The Chicago Cubs were one of the first teams to open up camp this spring being their season starts on March 18 when they play the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan.
The Cubs will have players entering camp competing for spots on the roster, having openings at third base, the bench, and both the starting rotation and bullpen.
One player entering camp looking to prove he’s worth making his second Opening Day roster is the Cubs left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks.
The Chicago Cubs’ new and improved lefty
The 25-year-old Wicks comes into spring training noticeably slimmer, dropping 20lbs throughout the offseason. Wicks told Marquee Sports Network that he’s been “doing a lot of stuff” to prepare for this season.
“We’ve been doing a lot of stuff,” the lefty said in an interview with Marquee Sports Network’s Elise Menaker at Cubs Convention.“A lot of it is cleaner eating, just taking care of what we’re eating. I’ve lost about 20 pounds, doing pilates twice a week. There’s nothing more humbling than going to pilates twice a week and having your wife kick your butt every time you go there.”
Coming in slimmed down should help Wicks who will be competing for a job as a depth piece in the Cubs rotation, or another lefty out of the bullpen.
“I think it’s focusing more on the details from day to day. Being able to focus every day of, ‘okay, I got to get my body in the best shape possible for the next day, whatever that means.’ You could be up out of the bullpen the next day or whether you’re on a five-day [routine], it’s understanding how those things change and what I need to do to get my body in a position to do that,” Wicks said.”
Having Wicks available to be used either in the rotation in case an injury happens or out of the bullpen is very valuable for the Cubs.
Coming into camp with that much weight off should help Wicks be a better pitcher this season. Not having all that extra weight should allow Wicks to get more extension down the mound and allow for more “finish” in his pitches to get both added velocity and break.
A not-so-stellar 2024 season
Wicks was not all too great for the Cubs last season, posting a 2-4 record with a 5.48 ERA in 10 starts and 46.0 innings pitch. Wicks posted a high 1.630 WHIP and allowed 10.8 hits per nine. Wicks didn’t fare too well down in the minors either having a 0-4 record in seven starts (21.0 innings) with a 5.57 ERA.
There are upsides to Wicks’s game that do bode well for him, with ranking in the 88th percentile for his offspeed run value and in the 82nd percentile when it came to chase percentage at 31.7%. Wicks also fared well during day games last season, having a 1-2 record and a 3.54 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 6 starts (28.0 innings).
Wicks has a lot of competition
Entering camp, the Cubs have quite a few options for the starting rotation.
Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Matt Boyd are all locks for the 1-4 spots in the rotation, with the 5th spot up for grabs. The Cubs may look to implement a six-man rotation, with Boyd coming off an injury and Javier Assad now sidelined with a mild oblique strain.
Other options competing with Wicks for a rotational spot are Colin Rea and Ben Brown. Wicks could be a valuable asset for the Cubs as a bullpen arm with Caleb Thielbar being the only veteran lefty the Cubs have in the bullpen.
Spring will be a test for Wicks
Coming into camp slimmed down and ready to go for either a rotational spot or a bullpen role, should help Wicks make the Cubs Opening Day roster.
Spring will be a test for Wicks, but he should be up to the challenge.
If need be, Wicks does have roster flexibility still having three minor-league options available.
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