The Chicago Cubs have been taking it easy with starting second baseman Nico Hoerner the last few days as the infielder has been out with biceps tightness. Hoerner went through morning workouts on Thursday, but was scratched from the lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks and on Friday the Cubs had a prospect start in his place against the Texas Rangers at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.

That prospect was 23-year-old Luis Vázquez, who had a big game filling in for Hoerner. The right-handed hitting infielder went 2-for-3 at the plate, first driving in a run with a double to right center and then hitting one of the longest home runs from any Cubs hitter this spring training in the fourth inning.

This ball went over everyone sitting in the berm in left field.

Great day for Vázquez, who was drafted by the Cubs back in 2017 in the 14th round.

Marcus Stroman’s Final Tune-Up

Cubs Opening Day starter Marcus Stroman had his final tune-up in spring training and he was great after spending the last few weeks with the Puerto Rican team in the World Baseball Classic. Stroman made two starts for Puerto Rico, pitching into the fifth inning against both Nicaragua and Mexico.

Stroman’s pitch count approached 80, as he was taken out after going 5.2 innings against the Rangers. He gave up one unearned run on five hits and one walk. The righty struck out five hitters and looked more than ready for Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers.

It will be a battle of right-handers at Wrigley Field on Opening Day, as Stroman will go up against Corbin Burnes.

Milwaukee’s ace also made his last spring training start on Friday, but it was a rough outing for the Brewers pitcher.

Let’s hope that carries into Opening Day against the Cubs. Last year on Opening Day, the Cubs beat Burnes and the Brewers, as they forced the right-hander out of the game after putting up three runs against him in five innings.

Javier Assad Works out of the Bullpen

Right-handed pitcher Javier Assad entered spring training competing for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, but as his velocity spiked in the World Baseball Classic with Team Mexico, whispers starting to come out of Cubs camp that they would consider using him out of the bullpen.

Cubs manager David Ross confirmed that Assad was making decisions difficult in the bullpen as the 25-year-old was turning heads in the WBC. On Friday, Assad was asked to come in after Stroman recorded the first two outs in the sixth inning and he ended up striking out the first batter he faced.

Assad did run into some trouble in the seventh inning, eventually allowing a run to score on a ground out with the bases loaded and was charged with a second run after he was lifted from the inning.

The Cubs put Assad back in to pitch the last two innings and he finished the game striking out four batters in three total innings of work.

With questions still surrounding Keegan Thompson’s velocity less than one week until the start of the regular season, we may very well see Assad begin the year in the bullpen and be used in a similar way Thompson was out of the bullpen in 2022, as a multi-inning reliever.