(670 The Score) With Opening Day looming next Thursday, the Cubs still haven't revealed who will fill the fourth and fifth spots in their rotation.
In order, Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and Zach Davis are lined up to pitch in the opening series against the Pirates, manager David Ross has announced. The Cubs do have four off days in the first 19 days of the regular season, so they can likely skip their No. 5 starter for the first few times through the rotation.
While the Cubs haven't announced it yet, veteran right-hander Trevor Williams is in line to be their No. 4 starter. He has posted a 1.32 ERA in 13 2/3 innings of Cactus League action this spring.
That means the intrigue mostly surrounds the fifth spot. Right-hander Adbert Alzolay's superb outing against the reigning champion Dodgers on Thursday gave the Cubs plenty to consider. In 3 2/3 strong innings, he struck out five. He's competing against right-hander Alec Mills for the final rotation slot.
"Adbert looked as sharp as anybody last night," Ross said. "He looked like a major league starter to me. He looked really sharp and is trending in the right direction."
The Cubs want to be mindful of Alzolay's innings load in 2021, as he hasn't pitched more than 120 1/3 innings in a season at the professional level.
Alzolay, 26, has improved his fastball command and tightened his slider. Now, the Cubs must decide in the next few days whether to keep him on their staff or stretch him out when minor league spring training begins next week.
"There is a development process for every minor league player," Ross said. "I think he is on a path where things are starting to sync up for him over the last year. He has been able to change at the off site last year and had more success. He continues to grow. A lot of pitchers struggle with the growth of getting through the lineup a second and third time. That does not give me pause with him. There are things that I look for in the performance in the middle of games that tell me a lot. It wouldn't be different than any young starter I would watch."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
