"Edward Cabrera, who has been their best pitcher so far in Cactus League play. His 1.08 ERA and eight strikeouts over three starts offer a tantalizing vision of how good he can be. It helps that these spring crowds are in line with what Cabrera was used to pitching in front of with the Marlins, so just imagine how good he'll be with a packed house at Wrigley."
"Merrill Kelly, who is entering his eighth season in Arizona. He actually finished last season in Texas following a deadline trade, but then he re-signed with the Snakes in December. This seems to be a case of a guy who plans to retire in the area, which has been the case for a few players in the past."
"Kelly turned 37 at the end of last season and plans to pitch through at least 2027 after agreeing to a two-year, $40 million deal, so we'll see if he can maintain what has been a very consistent tenure to this point. You know what you're getting with Kelly every time out, and that's a varied repertoire with heavy changeup usage to help his 92 mph fastball play up a little."
The Cubs have received strong starting pitching performances recently, with Cade Horton and Shōta Imanaga combining for 18 strikeouts. Edward Cabrera emerges as their best spring pitcher, posting a 1.08 ERA with eight strikeouts across three starts. Today's focus is stretching Cabrera while maintaining his health. The Cubs lineup features several non-roster players, with Michael Conforto seeking a roster spot and Matt Shaw leading off. The opposing Arizona Diamondbacks start Merrill Kelly, a 37-year-old veteran entering his eighth season with the team. Kelly recently re-signed a two-year, $40 million deal and plans to pitch through 2027. Known for consistency, Kelly employs a varied repertoire featuring heavy changeup usage and a low arm slot to create difficult angles for hitters.
Read at Cubsinsider
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