Chicago to veteran outfielder Michael Conforto. On Monday, the

MESA, Ariz. -- Moisés Ballesteros managed to travel to Colombia from his native Venezuela amid visa issues that delayed his arrival at Spring Training with the Cubs. He was stranded there for a week and a half, but found a local stadium near his hotel to at least get some