The opening lineup for the Chicago Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Tokyo Dome on March 18 will not be ideal. The Cubs will be without starting second baseman Nico Hoerner for their opening series against the Dodgers as he recovers from flexor tendon surgery.
Elite prospect and projected starting third baseman Matt Shaw is expected to appear in the Cubs’ lineup in the Cactus League within the next few games. It’s unclear if Shaw will make the trip to Japan as he fully heals from an oblique injury.
The Chicago Cubs have a “joke” lineup for opening day?
Shaw and Hoerner should be in the lineup for their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks that will start on March 27, the “domestic opening day” for the MLB in 2025.
During a 670 The Score broadcast of the “Mully & Haugh” show on Friday, Mully Mulligan argued that the Cubs were releasing a “joke” lineup for Japan and that the decision to keep Hoerner and Shaw back could bite Chicago at the end of the season.
“So yeah, a game matters,” Mulligan said. “And I hope it doesn’t matter this season because this is kind of a joke. Half your infield is not going to be with you. Half the team, half the infield of the team that you plan on lining up and playing isn’t even going to get on the plane. That is, that’s not good. That is not good.
“It’s not ideal. I think they’ll have cover and they’ll do fine and it won’t be the end of the world. But it’s hardly ideal.”
Every game matters
Regardless of the Cubs returning to camp in between their series against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, Mulligan argues the two games against Los Angeles count as much as they will when they play Arizona. He alluded to the Chicago White Sox 2024 (41-121) record as an example of one game mattering.
“I mean, you’re breaking camp and you’re going to Japan and you’re going to play two games,” Mulligan said. “Then you’re coming back to camp and then March 18th, you will really open the season because then you will be in the season. So it’s a great question.
“Now, here’s the problem. Those games count. So the idea is to win. I get it. You’re going over there. You’re going to play a couple exhibitions and two games and 162. What does it matter? Let me tell you something. If you were living on the south side, you know one more win and you wouldn’t be shamed as the worst team in history.”
The Cubs have high expectations for the season after they traded for Kyle Tucker in December. It only makes sense for Chicago to do what they can to make a postseason push. The Cubs appear to believe their best bet is not to take the risk of further harming their infield before a long summer.