MESA, Ariz. -- The conversation between Cubs manager Joe Maddon and left-hander Jon Lester was brief on Monday morning. Before the veteran pitcher made his way outside for the day's workout, Maddon informed Lester that he would be handed the ball on Opening Day. "He accepted," Maddon said with a

MESA, Ariz. -- Cole Hamels fired a cutter on Monday morning on Field 6 at the Cubs' complex, sending the pitch a little too far inside against Anthony Rizzo. The baseball struck Rizzo's right shoulder, and the big first baseman took a step forward, pretending to charge the mound. "I'm

MESA, Ariz. -- The plan was to have Yu Darvish complete three innings against the White Sox on Sunday afternoon. That schedule changed when the Cubs' lineup -- ignited by a towering home run by Kris Bryant -- embarked on an eight-run, dozen-batter marathon in the second at Sloan Park

MESA, Ariz. -- There is a considerable lack of competition in Cubs camp this spring. With the bulk of the roster unchanged, predicting the Opening Day roster is not complicated at the moment. The lone exception is the bullpen, which has one job up for grabs and a lot of

We all love baseball: That’s why you’re here, reading this right now. But you know what else we all love? Free stuff. When you combine the two, you are living right. So, today, as you continue your wait for Opening Day (4 weeks left!), we bring you both baseball and

All 30 teams’ 2019 Top 30 Prospects lists are out. 900 players. With a total of 4,148 grades for tools and pitches, not to mention pertinent information like birth dates and expected time of arrival in the big leagues, you need more than a Veg-O-Matic to slice and dice all

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs do not want a repeat of last fall. The abrupt end to the season, which included celebrations on the diamond at Wrigley Field for two other teams, created a bad feeling that the club carried with it throughout what was an important offseason. The goal

MESA, Ariz. -- Steve Cishek showed off his sidearm style for the first time this spring in Saturday afternoon's 7-4 loss to the Brewers. Carl Edwards Jr. debuted his retooled delivery one day earlier for the Cubs. One by one, Chicago's main bullpen arms are finally being worked into game

MESA, Ariz. -- Kris Bryant was in the middle of talking about the blockbuster contract gifted to Bryce Harper by the Phillies when reality started to sink in. The Cubs third baseman paused and laughed at the thought of an aging Harper, who is a close friend of his. "He's

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- José Quintana noted early in camp that he wanted to focus on improving his changeup during Spring Training. Plenty of pitchers have cited that exact goal in preseasons past, but the Cubs left-hander practiced what he preached in his Cactus League debut on Friday afternoon. Over two

MESA, Ariz. -- Willson Contreras emerged from the Cubs' clubhouse on Thursday morning wearing a light blue shirt with a message across the chest that was hard to ignore. "Don't believe me, just watch." One day earlier, Contreras put on the type of show Cubs fans hope to see throughout

MESA, Ariz. -- The speed and efficiency with which Kyle Hendricks worked on Thursday afternoon was nothing out of the ordinary for the Cubs' precision-based right-hander. What was different was seeing Hendricks break out more curveballs than usual in his Cactus League debut. "It's going to be a point of

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Cole Hamels has done plenty during his 13-year career, making it to four All-Star Games while pitching in a pair of World Series, winning both a ring and MVP honors in the 2008 Fall Classic.

MESA, Ariz. -- Kris Bryant is under control by the Cubs for the next three seasons, but the star third baseman is keeping a close eye on baseball's marketplace. Part of that is his duty as the team's union representative, but he also has his own future to keep in

MESA, Ariz. -- Yu Darvish says last year's trials taught him to focus on living in the present, and that mentality is making each day more enjoyable than the last. The Cubs right-hander feels he has been smiling more this spring than at any point since leaving Japan to pitch

MESA, Ariz. -- David Bote received a phone call from Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner on Sunday night and then a text message from the veteran pitcher on Monday morning. Bumgarner apologized for the fastball that struck the Cubs infielder in the helmet and wanted to ensure there were no lingering

MESA, Ariz. -- Jon Lester wants the baseball. He wants to make every start and keep throwing until Cubs manager Joe Maddon pries the ball from his fingers. Do not ask him about the opener. You'll get an annoyed laugh, a roll of the eyes and a scowl. And definitely

Optimism always abounds in Spring Training. Most fans can dream about October if the best-case scenario unfolds for their team. There's anticipation for the next wave of Next Big Things, with Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez at

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- When Cubs manager Joe Maddon heard that the Giants would send lefty Madison Bumgarner to the mound on Sunday, it represented an ideal time to slot Albert Almora Jr. into the leadoff spot. Matchups dictated the center fielder's playing time last year and will continue to do

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Playing small ball has always been a part of the National League style. This spring, the Cubs have been taking that to another level.

MESA, Ariz. -- Kris Bryant admits that he read some of the negative takes over the offseason about his struggles last season. The Cubs star heard rumblings that some fans wanted him traded. He read opinions about whether his power would return. Each item he saw was filed away internally

MESA, Ariz. -- As talk persists about potentially bringing the designated hitter to the National League at some point in the near future, Cubs fans naturally think of Kyle Schwarber. His days as a catcher did not last long in the Majors, and doubts existed as to whether he could

MESA, Ariz. -- Standing in front of his locker on Friday afternoon, Ben Zobrist opted not to divulge the details of the personal matter that kept him away from Cubs camp for the previous four days. His focus was on reuniting with his teammates and looking only at spring and

MESA, Ariz. -- As Cubs manager Joe Maddon exited the interview room on Friday afternoon, he was asked by a reporter if he could reveal his Opening Day starter. "Jen-Ho Tseng," Maddon said with a grin.