The Chicago Cubs host the San Diego Padres in MLB 2021 spring training action Wednesday, March 17, at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. The game will be live streamed on fuboTV.
Spring training continues in Arizona and Florida, with MLB clubs playing exhibition games in front of limited attendance. The 2021 regular season begins April 1.
The Cubs-Padres game starts at 8 p.m. Central (9 p.m. Eastern) and will be live streamed on fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial. MLB Network will televise the game.
Preview
Just over two weeks before opening day, Francisco Lindor and the New York Mets have begun talking about keeping him in town beyond this season.
The newly acquired All-Star shortstop and the team have started discussing a long-term contract, he said Tuesday.
“I will not renegotiate during the season,” Lindor said after hitting his first home run this spring, connecting against Houston’s Jairo Solis during the Mets’ 8-3 win.
“I will go to free agency. If something carries on during the season, it’s not fair for me. It’s not fair for the team. I’ve got to give everything I’ve got into winning baseball games. So if it doesn’t happen in spring training, I’ll go to free agency. We’ll talk in November, December, whenever free agency starts,” he said.
As for now?
“Nothing serious,” Lindor said. “We’re just talking.”
The Mets obtained Lindor from Cleveland in January, and he’s signed for this season at $22.3 million.
The 27-year-old Lindor was an All-Star for four straight seasons before 2020, when there was no Midsummer Classic before of the coronavirus pandemic.
New York opens the season April 1 at Washington.
One of the players Cleveland got for Lindor, shortstop Amed Rosario, had a rough day in his debut at a new spot.
Playing center field for the first time, Rosario made three errors — two drops, one wild throw — in a game against the Los Angeles Angels. Rosario’s four years in the majors include just one game in the outfield, and that was only for three innings in left.
The Indians, with enough infield talent, are hoping to take advantage of Rosario’s athleticism. Rosario got two hits but as manager Terry Francona said earlier in the week, they’ve got to patient in seeing if the newcomer can play center field.
Shohei Ohtani hit his third home run in two days for the Angels and fourth of the spring, launching a shot that cleared the batter’s eye in center field off AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber.
Bieber allowed nine runs, but only one earned after the errors by Rosario.
“I talked to him after the third inning, once I was done. I told him, ‘Listen, man, this stuff’s hard. Don’t get down on yourself. Keep your head up,’” Bieber said.
ANGELS 17, INDIANS 8
Griffin Canning recorded five strikeouts over four innings in the start for the Angels, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk. Canning now has 13 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. Albert Pujols doubled and singled.
Indians made five errors and permitted 17 unearned runs.
METS 8, ASTROS 3
Mets ace Jacob deGrom allowed his first run in three spring training starts, a wind-blown homer by Jeremy Peña. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has permitted three hits in 8 2/3 innings with 16 strikeouts and a walk.
Pete Alonso hit his third homer and Dominic Smith also connected. Jeff McNeil had an RBI double to end a 1-for-21 slump.
Houston star Alex Bregman played his first game this spring after recovering from a hamstring issue. He struck out his first time up, was robbed of a two-run homer by center fielder Brandon Nimmo and finished 0 for 3.
BREWERS 7, DODGERS 2
Los Angeles aces Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer both pitched, with mixed results.
Kershaw started and gave up home runs to the first two batters he faced, Kolten Wong and Luis Urías. The left-hander allowed five runs and eight hits over four innings.
Bauer took over and struck out seven over the final five innings, giving up two runs on three hits, two of them homers.
Josh Lindblom worked 3 2/3 shutout innings in the start for Milwaukee, striking out four and walking three. Josh Hader allowed a hit and struck out two in an inning of relief. Luke Maile and Billy McKinney also homered.
WHITE SOX 4, PADRES 3
Carlos Rodón worked three one-hit innings in the start for the White Sox, striking out four. Reynaldo López went three innings in relief, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk. Nick Madrigal played in his second Cactus League game after having his left shoulder repaired surgically in the offseason and went 0 for 3.
Joe Musgrove struck out four over his four-inning start, allowing three hits, a pair of walks and a run on a wild pitch. Mark Melancon gave up one hit in his inning of relief.
DIAMONDBACKS 12, ATHLETICS 3
Arizona starter Madison Bumgarner gave up home runs to Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder in four innings. Ketel Marte and Asdrúbal Cabrera homered for the Diamondbacks.
