Cubs News

When John Lackey was considering his options as a free agent, he felt the Cubs were an attractive option because of the talented lineup. He'd watched it first-hand while pitching for the Cardinals. But, Lackey said, it's one thing to have potential.

On Monday, April 4, we're asking you all to wear your Cubs caps to celebrate Opening Day.

Can 1983's "Sports" predict baseball?

National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta is on schedule to throw his bullpen on Sunday, and the Cubs will have a better idea after that as to whether the right-hander can make the Opening Day start, April 4.

Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is clearly ready for opening day. ''Hurry up and get to April,'' joked Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson. Ace Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta said he isn't worried about the blood blister on his right thumb that limited him to a third of an inning Thursday.

Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is clearly ready for opening day. ''Hurry up and get to April,'' joked Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson. Ace Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta said he isn't worried about the blood blister on his right thumb that limited him to a third of an inning Thursday.

Ben Zobrist had two hits and Anthony Rizzo had two RBIs, but the Chicago Cubs lost 5-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Zobrist's single in the sixth came during a three-run rally that was topped off by Rizzo's two-run double off reliever Blaine Boyer. Cubs starter John Lester went five innings, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out two.

Johnny Cueto pitched six innings and singled against his former team and Brandon Belt hit a three-run homer as the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5 on Friday. Conor Gillaspie also homered, Denard Span drove in a pair of runs and catching prospect Trevor Brown added a run-scoring double. Travis Snider and Cory Decker each hit a two-run homer and Paulo Orlando drove in a run for the Royals.

Jon Lester was healthy, effective and generally what the Cubs were looking for in a late-March Spring Training start. Against the Brewers on Friday at Sloan Park, Lester pitched five scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and one walk and striking out two.

Kris Bryant hit an RBI double and Anthony Rizzo followed with a two-run double to lift the Cubs to a 4-3 victory Friday over the Brewers in front of 15,509 at Sloan Park, the ninth time this spring more than 15,000 have packed the ballpark.

MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- The Chicago Cubs have been visited by some actual cubs, playing with the baby bears at spring training before their daily stretching program.

Shane Victorino is heading to extended spring training with the Cubs. The 35-year-old outfielder is going to ''recreate spring training'' for himself to see if he can still contribute to a major league team. Victorino, who has played parts of 12 major league seasons, is willing to head to extended spring and see how it goes before making a decision.

As a boy, he watched his beloved team play the very first World Series game at Wrigley Field. A few Octobers later, he was there to see Babe Ruth call his shot. A lot changed over the years - a job in a different field, on another kind of bench - but retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens never lost faith in the Chicago Cubs.

Shane Victorino is going to start Spring Training all over again.

The Cubs reached the National League Championship Series last season thanks in large part to their core of young talent.

The young Cubs on Friday got a chance to give bear hugs to a pair of young cubs, who may someday be named after two players on the Major League team.

MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- The Chicago Cubs reduced their spring roster from 45 to 36 players on Friday, sending all nine non-roster invitees to minor league camp.

The Cubs continued to trim their spring roster on Friday, reassigning nine players to Minor League camp. That group included outfielder Albert Almora, the organization's No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta, who left Thursday's game after one-third of an inning to avoid breaking open a blister on his right thumb, said it was "business as usual" on Friday and he was able to do his post-start routine.

If you weren't on the Cubs bandwagon yet, I think you may be now.