In a Spring Training matchup that saw a mix of Cubs regulars and minor leaguers, the offense struggled to find its rhythm, resulting in a 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. This marks the Cubs' second consecutive defeat in the preseason.
Matthew Boyd had a solid start on the mound, despite not completing the second inning after 36 pitches. Boyd was unlucky when a fly ball, lost in the sun by Pete Crow-Armstrong, turned into a double for Tyler Wade.
Wade later scored on a single by Sam Haggerty, putting the Rangers up 1-0. Boyd's four strikeouts, however, were a promising sign for his spring campaign.
The Cubs quickly responded in the bottom of the second. Pedro Ramirez drew a walk, stole second, and crossed home plate thanks to a single from Jefferson Rojas.
Rojas, however, had a challenging day defensively, with an errant throw in the fourth that pulled Jonathon Long off first base. Long left the game with a left elbow strain after colliding with Mark Canha, a setback that could impact his spring progress.
That miscue contributed to a two-run inning against Hoby Milner, though the Cubs bullpen showed resilience. Luke Little avoided walks, a step forward in his control, and Jack Neely impressed with three strikeouts despite issuing a walk.
The Cubs added another run in the fourth when Triantos singled, advanced on another hit by Ramirez, and scored on a Rojas groundout, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
As the game progressed, minor leaguers took over, and scoring opportunities dwindled. A notable moment came with five ABS challenges, three of which overturned calls.
The last challenge, a strike-three call, was reversed in the bottom of the ninth, giving Hayden Cantrelle another chance. However, he struck out swinging on the next pitch, sealing the game.
Saturday's game drew an attendance of 12,073, bringing the season total to 26,492 over two games. The Cubs will head to Scottsdale to take on the Giants, with Colin Rea and Robbie Ray set to start. Fans can catch the action on Giants TV or listen to the radio broadcast on KNBR 104.5.