The Cubs faced a tough outing against the Rangers, falling 8-3, and it seemed like neither team nor fans got what they hoped for. Cade Horton had a challenging day on the mound, giving up six hits, including three homers, over 3.2 innings and 60 pitches. Whether he was tinkering with mechanics or just having an off day, let’s chalk it up to the unpredictability of Spring Training.
Ezequiel Duran launched a memorable homer that traveled quite a distance. Meanwhile, Corey Seager and Josh Smith also took Horton deep, adding to the Rangers’ offensive showcase.
Andrew McCutchen, aiming to secure a spot with the Rangers at 39, contributed with a run-scoring double in the fifth inning off Ryan Rolison, who’s not in the mix for the Opening Day roster. Matt Shaw provided a bright spot for the Cubs with his first spring homer off Kumar Rocker in the sixth.
Facing Jacob deGrom is never easy, and the Cubs found that out firsthand. DeGrom struck out five over three innings, allowing just singles to Kevin Alcántara and Michael Conforto.
Those were the only hits for the Cubs until Shaw’s homer. Chas McCormick added a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
On the pitching front, Ethan Roberts delivered a clean sixth inning with a strikeout, and Collin Snider followed with a scoreless seventh, fanning two. The Cubs managed a third run in the eighth thanks to a Kade Snell double. Snell, a promising fifth-round pick from the University of Alabama, is certainly one to watch.
Looking ahead, the Cubs return to Sloan Park for a matchup with the Royals. Colin Rea is set to start for the Cubs against Mitch Spence for Kansas City.
The game kicks off at 3:05 p.m. CT.
While there’s no TV or radio broadcast for this one, it’s the last silent game of the spring, with all remaining games being covered. Stay tuned for more updates as we inch closer to the regular season.