Dodgers vs. Cubs: 6 takeaways from the first games of spring training 2025

MESA, Ariz. — With the Tokyo Series to open the 2025 MLB season approaching in mid-March, the Cubs and Dodgers got a head start on spring training, with both teams reporting to camp a few days earlier than the 28 other clubs. It makes sense then that the two teams played in the first official game of spring training, which took place Thursday at Camelback Ranch, and they followed with a rematch Friday in Mesa.

While only a portion of the teams’ starters participated, these inaugural spring contests featured some notable moments and shined light on several storylines worth monitoring through the remainder of the spring. With their flights to Japan less than three weeks away, here are six observations from the first two Cactus League games between the Cubs and Dodgers.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s cutter is nasty Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the start for the Dodgers on Thursday and threw 27 pitches across 1⅔ innings of work. Although his 2024 was interrupted midsummer by a shoulder injury that sidelined him for three months, Yamamoto’s highly anticipated rookie season was broadly a success, with a tremendous final outing in World Series Game 2, in which he one-hit the Yankees across 6⅓ innings.

On Thursday, Yamamoto’s fastball, curveball and splitter — his three primary offerings — all looked sharp, but it was his cutter that stood out in his brief outing.

The pitch touched 94.3 mph to strike out Nicky Lopez to end the first inning, which tied the highest velocity Yamamoto registered with the pitch last year (it averaged 91.5 mph). Let’s see if he can sustain a higher velocity on that pitch this season and/or if he amplifies its usage after throwing it just 6% of the time in 2024.

Bobby Miller feeling fine after scary comebacker This is a big spring training for right-hander Bobby Miller, who endured one of the more extreme sophomore slumps in recent memory last year (8.52 ERA) after excelling as a rookie in 2023. Unfortunately, Miller’s debut spring outing was cut short Thursday when he was struck on the head by a Michael Busch line drive in the top of the third inning. Thankfully, Miller was able to walk off under his own power and seems to have avoided any significant injury. Miller entered concussion protocol postgame but arrived to camp Friday having slept fine and feeling generally OK.

It was a scary moment that will have the Dodgers taking it slow with the 25-year-old for a little while, but the team is optimistic that he can resume throwing in the near future. On a depth chart as loaded as the Dodgers’, each and every day of spring is critical for a pitcher in Miller’s position to make his case for breaking camp with the big-league club. Hopefully he’ll be back on the mound soon to resume those efforts.

Gage Workman makes a strong impression Rule 5 picks have a unique challenge during spring training. Not only are they adjusting to a new organization, but they’re also fighting for a big-league roster spot that they must keep for the duration of the season or else be returned to their original team, which can option them back to the minors.

Such is the case for Gage Workman, whom the Cubs selected from the Tigers in December’s Rule 5 Draft after Detroit opted not to add Workman to its 40-man roster. Workman, Detroit’s fourth-round pick in 2020, is a terrific infield defender with a rocket arm, but his bat has taken a while to develop. Workman was a switch-hitter his whole life until he ditched hitting right-handed last year and subsequently enjoyed his best offensive season as a pro in Double-A.

His powerful, left-handed swing was on display Friday, when he smacked a fastball from southpaw Justin Wrobleski over the left-field fence — an especially impressive feat considering his relative lack of experience facing same-handed pitching.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell spoke Friday about Workman’s loud showing, while acknowledging the difficult position he’s in.

“It's easy for this player to put a lot of pressure on himself. ‘Got to make a good impression’ is kind of what's going through your head, right? And he's right, you know?” he said. “You can't run from that. That's the deal, man — we've got to make a decision on you. And so you're happy for the player that he made a great impression in a situation where you know there's a lot of nerves and anxiety, and it's so important to him to do good.”

Counsell also pointed out that Workman’s glove stood out earlier in the game, when he slickly started two double-plays.

“Before the home run, he had a great day,” Counsell said. “It was the defense that caught my eye.”

Workman was in the lineup again Friday as the DH, one of only two Cubs to start both of the first two games of spring, along with Vidal Brujan. Workman went 1-for-2 Friday, including an infield single and a seven-pitch battle in his second at-bat that ended in a sacrifice fly.

