MLB fined and suspended Cubs reliever Keegan Thompson three games for hitting the Brewers’ Andrew McCutchen during the eighth inning of the game Saturday.

Manager David Ross received a one-game suspension, which he will serve Tuesday for the game against the Pirates. Unless Thompson appeals, his suspension would begin then, as well.

After Willson Contreras and Ian Happ were hit by pitches — and Happ left the game after being plunked on the left knee — Thompson threw inside to McCutchen, then hit him with the next pitch. The benches cleared, but no punches were thrown.

Thompson, who was ejected, denied throwing at McCutchen. But McCutchen said he knew he was going to get hit.

“Contreras didn’t even move his glove when I got hit,” he said. “We all knew it was coming.”

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At this time a year ago, second baseman Nick Madrigal was a foundational piece for a White Sox team expected to make multiple October runs.

Then on June 9, Madrigal suffered a proximal tear of his right hamstring, an injury that required surgery and one that ended his season and a late-spring breakout that saw him slash .365/.420/.568 over his final 20 games. That play was also his last with the Sox before the blockbuster deadline deal that sent him and reliever Codi Heuer to the Cubs for Craig Kimbrel.

So, to put it mildly, a lot has happened to Madrigal over the last 12 months. He’s still a foundational piece in Chicago, just for a different team with a different timeline after getting traded while recovering from a severe injury.

“There’s a lot of different moving parts,” Madrigal said. “A lot has happened the last couple years. Some good, some bad. It’s just part of the business. I’m fortunate to be with this organization. I think it truly was a blessing to come over here and meet some of these guys, work with the staff. I’ve been so happy over here. It’s just been incredible.

“I’m looking forward to this year. A lot has happened the last couple years, but I’m very blessed to be in this position.”

That Madrigal is handling the upheaval of the last year the way he is doesn’t surprise Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner. Madrigal and Hoerner have known each other for years and trained together during the lockout.

Hoerner said Madrigal is very level-headed, and that’s a trait that’s helpful regardless of the situation.

“He does a really good job of building relationships with people all around the organization, from staff to players, coaches, everybody,” Hoerner said. “He brings a lot to the clubhouse, likes to work but has fun while doing it. It’s all you can ask for.”

Madrigal has one hit three games into his Cubs career. But more importantly he said he feels great physically, even despite the chilly weather during the Cubs’ opening series at Wrigley Field against the Brewers. Madrigal also felt tightness in his right glute during spring training this year.

He also has to put out of his head what happened last June, when his hustle to first base on a slow chopper to third ripped up his hamstring and ended his season.

“I’ve got to have faith in everything I’ve done, all the work I’ve put in to get back to this point,” Madrigal said. “You can’t really worry about what happened in the past. I know it was a tough one, but I’m confident in everyone that’s gotten me to this point. My body’s feeling really good at this point.

“I just focus on going out there and giving everything I have and just not worrying.”

Madrigal doesn’t have to worry much about his role with the Cubs. Since last summer’s teardown, the Cubs have stressed a contact-first approach at the plate that focuses on getting the ball in play, and that’s what Madrigal is known for.

And as Hoerner alluded to, Madrigal also seems to be a snug fit in the Cubs clubhouse.

“I love it. I think this is a really good clubhouse,” Madrigal said. “With the chemistry, the people, it makes it easy to show up every single day, get along with anyone you see. I think if we have good chemistry in the clubhouse it will show on the field. I really do feel comfortable out there with these guys and I’m looking forward to it.”

NOTE: Reliever Keegan Thompson was suspended three games and fined for hitting the Brewers’ Andrew McCutchen during the eighth inning of Saturday’s game. Manager David Ross was suspended for a game, which he will serve Tuesday.

Thompson has the right to appeal.

CUBS AT PIRATES
Tusday: Drew Smyly (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Jose Quintana (0-0, 0.00), 3:12 p.m., Marquee, 670-AM
Wednesday: Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 1.69) vs. JT Brubaker (0-1, 12.00), 11:35 a.m., Marquee, 670-AM

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Philipp Kurashev knows he fits best as a first- or second-line winger.

“Most of my life, I played on the top two lines,” Kurashev said Monday. “That’s where I’m trying to get to here at [the NHL] level, too. I’m going to work my hardest to try to get there.”

Blackhawks interim coach Derek King knows that, too.

“He’s got to be a top-six player, if you’re in a perfect world,” King said Monday.

But the challenge, for both Kurashev and the Hawks, has been first justifying putting him in a top-six role and then receiving the necessary production and performance to justify keeping him there.

As Kurashev, still just 22 years old, nears the end of his second season as a basically full-time NHL forward, that confluence of events has yet to occur.

“The work part of it — the consistency of the work ethic — [has been] his struggle,” King added. “He’d give you a couple good games, and then he’d fade away. So you’d put him on the bottom line, hoping he learns to work well without the puck.”

That cycle of Kurashev slotting into a big role, then a depth role, then being healthy-scratched, has happened over and over this season.

He nonetheless keeps restarting that cycle, rather than falling into permanent irrelevance, because he occasionally shows flashes of dynamic talent with the puck on his stick.

Memories of his Connor McDavid-style wondergoal in February 2021 in Detroit resurface whenever he dangles past a defenseman or makes a zone entry look easy or perfectly reads a developing offensive play –and he does those things just often enough to stay interesting.

Taken on the whole, however, Kurashev’s body of work doesn’t stand out. He ranks ninth on the Hawks with 18 points (six goals and 12 assists) in 59 games — a nearly identical scoring pace to last season, when he tallied 16 points in 54 games.

He ranks 18th (as in, fourth-worst) on the team with a 42.0% even-strength scoring-chance ratio. He also falls below league average in terms of dump-in retrievals, carry-ins with possession, shot attempts, shot attempt assists and just about every other advanced stat, per All Three Zones.

