"Yesterday's Cactus League opener was particularly Cactus League-y, with the Cubs getting just one run on a solo shot from the same guy who later lost a ball in the sun. Between Seiya Suzuki's muff in center and Jameson Taillon getting shelled in less than two innings of work, it was a banner day for inevitable overreactions. Now we get a chance to run it back with a different cast of characters."
"Rocker likewise debuted in '25 and made 14 MLB starts last season with mixed results, pitching to a 5.74 ERA with a lot of hard contact allowed. The righty gets good extension out of his 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame, which helps his 96 mph sinker and four-seam to play up a little. Both pitches get more arm-side movement and sink than average, helping him to generate a lot of grounders."
Yesterday's Cactus League opener featured the Cubs scoring only one run on a solo home run and miscues, including a lost ball in the sun and a muff in center, while Jameson Taillon was hit hard. The rematch lineup has Matt Shaw leading off in right, Pete Crow-Armstrong debuting in center, Carson Kelly catching, Jonathan Long at first, and James Triantos, Pedro Ramírez, Jefferson Rojas, Justin Dean and B.J. Murray in other spots. Matthew Boyd will make an early ramp start focused on rebuilding workload ahead of WBC. Kumar Rocker, a former Vanderbilt prospect with mixed MLB results, relies on 96 mph sinker and four-seamers with good extension, frequent cutters, and arm-side movement that generates ground balls.
Read at Cubsinsider
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