Opening Day Starter, Brandon Morrow Throwing And More Updates From Cubs Spring Training

Joe Maddon has named Jon Lester as the Cubs Opening Day starter. It’s Lester’s third straight Opening Day start with the Cubs and his fourth in five years.

The rest of the starting rotation after Lester still hasn’t be determined for the beginning of the regular season.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon names Jon Lester Opening Day starter. Rest of rotation order TBA.

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 4, 2019

Jake Arrieta started Opening Day in 2016 after winning the NL Cy Young in 2015.

Follow our new Twitter account for real-time updates and in-depth analysis of all things Chicago Cubs.

The way the rotation is lined up in spring training so far has been Lester, Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana.

Hamels threw a simulated game on Monday.

Cole Hamels throwing a 3 IP sim game this morning. Faced Rizzo, Heyward and Happ in the first (22 pitches). pic.twitter.com/LRhXm4359o

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 4, 2019

All righty, onto some other updates from spring training.

Yu Darvish is throwing hard, is feeling great and is really confident in his stuff right now.

Brimming with spring-training optimism after facing the White Sox, Yu Darvish says he’s never felt better during his entire career: “I’m throwing 97 and the slider was very good and the split was good, too, so that’s the best stuff in my life.”

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 3, 2019

Besides Darvish looking great against the White Sox on Sunday, Kris Bryant hit another moonshot home run in Mesa.

This gif is NSFW.

I'd say Kris Bryant's shoulder is feeling pretty well. Just look at his majestic home from this Spring Training in slow motion… pic.twitter.com/47gnRtDVHh

— Cubs Insider (@realcubsinsider) March 3, 2019

KB making loud noises pic.twitter.com/zNtDsf408E

— Evan Altman (@DEvanAltman) March 3, 2019

The Cubs also set an attendance record at Sloan Park on Sunday.

Thank you, #Cubs fans!

We’ve set another Cactus League single-game attendance record with today’s crowd of 16,069! pic.twitter.com/mp2bhXaccv

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 3, 2019

Nice.

On Saturday, Joe Maddon’s RespectBald campaign raised $44,000 for charity.

Yesterday’s #RespectBald event raised over $44K! Thanks to everyone who participated. pic.twitter.com/yxjz98JiGO

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 4, 2019

Back to the players.

Cubs reliever Brandon Morrow is still taking small steps in his return to the Cubs. If everything goes well in the next couple weeks, Morrow should be on pace to throw his first bullpen session on March 25.

Brandon Morrow has built up to 120 feet in long toss. Will progress to 135 feet and then 150 feet over the next two weeks. If all goes well, first bullpen session post-surgery will fall around March 25.

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) March 4, 2019

If everything goes well from that point, then Morrow should be on track to join the Cubs one month into the season.

The Cubs signed all their pre-arbitration players.

The Cubs have now signed all 17 of their pre-arbitration players, a group that includes Willson Contreras ($684,000), Albert Almora Jr. ($615,500) and Ian Happ ($603,500).

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) March 3, 2019

In case you missed Tyler Chatwood’s last outing, he was really good and didn’t walk anyone!