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We are now a bit over a week into Spring Training games and at last, Friday’s game featured just about everyone who will be in the Opening Day lineup March 26 (except Seiya Suzuki, who’s already back in Japan for the start of the World Baseball Classic).
There aren’t many question marks about the Cubs this spring, but here are a few things yet unsettled.
Matt Shaw as an outfielder
Shaw hasn’t actually made very many plays in his few games in the outfield so far this spring. He did make a misplay the other day at Sloan Park. So I can’t really tell you how he’s looked; there just isn’t enough of a sample size.
I will note that Shaw has played only right field so far — no left field, and I suspect he won’t be tried in center. Mostly, I would expect him to play second base and third base to give Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson a break. The team could also use him as a right-handed hitting DH from time to time.
Porter Hodge, yikes
Hodge was injured much of 2025 after having a strong 2024 and finishing that year as the Cubs closer.
So many were willing to give Hodge a mulligan for last year due to the injuries, and hoped that his natural talent would get him a middle-inning or setup spot behind Daniel Palencia, who’s already been named the closer to start the 2026 season.
Hodge has not pitched well. Again, we are talking about a very small sample size, just three games and two total innings. But he has faced 17 batters and walked seven and allowed four hits, which… is not good. He’s thrown 70 total pitches to those 17 batters, and only 33 of those 70 were strikes.
I suspect Hodge will get another outing or two, but if this keeps up he’ll be starting the season at Triple-A Iowa.
Gavin Hollowell looks good
Hodge was a likely member of the Opening Day roster, but now that’s almost certainly changed.
Hollowell has stepped up and could take that place. Once again, the sample size is only three games, but in three innings Hollowell has allowed one run and struck out eight of the 11 batters he’s faced.
As we all know, relievers are fungible and Jed Hoyer’s front office has done a pretty good job of identifying guys from the scrap heap that have become useful. Hollowell could be one of those guys. He’s 28, so maybe the Cubs could get a couple of decent years out of him.
Dylan Carlson appears to have taken the lead in the fourth-outfielder mix
Carlson went 1-for-2 with a walk in Friday’s win over the Guardians and overall is 5-for-10 this spring with a double and four walks. The usual small sample size caveats are in place here, but it’s notable to me that Carlson was given the DH nod Friday instead of Chas McCormick, who is 4-for-14 so far this spring.
Michael Conforto, who was just signed, should get some playing time soon.
With Tyler Austin now out for “months” (as noted by Craig Counsell) after knee surgery, it appears to me that of the trio of Carlson, McCormick and Conforto, two of them will make the Opening Day roster.
The Carson Kelly/Miguel Amaya tandem continues to hit
Cubs catchers batted .250/.307/.442 with 29 home runs in 2025 in 641 PA. Of those PA, 501 belonged to Kelly and Amaya (with the rest to Reese McGuire).
Kelly and Amaya have combined to go 6-for-17 (.353) this spring with a double and a home run. Spring numbers, yes, small sample size, but I think these two can hit as well as they did last year. Perhaps a bit of a dip from Kelly, who had a career year in 2025, but Amaya looks like he can finally put everything together, as long as he stays healthy.
Those are a few of the things I’ve seen so far this spring. What have you noticed?