Stroman Joins Select Group With Opening Day Gem, Cubs Sign Pitcher and Release Outfielder
Opening Day was fun, huh? Just puts a little extra pep in your step when your team wins and you can carry that joy for another whole day because with a scheduled Friday off-day, the Cubs will end March with an undefeated record. Hell yes.
Marcus Stroman tied his 2022 season high in strikeouts in his very first start of 2023, as he shut down the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out eight in six innings at Wrigley Field. Stroman out-pitched Corbin Burnes, leading the Cubs to a 4-0 win and he also joined a select group of Cubs pitchers with his Opening Day performance.
That Kyle Hendricks start in 2020, also came against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Looking deeper at Stroman’s numbers on Thursday, he really was nasty. To go along with the eight strikeouts, Stroman generated 15 total whiffs from Brewers batters out of the 90 pitches he threw and recorded seven ground outs. This was one of Stroman’s best starts with the Cubs. Even with a couple early jams, Stroman remained composed and executed his pitches, ultimately cruising in his final three innings after the Cubs took the lead in the fourth inning.
And for future bar trivia, make sure you remember that Stroman was also the first pitcher to get a pitch clock violation in MLB.
Cubs Sign Pitching Prospect Jack Aldrich
You will always see a handful of roster moves leading up to Opening Day, mostly minor league players, and on Wednesday the Cubs signed left-handed pitcher Jack Aldrich to a minor league deal.
The 23-year-old lefty pitched in the Kansas City Royals minor league system in 2022, splitting the year down at A-Ball.
Aldrich was selected in the 20th round out of Tulane in the 2021 draft.
Overall in 2022, Aldrich posted a 4.15 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 28 relief appearances, striking out 48 and walking 18 in 56.1 innings.
Cubs Release Outfielder Ben DeLuzio
The Cubs signed outfielder Ben DeLuzio in the offseason and although he has great defensive skills in the outfield and is one of the fastest runners in baseball, there really wasn’t room for him to make the last bench spot on Opening Day.
As is the case with some players after spring training, DeLuzio asked and was granted his release by the Cubs. The former St. Louis Cardinals prospect is now joining the Los Angeles Dodgers on a minor league deal.
Probably sees a better path to the big leagues looking at the Dodgers current outfield depth compared to the Cubs.
Cubs Fun Stuff
Want to feel old? This was six years ago.
The only player in that video who is still on the Cubs is David Ross, who is now in his fourth year as the manager.
Shohei Ohtani was awesome, shocker, but the Los Angeles Angels only scored one run and gave up the lead after his dominant six innings and lost to the Oakland A’s on Opening Day.
The Cubs should save him from the Angels.
The Cubs are selling 26 oz. beer bats at Wrigley Field. You thought that would cut down the snakes in the bleachers? Nope!
The cub snakes aren’t going away any time soon.