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Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you, and may the luck of the Irish find you wherever you may be. And, failing that, may you have a green beer for me.
Don’t mind me, I’ll just be over here quietly breathing into a paper bag while I await word on Seiya Suzuki’s MRI results. Speaking of Suzuki’s health, Matt Shaw had another big game at the plate yesterday in the Cubs’ win over the Guardians (playing first base), and I do think that the Cubs would want him to be the primary replacement for Suzuki’s bat in right field if there were a medium-term injury … assuming Craig Counsell feels comfortable enough with Shaw’s defense in right field. I don’t yet think we have a good sense of that, though, and the fact that Shaw wasn’t immediately starting in right field as much as possible upon Suzuki’s injury is potentially telling. Kevin Alcantara played right field in the game, and, for as much as the outfield focus this spring has been on the non-roster guys competing for a bench job, it’s not like Alcantara isn’t a sensible fit if there’s a LONG-term injury to Suzuki. We can’t forget that this is a top prospect with tremendous offensive upside and a plus outfield glove. The Cubs parted with Owen Caissie, in part, because of Alcantara’s presence, and we know the Cubs may have to make a full-time decision on Alcantara after this season anyway (i.e., if Suzuki and Ian Happ depart in free agency, the Cubs will need to know how aggressive to be in free agency to replace them that way, or let Alcantara run). Now, having said all of that about Shaw and Alcantara, there’s honestly a part of me that suspects the actual fill-in guy would be Michael Conforto, at least in certain match-ups. It was just two years ago that he was a very good bat, and he has plenty of corner outfield experience. You let him start there against righties, and you let Shaw start there against lefties, perhaps. (And, having said THAT, let’s just root for Suzuki to be OK, yes?) Obviously Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick are there, too, and I reckon at least one is making the roster. So, in certain match-ups (not just lefty-righty, but pitch types), they very well could get the call. I don’t know that I see either being an everyday fill-in for multiple weeks, though, at least not out of the gate. Colin Rea followed Cade Horton (more on him later) in the game, going 4.0 innings in relief (58 pitches). I tend to think that’s more about getting in his build-out work on a day that fit the schedule, but it probably doesn’t hurt to give him a little time coming out of the bullpen in long relief in the run up to the start of the season, since that’s most likely going to be his role out of the gate. I know you can’t quite do true piggyback starters in the big leagues (it’s just so hard to dedicate an entire reliever to pitching just once a week when you have only eight on the roster), but, man, early in the year when your starting pitchers will generally have abbreviated outings, how freaking awesome would it be to have Rea go four innings in a game and buy the entire rest of the bullpen a night off? There is nothing quite like a Miami ballpark crowd supporting a team from Latin America in the World Baseball Classic. It’s on another level:RONALD ACUÑA JR. TIES THIS GAME ? pic.twitter.com/nz1z9ijWRB
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 17, 2026MAIKEL GARCIA FOR THE LEAD!TEAM VENEZUELA IS HYPE ?? pic.twitter.com/IaHDzNwr3a
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 17, 2026 I MEAN, LOOK AT THE CROWD:The slide, the spin, the celly ?? pic.twitter.com/ukBTkedGTM
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 17, 2026 Also, I’m not saying Team USA won’t be extremely into the final and trying with all their might to win, but I am not sure how many of them feel quite this same level of connection to the event:Ronald Acuña Jr. on where he would rank this moment, via @francysromeroFR:"This moment, I would rank it number 1 in my career. I love the Atlanta Braves, but before the Braves I was born in Venezuela, and it’s where I come from."pic.twitter.com/LirgiiunOw
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) March 17, 2026 There are also things like this that really get you:Daniel Palencia birthplace in Cojedes, Venezuela. t.co/mSViAMO3MZ pic.twitter.com/zOYTBbsZgP
— Gabo (@gab0reloaded) March 17, 2026 Speaking of Daniel Palencia’s career and his evolution into a top-tier closer:Team Venezuela's Daniel Palencia on what has allowed him to take the next step as a reliever:"Finding a way to put the fastball wherever I want."@CapitalOne | @Cubs | #WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/DYCvVBgQRp
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 16, 2026 JJ Cooper points out that there have been seven different countries (well, six plus Puerto Rico) that have appeared in the finals of the WBC over its six installments. There’s obviously a lot of randomness baked into the single-elimination portion of the tournament, but it’s still pretty encouraging to see a lot of different clubs making it. The WBC Final is tonight at 7pm CT on FOX. Nolan McLean is starting for Team USA, while Eduardo Rodriguez starts for Team Venezuela. A pitcher even nicer than Kyle Hendricks, which is quite a feat:Matthew Boyd vs. Kyle Hendricks ?We asked @sahadevsharma the hard-hitting question which Cubs pitcher is nicer? ? pic.twitter.com/iKdQrzzEgk
— The Windy City Breakdown (@wcb_pod) March 16, 2026 MORE CUBS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN NewsletterBlackhawks Sign Forward Sacha Boisvert t.co/3tk87c4re1
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) March 16, 2026Bulls Close Out 5-Game West Coast Trip With 119–108 Loss to Clippers — March 14 t.co/6YrCl4vK7z pic.twitter.com/rSe8Jg49yw
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) March 17, 2026How Would You Grade Ryan Poles? Offseason Shifts, New Center Workout, What Went Wrong in Vegas? And Other Bears Bullets t.co/qOLGuiBsgk pic.twitter.com/6nsMGyxQ5t
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 17, 2026Hence then, the article about a trio of right fielders rea out of the bullpen wbc support and other cubs bullets was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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