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Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman has had loads of uncertainty in his profession. He’s bounced round from the Rockies to the Yankees and Giants, spent 2022 with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League and settled for a minor league cope with the Cubs going into 2023. However in 2024, he appears to have a bit extra readability on the trail forward of him. He tells Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times that supervisor Craig Counsell advised him in the beginning of Spring Coaching that he has already made the workforce.
‘‘From a private standpoint, [it’s] given me somewhat freedom to trial-and-error a few issues, quite than actually specializing in the outcomes, specializing in ‘making the workforce,’ ’’ Tauchman stated. ‘‘As a result of now it’s about preparing for March 28 and the next video games that we’ve got.’’
Tauchman, now 33, received added to the Cubs’ roster final yr when Cody Bellinger was injured however performed effectively sufficient to stay round even when Bellinger returned. He received into 108 video games, drawing a stroll in 14% of his 401 plate appearances. His dwelling run whole of eight was pretty modest however he was on-base sufficient to be above common on the plate total. His .252/.363/.377 slash line translated to a wRC+ of 107. He additionally stole seven bases and received sturdy grades for his time on the grass, most of which was in middle discipline. In 584 innings in middle, he produced three Defensive Runs Saved and received a +1 from Outs Above Common.
That strong displaying was sufficient for the Cubs to tender him an arbitration contract, with the 2 sides finally agreeing to a $1.95MM wage. For a part of this offseason, Tauchman could have been seen because the on-paper middle fielder between Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ. Prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong would have been another choice however he’s thought-about a glove-first participant, continues to be shy of his twenty second birthday and has simply 47 video games performed above Double-A.
The Cubs not too long ago re-signed Bellinger and he figures to take the middle discipline job. He additionally performs first base nevertheless it looks as if the Cubs will give Michael Busch an opportunity to take that spot. That may seemingly go away Tauchman in a fourth outfielder function whereas Crow-Armstrong will get common reps in Triple-A. An damage may all the time change issues, with Happ at present coping with a mild hamstring strain, however Tauchman appears to have a refreshingly safe gig in the interim.
Elsewhere in Cubs’ tidbits, the rotation figures to be an space of focus this yr because the membership seems to be to take a step ahead after simply lacking the playoffs final yr. Collectively, Cub starters had a 4.26 ERA final yr which put them 14th within the majors. Because the membership goes into 2024 with a reasonably comparable roster, enchancment within the rotation may very well be a distinction maker.
Marcus Stroman departed by way of free company and the membership signed Shota Imanaga to take his spot. Imanaga might be trying to make the transition from Japan, the place pitchers usually throw as soon as every week, to the five-day cycle in North America.
Bruce Levine of 670 The Score relays that the membership plans on utilizing off-days and spot starters to assist him with the adjustment, which may maybe result in some additional begins for optionable depth arms. The membership figures to have Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks, Jameson Taillon and Imanaga in 4 rotation spots, with yet one more spot obtainable to Jordan Wicks, Javier Assad, Hayden Wesneski, Caleb Kilian or Ben Brown.
Everybody in that latter group has choices and will begin the season within the minors nevertheless it feels like there might be alternatives to make large league appearances because the season rolls alongside. The occasional spot begin might be used to provide Imanaga and the opposite guys a breather and accidents are pretty inevitable for pitchers, which is able to open different possibilities.
Taillon might be on the lookout for a bounceback season, as his first marketing campaign with the Cubs wasn’t sturdy, ending with a 4.84 ERA. That potential bounceback season is off to a bumpy begin, nonetheless, as Lee reports that Taillon is coping with some soreness in each of his calves. That concern doesn’t appear debilitating and he nonetheless seems to be on observe for Opening Day if he doesn’t expertise any setbacks, nevertheless it’s a state of affairs price monitoring over the weeks to come back since a return to type for Taillon might be vital for the Cubs this yr.
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