Cubs lefty Jordan Wicks was the starting pitcher during a Spring opening game versus the White Sox at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 02-23-2024.
John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times
MESA, Ariz. – In previous spring training years, lefty Jordan Wicks would have only built up to about three innings at this point, in preparation for the minor-league season.
“I’s crazy how much things can change in a year,” said Wicks, who has already stretched out to 5 ⅓ innings in his first major-league camp. “And it just shows sticking to the process and staying through the hard work, you see the dividends that are paid from it.”
On Thursday, manager Craig Counsell named Wicks and Javier Assad starters to begin the season, rounding out the Cubs‘ Opening Day rotation. Wicks got the news a couple days ago, he said. Counsell delivered the news to Assad Thursday morning.
It will be Wicks’ first time on the Opening Day roster. Assad broke camp with the team last year as a reliever, but this is his first Opening Day rotation nod.
“That’s one of my goals that I’ve had,” Assad said through team interpreter Fredy Quevedo. “So, really, really happy.”
The decisions put a bow on what became a four-player competition for two rotation spots when right-hander Jameson Taillon sustained a back injury that will likely land him on the 15-day injured list to begin the season.
“Calm, clear-headed competitors – that’s what you feel from those guys when they’re on the field,” manager Craig Counsell said of Wicks, 24, and Assad, 26. “In a lot of ways, it’s a gift. It’s one of their talents.”
Veteran lefty Drew Smyly is now lined up to begin the season as a reliever, and right-hander Hayden Wesneski remains in the mix to compete for a bullpen spot.
“I still think Drew will make starts at some point,” Counsell said.
Smyly made clear from the beginning of camp that he was open to any role Counsell thought would best suit the team.
“That mindset is what’s important to have success,” Counsell said. “And that’s really helpful for me, for sure, and for us in figuring out different ways to go with our pitching.”
Smyly threw two innings in relief Thursday against the Rockies.
“I could do a lot of different roles out of the bullpen and be very valuable,” Smyly said. “So it’s an opportunity to go be great at it.”
Wesneski is scheduled to pitch Friday. He’s expected to reclaim a hybrid role, much like the one he slid into last season, both coming out of the bullpen and making starts. If he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster as a reliever, the Cubs can always stretch him out in Triple-A.
With Assad and Wicks joining Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks and Shota Imanaga, three of the five Opening Day rotation spots are going to homegrown pitchers. And though Hendricks began his professional career in the Rangers farm system, he was traded to the Cubs as a minor-leaguer and debuted with Chicago.
“We obviously had a dry spell in that regard, and then we had to make some changes,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said of homegrown pitching. “I think both scouting and player development have done a really nice job with making those adjustments. And you have to have that in today’s game. It’s hard to rely on the free agent market for enough pitching; it’s really expensive, and it’s usually older. And hopefully we have some young arms that can help us.”
Though making the Opening Day roster is considered an honor, the last spots in the rotation are expected to shift throughout the season. Taillon is targeting a minimum stint on the IL — although as of Thursday, he’d thrown one 10-pitch bullpen since the injury — and he’ll slot in when he’s healthy.
Though the Cubs have a five-man rotation, they plan to use off days and spot starts to keep the group on a six-day schedule at least to start the season.
“It’s something I don’t take lightly,” Wicks said of making the team out of camp. “I know that the work is not done here. There’s a lot of work to be done and a long season ahead.”