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The Rundown: Home Opener Finally Arrives, Tucker & Suzuki Swing Hot Bats, MLB Players Offer Money-Saving Life Hacks

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterApril 4, 2025

“Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial. For what it’s worth, it was worth all the while.” – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day

It’s Opening Day at Wrigley Field, and though it may be hard to believe, it’s been nearly 10 years since the 2016 Cubs won the World Series. Joe Maddon, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Miguel Montero, Jon Lester, and Jake Arrieta have retired, while Jason Heyward, Kris Bryant, and Javier Báez have become grizzled veterans fighting to keep their jobs. Nobody knows — or cares — what Addison Russell is doing these days. Willson Contreras plays for the hated Cardinals, and only a handful of Chicagoans care about him either.

Still, each home opener represents new hope, and with that, a lot of highs and lows. The NL Central is there for the taking (again), though navigating the playoffs against the likes of the Dodgers, Mets, Padres, and Braves is a daunting thought on this chilly April morning. If I may borrow a line or two from Bono of U2, I’d summarize the potential of 2025 like this:

“True colors fly in blue and black…Bruised silken sky and burning flag, colors crash, collide in bloodshot eyes.”

That may be a little too Kyle Brandt for your morning Rundown, but make no mistake: A battle lies ahead. Jed Hoyer is fighting for his job, and Chicago’s best player, Kyle Tucker, could be a one-year rental. The common denominator is Tom Ricketts and his reluctance to approve long-term contracts at going market rates. The first championship was supposed to be the hardest, 108-year drought notwithstanding. Getting back to the dance has been a path fraught with heartache and, at times, foolishness and faux optimism. Apologies to Frank Schwindel, Rafael Ortega, and Zach Davies.

This year’s Cubs have one vulnerability of their own, and middle relief be thy name. Credit Hoyer for at least building a lineup that should avoid prolonged offensive slumps, though this year’s early-season kryptonite could appear in the form of a tough April schedule. If the Cubs enter May with at least a .500 record after playing the Padres six times, the Dodgers five, and three-game sets against the Rangers, Diamondbacks, and Phillies, something special may lie ahead.

Can (or will) this team put a charge into its fanbase the way its 2016 peers did? That’s doubtful, but not impossible. Nevertheless, we’ll shed plenty of blood, sweat, and tears rooting for Chicago’s North Side Baseballers. Sure, there will be a few jaw-dropping moments, like Carson Kelly hitting for the cycle or Shōta Imanaga leaving opposing hitters hating baseball. There will also be a few laughs. Cub fans, who are often simultaneously enamored and spiteful of the Chicago Nine, ask of their beloved team but one thing: Try not to suck, the trademarked phrase by Maddon that brought the Commisoner’s Trophy to Chicago nearly a decade ago.

“If I could (through myself) set your spirit free, I’d lead your heart away. See you break, break away into the light and to the day, no surrender, not fade away.”

Cubs News & Notes

Series Pitching Matchups

Imanaga (1-0) will face Randy Vásquez (0-0) in today’s home opener. Matthew Boyd (0-0) draws Nick Pivetta (1-0) tomorrow, and Ben Brown (1-1) will face Kyle Hart (1-0) on Sunday.

Fun Fact

The Cubs are 84-63-2 in home openers and have won seven of their last nine.

Cubs Trivia

Who was the last Cubs pitcher to win a Silver Slugger Award? Answer in the comments section, and please, no cheating.

Odds & Sods

Will the hype ever match the product on the field? You know, anything is possible at the start of every season, this one included. And oh, happy Record Store Weekend, y’all.

Central Intelligence

How About That!

Jose Altuve went down swinging five times in Wednesday’s game against the Twins.

Only five teams, including the Reds, have lost three consecutive 1-0 games, and the 1960 Phillies were the last team to do it. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no team has lost four straight 1-0 games.

The Dodgers placed first baseman Freddie Freeman on the 10-day IL with an ankle sprain.

The Mariners are reportedly poised to select the contract of Luis F. Castillo, who will start today’s game against the Giants after teammate Luis Castillo started the club’s last game on Wednesday.

Today marks the 2025 Opening Day for all Double-A, High-A, and Single-A affiliates all around baseball.

Several MLB players shared their money-saving life hacks ($) with Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic. Here are my top five:

  1. “I don’t buy any music. It’s a pretty useless purchase. I like to drive in silence. Total silence.” – Jake Cronenworth
  2. “I needed a new phone and it was a good time to switch my phone number. I was like, ‘All right, it’s time to get off my parents’ plan.’” – Dansby Swanson
  3. “I have a hard time paying for extra legroom. I can afford to fly first class or in an exit row, but I feel like I’m getting punished for being tall, so I refuse to upgrade my seat.” – Jameson Taillon
  4. “I had my first car, a Toyota 4Runner, for 13 years in the big leagues and only upgraded in 2021 because we got pregnant and needed a bigger car.” – Paul Sewald
  5. “Don’t hate me, but even though it’s a dollar, I refuse to pay for The Athletic. Even if my name is in it, my ego gets in the way, and I don’t want to pay for it. I am not paying that damn dollar. It’s the principle. I will read the first paragraph before the paywall.” – Logan O’Hoppe

Hey, Logan, Cubs Insider is free. Ask for a trade to the Cubs, and we’ll give you plenty of reading material.

Thursday’s Three Stars

  1. Alex Bregman – The third baseman had his best game of the season Thursday, going 3-for-5 with a home run, two doubles, and three RBI.
  2. Aaron Judge – The Yankee slugger continued his blistering start to the season by driving in four runs, thanks to a three-run homer and RBI double. Judge will play his 1,000th MLB game tonight, and he now has 500 extra-base hits.
  3. Nestor Cortés – Milwaukee’s No. 2 starter rebounded from a disastrous first start to shut out the Reds on one hit over six innings for his first win of the year.

Extra Innings

Add venerated poet and baseball historian to the long list of superlatives used to describe Ryne Sandberg. Vin Scully would be proud.

They Said It

  • “Talking about team revenue and payroll without including the other investments in baseball and business operations, as well as the impact of revenue sharing, does not show the whole picture.” – Crane Kenney
  • “The winning commitment barometer of a major-league team is the percentage of revenues invested in talent.” – Scott Boras
  • “She stands alone at the corner of Clark and Addison, this dowager queen, dressed in basic black and pearls, seventy-five years old, proud head held high and not a hair out of place, awaiting yet another date with destiny, another time for Mr. Right. She dreams as old ladies will of men gone long ago. Joe Tinker. Johnny Evers. Frank Chance. And of those of recent vintage like her man Ernie Banks. And the Lion [Leo Durocher]. And Sweet Billy Williams. And she thinks wistfully of what might have been, and the pain is still fresh and new, and her eyes fill, her lips tremble, and she shakes her head ever so slightly. And then she sighs, pulls her shawl tightly around her frail shoulders, and thinks, This time, this time it will be better.” – Scully
  • “Is Chicago warm yet?” – Suzuki

Friday Walk-Up Song

What is it? A six-year home opener tradition now? Say hi to my good friends from Chicago by way of Ohio, Wally Dogger.

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterApril 4, 2025
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