MESA, Ariz. — Nico Hoerner appears healthy enough to play second base when the Cubs resume the regular season Thursday, but it may take a month before he plays shortstop in an emergency or backup role.
“Early in the season, if something would happen to Dansby, I think you’d probably see somebody else there,” manager Craig Counsell said Sunday, hours before Rule 5 selection Gage Workman started at shortstop. “But I think as we get into the end of April and things like that, I think absolutely, Nico will be the be the guy.”
Hoerner is nearly fully recovered from right flexor tendon surgery and said he can make throws from short. But Counsell and the staff plan to be patient.
Jon Berti, Vidal Brujan, who is out of minor league options, and Workman currently are backup candidates at shortstop. Brujan is the lone backup center fielder, but the Cubs could opt to promote Kevin Alcantara from Triple-A Iowa in case fearless Pete Crow-Armstrong is sidelined for an extended period.
Hot at the hot corner
Rookie third baseman Matt Shaw’s confidence has swelled, especially after quickly charging a bunt and making an accurate, off-balance throw to retire the Rockies’ Zac Veen on Saturday.
“I understand how important defense is to winning games, to especially young infielders,” said Shaw, who made a diving stop to retire Tommy Edman of the Dodgers and save a run Wednesday. “I just really put in a lot of time to make sure that I could handle third base.”
Although the regular season doesn’t resume until Thursday, Shaw said he relied on scouting reports that enabled him to be aware of Veen’s bunt attempt.
Shaw, who has played shortstop and second throughout most of his young career, has been more accustomed to reading balls off the bat with less time to react.
“My reads have gotten much better this year than they were last year, so just continue to grow there,” said Shaw, who made a backhanded stop to retire Miguel Andujar of the Athletics in the sixth.
Bring it on
Counsell declined to forecast the National League Central, but he did concur with owner Tom Ricketts’ assessment that the Cubs should be favored to win the division.
“That’s fair,” Counsell said. “I agree in the sense that our expectations should always be the playoffs.”
Of the Cubs’ next 24 games, 21 are against bonafide playoff contenders (Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rangers and Phillies).
“We got to go play the games, and we got to live with the results,” said Counsell, who likes that every team will play each other for at least one series.
Health update
Left-hander Shota Imanaga reported he felt better after feeling exhausted following the Cubs’ trip to his native Japan.
“Outside of baseball, there’s a lot of interviews as well as greetings to supporters,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “So yeah, it was a lot.”
Imanaga, who walked four but pitched four scoreless innings in the season opener Tuesday, will make his next start Saturday against the Diamondbacks.
Pitcher Javier Asaad (left oblique strain) threw a 40-pitch bullpen session Saturday and is expected to throw batting practice this week.