The Texas Rangers handed the Chicago Cubs a 8-3 loss at Surprise Stadium on Tuesday in spring training play. Despite Matt Shaw's 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Cubs could not overcome a sizable deficit. Cade Horton worked 3.2 innings on the mound, allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits. The Rangers out-hit the Cubs 9-8 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Cubs continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Matt Shaw was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Cubs will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Kevin Alcántara added to the attack, going 3-for-4, Kade Snell provided support, going 1-for-1 with a double and an RBI, and Michael Conforto also contributed, going 2-for-3. The Cubs showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Corey Seager led the Rangers offense with a 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI day. Ezequiel Duran also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Josh Smith added a 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort as well. The Rangers offense proved to be too much for the Cubs pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Cade Horton took the loss after running into trouble, working 3.2 innings while allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.1 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out five. The Cubs continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Ryan Rolison stood out with 1.1 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Rangers got on the board first with three runs in the first inning. Rangers tacked on a run in the second. Rangers pushed across two runs in the fourth. Rangers plated a run in the fifth. The Cubs answered with two runs in the sixth. The Cubs tacked on a run in the eighth. Rangers countered with a run in the eighth. The Rangers were able to score in five separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Rangers out-hit the Cubs 9-8, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 6,028 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Cubs will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
