SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Right-hander Edward Cabrera couldn’t keep the string going, allowing eight runs on seven hits and a walk against the Diamondbacks in his second to last start of the spring, following superb outings by righty Cade Horton and left-hander Shota Imanaga the previous two days.
The 26-year-old newcomer acquired in a trade with the Marlins, Cabrera was pulled after allowing a homer to Mount Carmel grad Alek Thomas and walking Nolan Arenado two batters later. He received a pat on the shoulder from manager Craig Counsell before heading to the dugout and pounding his fist into his glove on the way.
After three combined innings, Cabrera returned for the fourth but was pulled again after giving up a home run to Corbin Carroll. He then struck out Thomas before serving up a gap double to Geraldo Perdomo and a double off the wall by Arenado.
Cabrera downplayed the damage.
“Felt good. Keep working,” said Cabrera, who had allowed one run in his first three outings covering 8 ⅓ innings. “There were some pitches maybe that I left up a little bit, but other than that it was good.
“I’m not going to get caught up in [over-analyzing], come back tomorrow and go crazy over things. I know what happened out there, I know what I’ve got to go out and do.”
Lined up fourth in the rotation, Cabrera has one more start left in camp before the regular season.
It was hard to top Horton and Imanaga, but Cabrera didn’t come close. Horton struck out 10 in five innings of one-run ball against the Guardians, getting a whopping 21 swings and misses Monday. Imanaga didn’t allow a hit until serving up a solo homer in the fifth inning against the Angels Tuesday, topping Horton’s swing-and-miss trickery with 25 and striking out eight.
Shota succeed with that heat
Imanaga’s four-seam fastball was averaging 92.1 mph, an extra tick above what he lost last season (90.8). That seems to be making a difference as he searches for his All-Star form (15-3, 2.91) of 2024. Imanaga’s ERA in 2025 was almost a full point higher at 3.73.
“Velocity helps every pitcher,” manager Craid Counsell said. “That was as good an outing as we’ve seen from Shota. If he pitches like that … that’s a great outing. And against real lineups.”
Suzuki update
Right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who has a sprained right knee, was slated to be fitted for a knee brace and take batting practice Wednesday. He played catch, did leg exercises in a pool at the Cubs training facility and did some upper body weight work Tuesday.
“He had a good day work-wise [Tuesday],” Counsell said.
Sunday is the first day Suzuki could land on the 10-day injured list and potentially miss only five games if the stint is backdated, so a decision on his Opening Day status could come as soon as the weekend.
DIAMONDBACKS 16, CUBS 8
Playing right field in his new super utility role, Matt Shaw made two errors, dropping Corbin Carroll’s low fly ball hit directly at him to open the first, leading to an unearned run against roughed up starter Edward Cabrera, and letting a single skip off his glove and roll to the warning track for a two-base error in the fourth. A standout third baseman, Shaw has three errors in right field and one at first base this spring. Shaw doubled and is batting .359 with a .960 OPS.
• On a 101-degree afternoon, center fielder Kevin Alcantrara (3-for-4) and first baseman Jonathan Long hit back-to-back homers against Kade Strowd. Long, in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot, also walked and scored two runs.
• Top shortstop prospect Jefferson Rojas hit a grand slam against D-backs starter Merrill Kelly in a five-run third.
• On deck: Off day Thursday.
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