As it stands, Workman has two narrow paths to make the Cubs’ Opening Day roster. With veterans Jon Berti and Justin Turner in the fold, there appears to be only one bench spot up for grabs. Brujan, a switch-hitting speedster who can play both infield and outfield, appears to have the leg up in that competition, but perhaps Workman can beat him out. The other avenue for Workman involves the readiness of fellow infielders Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner — namely, if top prospect Shaw struggles this spring in his bid to break camp as the Opening Day third baseman or if Hoerner, working his way back from offseason elbow surgery, isn’t quite ready to roll come Opening Day.

For now, all Workman can do is put his head down and do his best to show the Cubs why he belongs. Born and raised in Arizona, having spring training in his home state instead of in Florida with the Tigers is a nice added bonus. He had plenty of friends and family in attendance at both games, cheering loud and clear after his home run.

“The family has been gearing up for spring training,” Workman said, “maybe even more than me.”

Daniel Palencia brings the heat Another Cub competing for a roster spot this spring is 25-year-old right-hander Daniel Palencia, who has posted a 5.02 ERA in 43 major-league innings the past two seasons but possesses some of the best stuff in the entire organization. He unleashed a 101.3 mph fastball to strike out Ryan Ward on Friday after touching as high as 102.5 mph in the minors last year.

Palencia’s 39.5% strikeout rate ranked third among relievers with at least 30 Triple-A innings last season, but his 12.8% walk rate hampered his run prevention considerably. The additions of veterans Ryan Pressly, Ryan Brasier, Caleb Thielbar and Eli Morgan in the Chicago bullpen this winter makes it difficult to envision Palencia breaking camp with the Cubs, but this is the type of talent that could earn high-leverage opportunities if he’s able to make the right tweaks and refine his command. Don’t forget about this dude.

Zyhir Hope’s glovework stands out Having turned 20 a little over a month ago, Zyhir Hope is one of the youngest players in any big-league camp this spring. Traded to the Dodgers from the Cubs as part of the return for Michael Busch, Hope surged up prospect lists in 2024, thanks to a standout summer at the plate in Low-A, before continuing to show off his tools in the Arizona Fall League.

Hope appeared in both of the Dodgers’ first two games against the club that drafted him and made two outstanding catches in left field on Thursday.

Playing right field on Friday, Hope almost made another diving grab on a sinking line drive in the eighth but was unable to corral it. While it’s Hope’s bat that has scouts ecstatic about his overall potential, how the young outfielder develops as a defender — especially if he can handle center field — could end up being the difference between him being a very good prospect and a genuinely elite one.

The ABS challenge system has arrived More important than the performance of any individual player was the official introduction of the ABS (automated ball-strike) challenge system, which MLB previewed earlier this week during the annual spring media day. Roughly 60% of games this spring will feature the Hawkeye tracking technology, with each team allowed to challenge two ball/strike calls per game, retaining challenges in perpetuity if successful.

Camelback Ranch is one of the ballparks that will feature ABS this spring, and it didn’t take long to see the system in action. In the bottom of the first inning Thursday, Cubs starter Cody Poteet threw a fastball in an 0-1 count to Max Muncy that home plate umpire Tony Randazzo ruled low for a ball. Poteet immediately tapped his head to signal a challenge, which prompted a review. Less than 20 seconds later, the pitch’s location was displayed on the video board, showing that it was indeed in the strike zone, and Randazzo announced over the PA system that the call was overturned, making the count 0-2. Muncy went on to strike out.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had joked pregame that the team was going to tell Muncy he wasn’t allowed to challenge any calls because the third baseman is the most frequent critic of the strike zone. Then Muncy coincidentally found himself on the other end of the equation.

“Freddie [Freeman] said that I was banned from being able to challenge, so then I come back in here, and he’s waiting at my locker laughing at my face that I was the one that got challenged on,” Muncy said afterward.

With the challenge system strictly in the testing phase, Counsell said he isn’t currently concerned about any potential strategy involving this new element. But he also acknowledged that for its debut, the system worked rather seamlessly and that he can see the benefits from an entertainment standpoint.