David Ross talked about what he called “the Twitter machine” before Friday’s game against the Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field, noting he’s not a frequent visitor to the app.
“I go on Twitter every once in a while,” the Chicago Cubs manager said. “Just not on me. I try to stay out of (things). I’m not Googling myself and seeing all the awesome things people are saying about me.”
The 2023 season marks a turning point in Ross’s career as Cubs manager. He’s being judged by a higher standard and saw the first real volley of criticism aimed in his direction last week after a failed bunt attempt by Patrick Wisdom in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds. It was mild but jarring coming so early in the season.
Ross said he welcomes the criticism, and as a former analyst with ESPN he understands the game relies on fan debate, much of which the media fuels. He’s not averse to taking risks, no matter the potential for Twitter abuse.
Ross made one of those risky decisions Friday in the sixth inning, leaving Marcus Stroman in with a 1-0 lead after the Cubs starter loaded the bases with two outs with his second walk of the inning. Stroman convinced Ross he was fine, then induced Josh Jung to ground to second to end the threat.
The Cubs wound up with a 2-0 win before 29,094 at Wrigley, evening their record at 4-4.
Stroman (2-0) tossed six shutout innings for the second straight start, allowing two hits while walking three and striking out six. Closer Michael Fulmer pitched two scoreless innings for the save, his first as a Cub.
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The Cubs came up with a pair of key two-out hits, scoring their runs on Cody Bellinger’s RBI single off Nathan Eovaldi in the fourth and Ian Happ’s run-scoring double in the sixth that hit the heel of the glove of center fielder Adolis Garcia.
Garcia wore a face mask to ward off the wind on a 43-degree afternoon, the coldest game the Rangers have played in since another 43-degree day on April 25, 2021, at White Sox Park.
The Cubs got some good news earlier in the day, announcing right fielder Seiya Suzuki is set to begin his rehab assignment for Triple-A Iowa on Saturday in St. Paul, Minn., a sign they’re closer to getting their regular lineup whole. Suzuki missed the entire Cactus League schedule with a left oblique strain that also forced him to miss playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
There was no timetable set for Suzuki’s return.
“I talked earlier this morning with someone who saw his at-bats in person and said he could be ready soon,” Ross said.
Next week’s series against the Los Angeles Dodgers could be a target date, depending on how Suzuki performs this weekend. Right fielder Miles Mastrobuoni is hitting .143 after a 1-for-3 afternoon .
Reliever Brandon Hughes’s rehab stint also begins with Iowa on Saturday.