Lowrie got his first hit of the spring. He’s made just eight plate appearances over the last two years while suffering two significant knee injuries
Jesús Luzardo allowed six runs on five hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings for Oakland.
YANKEES 7, TIGERS 4
Gerrit Cole made his third start for New York, yielding two runs on three hits and a walk in 3 2/3 innings, striking out five. Clint Frazier had three hits, including a home run. Gio Urshela had two hits and Mike Tauchman homered.
Michael Fulmer struggled for the third straight start. He surrendered three runs on four hits and three walks, throwing 63 pitches to get through two innings. Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera is batting .182 after going hitless in three trips.
BLUE JAYS 14, PHILLIES 5
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 4 for 4 with two doubles and a triple, scoring three times for Toronto. Marcus Semien, who homered, George Springer, Teoscar Hernández, Cavan Biggio and Randal Grichuk all had two hits. Tanner Roark allowed three runs on three hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.
The Blue Jays picked up the option for manager Charlie Montoyo’s contract for 2022. After going 67-95 in his first season, Toronto went 32-28 last year and made the expanded playoff field.
Philadelphia ace Aaron Nola was knocked around for the third straight time, giving up six runs on seven hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. Nola has given up 15 hits in 8 2/3 innings, seeing his ERA rise to 10.38. Jean Segura had a two-run single and Andrew McCutchen hit his third double.
RED SOX 5, BRAVES 3
Michael Chavis had an RBI double and Christian Vázquez doubled and walked for Boston. Tanner Houck started and allowed three runs on three hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Marcell Ozuna hit his first home run for Atlanta. Kyle Wright made his fourth start, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.
RAYS 7, ORIOLES 1 (7)
Félix Hernández made his second start for Baltimore and pitched a scoreless innings before exiting because of discomfort in his right elbow. The 34-year-old former AL Cy Young Award winner opted out of playing last season because of coronavirus concerns.
Mike Zunino homered, Mike Brosseau had a two-run double and Manuel Margot and Yandy Díaz had RBI singles in a seven-run second inning. Tyler Yarbrough made his second start, allowing three hits in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
PIRATES 4, TWINS 2
Chad Kuhl yielded two hits in three scoreless innings for Pittsburgh, striking out four. Colin Moran doubled in a run and Kevin Newman and Cole Tucker had RBI singles.
José Berríos allowed one run in each of the four innings he pitched in his third start for Minnesota, surrendering eight hits and a walk. Josh Donaldson had two hits. Leadoff man Max Kepler went 0 for 3 and is batting .087.
MARLINS 4, NATIONALS 3
Miami newcomer Adam Duvall hit a two-run homer and Joe Dunand, nephew of Alex Rodriguez, also connected off Washington starter Patrick Corbin, who gave up four runs and four hits with four walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Miami lefty Trevor Rogers whiffed five in four innings, allowing one run and four hits.
Victor Robles and Josh Bell homered for the Nationals, and Kyle Schwarber had an RBI double. Daniel Hudson struck out three in a hitless inning.
MARINERS 13, ROYALS 0
Justus Sheffield had an impressive outing for Seattle, pitching four innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts. Touted prospect Julio Rodriguez homered, and the Mariners got two-run shots from Ty France and Tom Murphy. Sam Haggerty had three hits, including an RBI triple and a run-scoring double.
Kansas City starter Brad Keller was knocked around for six runs (five earned) and six hits in three innings. He walked three. Veteran right-hander Brad Brach followed and was hammered for five runs and six hits, including two homers, while getting only one out.
RANGERS 10, GIANTS 6
Nick Solak hit a grand slam, David Dahl had three hits and two RBIs, and Joey Gallo had two hits, two RBIs and two walks for Texas. The Rangers pounded Giants starter Johnny Cueto for six runs in 2 1/3 innings, raising the 35-year-old’s spring ERA to 9.82.
Evan Longoria homered twice and Brandon Crawford also connected for San Francisco.
ROCKIES 11, REDS 7
Ryan McMahon had two hits and three RBIs, and Connor Joe and Yonathan Daza homered for Colorado, with Daza collecting four hits. The Rockies beat up on a few veteran pitchers, scoring four runs in three innings against Reds starter Wade Miley and getting three more in the fifth off Sean Doolittle. Tyler Naquin and Alex Blandino homered for Cincinnati.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.