The Chicago Cubs will return to playing spring training games tomorrow after they return from their trip to Japan.
The Cubs dropped both games in the Tokyo Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with walks and sloppy play leading to the loss.
The Cubs will begin the domestic leg of the regular season on March 27, where they’ll take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in Arizona.
The Chicago Cubs know who they’ll face in Arizona
Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 24, 2025. © Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Diamondbacks were the last team to announce who their starter for Opening Day would be. According to Baseball Insider Bob Nightengale, the Cubs will face the Diamondbacks Aces, Zac Gallen, and Corbin Burnes in the first two games.
“The last opening-day starter decision has now been finalized:
It’s Zac Gallen for the Arizona Diamondbacks with Corbin Burnes going in Game 2 in the 4-game series against the Cubs.”
The last opening-day starter decision has now been finalized:
It's Zac Gallen for the Arizona Diamondbacks with Corbin Burnes going in Game 2 in the 4-game series against the Cubs.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 20, 2025
The Cubs face the Aces
The Cubs are coming off a tough series where they faced the Dodgers’ No. 3 and No. 4 starters, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, in their rotation and struggled. Now they’ll have to face the Diamondback’s two best pitchers, so they’ll have their work cut out for them in the first two games.
Burnes is a perineal Cy Young candidate, finishing in the top 10 for the Cy Young five times (four in the National League) and winning the award in 2021.
Gallen is no slouch himself, as he also finished in the top 10 for the Cy Young three times (2020, 2022-23).
Both also won over ten games last season, with Gallen winning 14 of his decisions and Burnes 15.
Work cut out for them
The Cubs need to bring their A-game to beat two of the better pitchers in the National League.
Hopefully, the Cubs can bounce back and not make the same mistakes against the Diamondbacks.
If they can limit the walks and improve their play on defense, then they’ll have a chance.
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