“Overall [I need to work on my] consistency,” he said. “Every time you’re in, you’ve got to do positive things for the team. That’s a hard thing, but that’s what I’m trying to do.”

He’s a pending restricted free agent and said he “of course” wants to earn a new contract. The Hawks will probably try to bring him back at another cheap salary, but they’ll surely wish –when they enter negotiations –they had clearer idea of what Kurashev currently is and what he could eventually become.

Perhaps this season’s final 11 games will provide a glimpse. After two consecutive games out of the lineup, Kurashev was thrust Sunday directly onto a new first line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, of all people. It sounds like he’ll stay there Tuesday against the Kings and beyond, too.

“Coming [into] the last 11, it was like, ‘OK, if certain guys are going to be in the lineup, they’ve got to play in the spot that we think they may be able to play,'” King explained. “And that’s where we think he may be able to play: the top six.

“He’s a creative guy. He has some skill. He has some hockey sense. But it’s just the working part he has to get. Hopefully all those practices, not playing, getting bag-skated or being on the third and fourth line –during games when he is in –helps him now.”

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The Chicago Cubs opened up their 2022 season in surprising fashion. Despite blowing a three-run lead in Sunday’s finale, the Cubs were able to win the series 2-1 over Milwaukee, a good start to the new campaign.

Despite facing a formidable Brewers pitching staff, the Cubs answered with some great performances of their own on the mound, as well as some timely hitting. Here is went right and wrong for Chicago in the opening series, as well as a glance towards what’s ahead.

What Went Right?

The pitching staff was the main hero of this series. Despite plenty of question marks surrounding starting pitching and bullpen depth, everyone did their part to secure the series win. Ace Kyle Hendricks opened things up with 5.1 innings opening day, allowing only 1 run while collecting 7 strikeouts. 4 relievers managed to maintain a 5-4 Cubs lead into the 9th inning, where closer David Robertson converted the save.

Justin Steele kept things rolling with a 5 inning shutout performance in game 2, and once again the bullpen locked things down, with an impressive 2.2 innings pitched from Keegan Thompson leading to a 9-0 shutout win. While the Cubs did give up 4 runs in the back half of game 3 to lose 5-4, it was undoubtedly a promising start on the mound overall. If the starting pitchers can continue giving the team 5 quality innings on a nightly basis, it should be fairly easy to keep the bullpen rested and ready to finish out close games.

On the offensive side, the Cubs relied on some timely hitting to win games 1 and 2. Tied 1-1 in the 5th, shortstop Nico Hoerner managed to tag a Corbin Burnes slider for a 374 foot home run to give Chicago a 3-1 lead in game 1. Later in the same game, Ian Happ broke a 3-3 tie with a 2 run double to the wall, giving the Cubs just enough to hang on and get the win. Happ collected 2 more RBI’s in game 2, while Seiya Suzuki plated 3 in the rout.

The lineup showed great consistency overall, with nearly every hitter contributing in some way across the three game series. The Cubs also managed to convert on their opportunities, hitting well with runners in scoring positions and scoring late in the game to keep things close. Cubs fans showed be encouraged by the start the lineup has had.

What Went Wrong?

There were not many glaring issues the Cubs had in their opening series. However, there are a few players Chicago fans would like to see settle in a bit more. Of course, it is extremely early in the season, so there is no reason for any major concern, but 3-hole hitter Nick Madrigal struggled throughout the series. Madrigal ended up going 1-11 with walk and a single. The good news is he only struck out twice, but the Cubs will need more from him going forward, especially if he continues to hit at the top of the lineup.

Reliever Daniel Norris also had a tough series. Norris ended up pitching 2.1 innings, in which he gave up 3 earned runs and took a loss. Norris is positioned to be a key middle reliever, so his rough start is slightly concerning. On the bright side, Norris only allowed 2 total hits, one of which is a home run, so expect his 11.57 ERA to drop considerably if he can put together just a few solid outings next series

 What’s Next?

The Cubs will head to Pittsburgh to begin a two game series with the Pirates. The quick back to back gives Chicago a chance to try out the back half of their pitching rotation against a less than stellar opponent. It also allows the lineup an opportunity to settle into a sustainable groove after a hot start. If the Cubs can keep things rolling in Pittsburgh, it would set them up for a nice month of April overall.

Make sure to check out our Cubs forum for the latest on the team.

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It’s not a secret that the Chicago Bears are looking to add to their wide receiver room this offseason in hopes of giving Justin Fields some weapons. And they are certainly doing their homework in the predraft process.

The latest visit for the Bears is with former Baylor Bears receiver Tyquan Thornton. The speedy receiver is a vertical threat that could be added to Chicago’s offense as a weapon and a big downfield target for Fields in his second year.

Thornton comes from a sprinter background and has good long speed that allows him to get past defenders. Here is the scouting report on him via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

There is a lot to like about Thornton’s game, including his instincts, long speed and ability to create separation on the move. He’s a vertical threat with the speed and poise to win deep and has an excellent feel for maintaining spacing when working against zone coverage. He’s skinny and linear, which is a bad combination in defeating strong press-man corners on the next level. The poise and catch radius will work in his favor, but the success rate on contested catches will be lower than teams like, based upon his history and physical traits. Wideouts with his size profile have struggled mightily to succeed in the league, but Thornton’s speed and talent make him worthy of a shot on Day 3.

A former four-star recruit out of high school, Thronton played four seasons at Baylor and finished his career with 143 receptions, 2,242 yards, 19 touchdowns. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection for his play in the 2019 season.

It wouldn’t shock us to see the Bears double up on receivers in this draft and with Thornton possibly being there on Day 3, he could make a lot of sense for Ryan Poles and his staff.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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