The Chicago White Sox handed the Chicago Cubs a 5-1 loss at Sloan Park on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Alex Bregman's 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, and an RBI effort at the plate, the Cubs could not overcome a sizable deficit. Shota Imanaga worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits. The Sox out-hit the Cubs 11-8 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
Alex Bregman was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, 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.
Pete Crow-Armstrong also contributed, going 2-for-3, Nico Hoerner chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a double, and Ty Southisene added to the attack, going 1-for-1. The Cubs showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Edgar Quero led the Sox offense with a 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI day. Lenyn Sosa also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, and an RBI. Braden Montgomery added a 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple, and an RBI effort as well. The Sox offense proved to be too much for the Cubs pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Shota Imanaga took the loss after running into trouble, working 2.2 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits with one strikeout. He threw 47 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 6.1 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out two. 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, Grant Kipp stood out with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out one. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Sox got on the board first with a run in the first inning. The Cubs struck back with a run in the first. Sox answered with a run in the second. Sox tacked on two runs in the third. Sox pushed across a run in the fourth. The Sox were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Sox out-hit the Cubs 11-8, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 15,270 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.
