Anmelden » PHOENIX — Closer No. 1 has been out since mid-July.

Closer No. 2 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-babe-ruth-jersey , since Thursday.The loss of Brandon Morrow and Pedro Strop has not left the Cubs anything close to out of late-inning options, however.Article continues below ...“It would be real nice if we could be one of those teams that has the best bullpen ERA in the league,” president Theo Epstein said dryly before Monday’s game.“Oh, wait. That’s us.”You could look it up.The Cubs led the NL in bullpen ERA by a quarter of a run before their 5-1 victory over to Arizona on Monday, recently taking over the league lead in that category from the suddenly fragile Diamondbacks‘ corps.The Cubs did not need a closer Monday, when Javier Baez and Kris Bryant hit two-run homers and Kyle Hendricks was one out short of his fourth career complete game while dropping his ERA to 1.76 in 13 September starts the last three seasons.“It started with fastball command,” Hendricks said. “Willy (catcher Willson Contreras) and I were really aggressive early, which is what I’ve been needing to do lately.”Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery (4-5) is scheduled to face Matt Andriese (3-4), who will make his first start for the Diamondbacks after being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.Maybe nothing illustrates the Cubs’ all-arms-on-deck bullpen depth more than their 3-2 victory against Cincinnati last Friday, when former Diamondback left-hander Jorge De La Rosa pitched the ninth for his first career save after back-to-back scoreless innings by Dillon Maples and Jaime Garcia.The Cubs acquired De La Rosa after he was designated for assignment in early August and added Garcia after he had been released by Toronto. Maples has spent most of the year in the minors.“It says a lot about the mettle of those guys,” Epstein said.“We’ve had a deep group all year with contributions from many, many relievers — some expected, some unexpected. They have been resilient. They’ve been executing pitches. It has been next man up. That’s the way it will continue to be.“Obviously we’ve missed Brandon and we’re missing ‘Stropy’ right now. Our pen is more than just one or two guys.”Morrow had 22 saves before going on the disabled list in mid-July, and he is expected back soon, perhaps later in the Arizona series. Strop has 13 saves, and five others have at least one.The Cubs’ last five victories have been saved by five different closers — Jesse Chavez Lou Gehrig Jersey , Strop, Randy Rosario, De La Rosa and Steve Cishek.“It’s not exactly the way we drew it up, but we have quality relievers out there who are unafraid and going right at guys and making quality pitches,” Epstein said. “We feel confident we are going to protect leads. It’s just a matter of getting those leads.”The Cubs’ five-run burst was their biggest since a 6-5 loss to Washington on Sept. 8. They have scored 20 runs in their last eight games.The Diamondbacks’ offense has fared a little better recently, scoring 27 runs on a seven-game road trip to Colorado and Houston and getting only three hits Monday. They have lost eight of 10 to fall five games behind the Dodgers in the NL West and five games behind St. Louis for the second wild card.“We want to go out and play our best baseball. That’s all we can do right now,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.“We’ve experienced a lot of frustration over the past 2 1/2, three weeks, but we have to place that aside. We haven’t played our best baseball in a long time, so we want to focus on being ourselves and see where that lands us.”Montgomery has a 3.87 ERA while splitting time between starting and relieving. He rejoined the Cubs’ rotation on Aug. 30 and has been on a limited pitch count since, getting into the fifth inning only once in his last three turn while giving up two runs in four innings in each of his last two.Montgomery has been much more effective as a starter, going 4-4 with a 3.48 in 16 starts. He has made 19 relief appearances. He did not face the Diamondbacks in their previous series after the All-Star break and has a 1.69 ERA in three career outings against them, one start.Andriese, who has a 7.31 ERA in six appearances with Arizona, did not have decision in four starts with Tampa Bay this season, where he was used as an “opener http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-dimaggio-jersey ,” logging only 11 1/3 innings in those starts. He was 3-4 with a 4.07 ERA in 27 appearances with the Rays this season after making 36 starts in 2016-17.His Diamondbacks ERA was skewed by his last outing, when he gave up seven runs in 1 1/3 innings when he asked to take one for the team in the late stages of a 13-2 loss at Colorado last Monday.“I think he can go out there and do his job and execute a game plan,” Lovullo said. “He’s pitched in a very rugged AL East and had a lot of success. Since he’s been here, it’s been good and bad. Him getting the baseball is going to be a whole new fresh outlook on things. I wanted to see what it looked like.” SAN DIEGO (AP) — With a mighty bat flip and joyous home run trot in winter ball, Fernando Tatis Jr. stirred a frenzy among long-suffering San Diego Padres fans eager to see the hotshot shortstop prospect make it to the big leagues.Tatis’ bat flip after hitting a walk-off homer in a Dominican Winter League playoff game in early January went viral on social media. Fans envision the 20-year-old doing it at Petco Park, perhaps with fewer theatrics than players can get away with in winter ball.Tatis’ eagerly awaited major league debut most likely will come this year, if not on opening day then after he gets some time in Triple-A.“He’s going to tell us by how he plays,” manager Andy Green said of Tatis, who will be in his second big league spring camp for the rebuilding Padres. “We’re going to let him tell us. … We’re looking forward to watching him compete. He does a lot of really good stuff on a baseball field.”Pitchers and catchers report Wednesday and position players report on Feb. 18, with the first full-squad workout on Feb. 19.After losing 96 games last year and missing the playoffs for the 12th straight season, the Padres checked in on the two big free agents, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. If they don’t land either one, then the focus will squarely be on Tatis, whose father played in the big leagues.Tatis broke his left thumb sliding headfirst while in Double-A in July and missed the rest of the season. But he made up for the lost time during winter ball. Still, he’s played only 2 ½ months above A-ball. Listed as the No. 2 overall prospect in all of baseball, Tatis was obtained from the Chicago White Sox for James Shields in July 2016 as general manager A.J. Preller began a deep rebuild following a failed win-now splurge prior to the 2015 season.Here are some things to look for from the Padres in spring training:NEW LOOK: The Padres were remarkably quiet in the offseason Mickey Mantle Jersey , adding only infielders Ian Kinsler and Greg Garcia, as well as right-hander Garrett Richards, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and won’t pitch this year. Gone are shortstop Freddy Galvis and left-hander Clayton Richard.ROOKIES TO WATCH: While Tatis is still waiting to make his big league debut, infielder Luis Urias and catcher Francisco Mejia came up late last season. Urias will likely start the season at shortstop and keep the position warm for Tatis while Kinsler starts at second. Pitching prospects who will be in big league camp — and could be in the next wave of talent to crash on shore in San Diego — include Chris Paddack, Cal Quantrill and Logan Allen.THEY’RE SET: First baseman Eric Hosmer looks to settle in after an underwhelming first year with the Padres and Austin Hedges returns at catcher, although he could be pushed by Mejia. Wil Myers moves from third base back to the outfield, most likely in left. “And then we’re going to have some open competition almost all the way around the diamond to a degree right now,” Green said. The Padres have six outfielders and will look at a number of alignments. In the rotation, Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer made their big league debuts last year and will head the young, relatively inexperienced rotation.THEY’RE NOT: The biggest mystery is who will start at third base on opening day. It’s possible that player isn’t yet on the roster, just like Hosmer wasn’t signed last year until the day the full squad reported to camp. If the Padres don’t land a free agent, minor leaguers Ty France and Jason Vosler could get a shot. Kinsler could play third, too, although he’s only logged two innings at the hot corner in his big league career.ON DECK: It wouldn’t be surprising if Preller added a veteran position player or starting pitcher before opening day on March 28 at home against San Francisco.