The Cubs dropped their season opener to the Dodgers by a score of 4-1 despite the excitement surrounding opening the season in Tokyo. I just wanted to remind you that this is one of 162 games. It is not time to overreact. However, I’ve listed a few of my takeaways from the game today below:

• Shota Imanaga
  • Not giving up a hit to a team as talented as the Dodgers in your first start of the year is remarkable, even for four innings without Betts and Freeman in the lineup.While solid, Imanaga’s performance showed room for improvement, with four walks in 4 innings. His 4% walk rate in 2024 was in the top 3% of MLB, indicating a need for better control. His susceptibility to the long ball was a shortcoming last season, and preventing additional runners on base will be crucial to his development and preventing any sophomore setbacks.
  • One key aspect to watch in Shota’s second year is his pitch mix. He used sweepers against left-handed batters, but will he be able to maintain this two-pitch strategy against right-handed batters? This question could significantly impact his performance in year two.
• Offense
  • It’s hard to score runs and win with three hits.Ian Happ led off the game with the team’s only walk. He also tallied an infield hit. It was great to see him on base twice, but that was paired with two strikeouts. The Dodgers displayed excellent pitching today, so I hope this isn’t a trend.In the second inning, Dansby Swanson singled through the middle and scored the team’s only run. He flew out to the right field warning track in the seventh. Swanson is at his best when he’s staying through the middle of the field. A line drive up the middle on a curveball and taking a fastball the other way are promising signs for the Cubs’ shortstop.Miguel Amaya doubled into the right-field gap in the second inning to drive in the Cubs’ lone run. The team’s catching spot was a significant hole in the lineup during the first half of 2024. Amaya picking up where he left off in the second half of 2024 would pay major dividends in helping lengthen the team’s lineup.
  • On a challenging offensive day, the Cubs hit two balls with EVs over 100 mph, surprisingly from PCA and John Berti (the hardest-hit ball of the game was 111.3 mph). This shows the potential for continued solid contact from the bottom of the lineup, driving optimism for the team’s offensive performance as the season progresses.
• Bullpen
  • Ben Brown struggled to locate his fastball in his first inning out of the bullpen. This allowed Dodgers hitters to key in on his knuckle curve due to his two-pitch mix, leading to a three-run fifth inning (two earned runs). He was able to rebound in a promising second inning of work.
  • Eli Morgan proved why the Cubs coveted him during the offseason. He came in with a runner on in the seventh inning and induced a first-pitch ground ball. Although he gave up a double to Michael Conforto, he pitched an effective eighth inning. His four-seam fastball’s average of 92.5 mph is below league average, but the pitch plays up when mixed with his slider and elite change-up. He induced an out-of-zone swing percentage of 50%, which means hitters were swinging at half the pitches he threw outside the strike zone. This high rate led to great results with soft contact and a few swings and misses.
• Defense
  • There were two errors in the first game. This is a concern for a team expecting elite defense. The first error in the fifth inning was a throwing error on a double-play turn. This was a slow chopper to third baseman Matt Shaw with an above-average running Tommy Edman at first base. There was no chance of turning two, so it would’ve been better for Berti to take the out at second base. The second error was another throwing error by Matt Shaw. He made a great stop on a ball to his left but made an offline throw.
  • Both errors were instances of players attempting extraordinary plays. Shaw, in his first major league game, and Berti, turning a double play on a new team with a shortened spring training, were both pushing their limits. While the errors were unfortunate and cost the team a run, they should not be seen as indicative of long-term issues. The team’s defensive capabilities remain strong.