A winless opening weekend for the Chicago Cubs in Spring Training and I’m told there are high-level discussions about cancelling the season. Better win a few this week, boys, or it’s OVAH.
If you missed the overnight news, the Cubs are signing outfielder Michael Conforto to a minor league deal. I had a lot to say about it there in the post, but the super short version is: more options this time of year for your bench group, just in case, is never a bad thing. Going back to last year, speaking in an eye test sort of way, I always liked what I saw from Gavin Hollowell. But the Cubs’ bullpen group filled up so well as the year went on that there were never really going to be great opportunities for him to break out and shine. Moreover, his actual results in limited big league duty, and at Triple-A, were pretty bad. But it was telling that, despite those bad numbers and not having established himself previously with the Rockies, the Cubs kept the 28-year-old righty on the 40-man all offseason and into the spring. He’s got one option year remaining, and obviously there’s still some belief that it could finally all click. Like last year, though, he’s going to face an exceedingly crowded group of 9th/10th/11th/12th/etc. relief options, and the early-season goal for him is probably going to be trying to put himself into position to be one of the first up-down guys called upon when needed.Gavin Hollowell struck out all three batters he faced today.Fastball showed good life sitting 94 mph, and he mixed in a couple of sharp backdoor sweepers, contributing to a 40% CSW%.Some deception in his side-arm release. pic.twitter.com/ie4q6q642H
Riley Martin with 2 Ks in his scoreless inning of work t.co/U0UNN9LqWW pic.twitter.com/8KaJ9DAyg8
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) February 22, 2026 And all bullpen depth talk takes place against the backdrop of the many bounce-back types the Cubs have once again brought in, a group from which you’re hoping at least one guy really breaks out. Good read on some of those guys here at The Athletic. You can dream on any of these guys, but always nice when you see a mention like the one on Collin Snider, who indicates his delivery is back where it needs to be (it fell off last year, causing both performance and health issues), and a recent bullpen was the hardest he’s ever thrown in the offseason. Ben Brown, who is being stretched out to start this spring, gets today’s start against the Royals. Routine play, but hey, he made it:Matt Shaw’s first spring training start in right field. pic.twitter.com/BDOLohOmA8
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) February 22, 2026 Very good to see Moises Ballesteros in camp, and immediately getting in some catching work:Moisés Ballesteros has arrived at camp in Mesa ? pic.twitter.com/T5TUz9Zyim
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 22, 2026 The delayed arrival for Ballesteros will lead to him being slow-played a bit here at the start of Spring Training games, per Craig Counsell (via Bruce Levine). Doesn’t seem like it’ll impact his chances of making the team, though, if he looks like he’s ready to hit big league pitching. Too much upside for the Cubs to mess around. ROUGH start to the spring for the Twins, who had already suffered through a pointless offseason, and now have lost Pablo Lopez to Tommy John surgery, and Joe Ryan to a back injury (though the latter might be short-term). On Lopez, it’s worth noting that he missed time with a forearm strain late last year, and you have to wonder whether it was a situation where the UCL damage was present already, and all involved just hoped he’d be able to pitch through it. But once you start ramping up for the season, it might just be too much for the ligament to withstand. Not sure what could’ve been done otherwise if it wasn’t a surgery situation last year, since a lot of guys do successfully rehab and then pitch through minor-to-modest ligament stretching/partial-tearing. It’s just a tough spot for all involved, because it means upwards of five or six months of “lost” time. What in the baseball:Guardians 2024 draft pick Cam Schuelke is out there throwing witchcraft this spring pic.twitter.com/PpNiUqvCoi
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 22, 2026 Oh, Canada:Canada was this close to winning a World Series championship and a Gold Medal pic.twitter.com/KwqAfpb3G0
— NHLMuse (@NHL_Muse) February 22, 2026 MORE CUBS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN NewsletterHence then, the article about deeper bullpen options hollowell martin snider ballesteros 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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