After playing against each other Friday in the Cactus League opener, White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki will become teammates this week in Japan.
Suzuki, one of eight Cubs from the 40-man roster participating in the World Baseball Classic, played his second and final Cactus League game Sunday in Scottsdale against the San Francisco Giants.
Murakami, who is among five Sox players preparing to depart for the WBC, is slated to play three more Cactus League games before leaving Friday for Tokyo to join Team Japan. He’s scheduled to be the designated hitter on Monday, off on Tuesday and then playing again on Wednesday and Thursday.
“If I’m feeling healthy and good, I’ll try to play every single game that’s out there,” Murakami said Sunday.
Every Monday during spring training, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and White Sox.
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Sam Antonacci is making the most of camp ahead of playing for Team Italy in the WBC
Chicago White Sox second baseman Sam Antonacci runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Mesa, Ariz. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Sam Antonacci just wanted to put the ball in play.
The White Sox infielder accomplished a little bit more, blasting a two-run home run in the second inning of Friday’s Cactus League opener against the Cubs at Sloan Park.
He got behind in the count 0-2 before connecting on a 92.5 mph Jameson Taillon fastball for the 417-foot home run to right field. Antonacci capped the home run, which had an exit velocity of 109.5 mph, with an impressive bat flip.
Leading up to that first game, the nonroster invitee said the support he’s received from teammates has been helpful in camp.
“The veterans have been really welcoming and making me feel available to just be myself and play the game that I play,” Antonacci told the Tribune on Thursday at Camelback Ranch.
“Just understanding routines and how everyone does those things differently is cool to see. Just working to keep building on things with this team.”
The 23-year-old Springfield native was the No. 11 prospect in the Sox system in 2025, according to MLB.com. Antonacci had a combined .291 average with 21 doubles, five home runs and 57 RBIs in 116 games with the Arizona League White Sox, High Class A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham.
The 2024 fifth-round draft pick also hit .378 in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League.
“Every at-bat was a grind,” he said of the AFL experience. “I had a blast.”
Antonacci is soaking up as much as he can at camp before joining teammate Kyle Teel to play for Team Italy in the WBC.
“I’m looking forward to meeting all those guys, but right now I’m just taking in these last (few) days while I’m here, trying to get better with the White Sox,” Antonacci said, “and then once I transition into the WBC, I’ll put all my effort into that.”
Mo-Baller is back
Manager Craig Counsell signs autographs for fans during the first day of the Cubs full-squad workout at spring training at Sloan Park on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Mesa, Ariz. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs catcher/DH Moisés Ballesteros arrived in camp Sunday after being delayed two weeks by visa problems.
Ballesteros conceded he had some anxiety in early January after the United States invaded Venezuela, wondering how he would get to camp.
“There was some tension, there was some anxiety,” he said through the Cubs interpreter. “I never thought that would happen to start the year off. I was nervous, because I thought they were going to shut down all the flights. But it worked out and I’m here.”
Ballesteros joked that he thought he might run into problems when he went in to interview during the visa process.
“I thought the person doing the interview was a Brewers fan, because they were being very serious with me,” he said.
All’s well that ends well, and Ballesteros was ready for his first workout. He’s a little behind, but since it’s still early in camp there’s no rush to get him at-bats.
“He had to be patient, and now we’ve got to be a little patient here and give him time to just run around for a couple days, swing the bat casually,” manager Craig Counsell said.
Ballesteros hit .298 in 20 games last year with 11 RBI and an .868 OPS. He is likely to make the team, but said he’s preparing the same way as usual and not taking anything for granted.
“He showed what got him to the big leagues, and that’s not always easy to do in a smaller sample and right off the bat,” Counsell said. “He’s a gifted hitter. The ball just goes hard all over the field, kind of with no rhyme or reason, and that’s the sign of a good hitter.”
Ballesteros was primarily a DH with the Cubs, playing only four innings at first base and six innings behind the plate. But Counsell said he would get time at both positions this spring.
Number of the week: 2004
The Sox improved to 3-0 with Sunday’s 5-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch. It’s their first 3-0 start to the spring training slate since 2004.
Week ahead: Cubs
Shota Imanaga pitches during live batting practice during Cubs spring training at Sloan Park on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Mesa, Ariz. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Monday: at Royals, 2:05 p.m.
Tuesday: vs. Padres, 2:05 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Rockies, 2:05 p.m.
Thursday: at Angels, 2:10 p.m.
Friday: vs. Indians, 2:05 p.m.
Saturday: at Dodgers, 2:05 p.m.
Sunday: vs. Sox, 2:05 p.m. (Marquee)
Shota Imanaga was the Cubs’ opening day starter last year in Tokyo, a reward for a brilliant rookie season.
This year, he enters the rotation as a question mark after a dismal second half following a hamstring strain in May, and a poor postseason performance. He’s one of the five starters, but where he’ll be slotted has yet to be determined.
Imanaga is scheduled to make his spring debut on Tuesday at Sloan Park against the San Diego Padres. Normally a fun-loving guy, his confidence obviously waned at the end of the ’25 season, and the Cubs need the old Imanaga to return in ’26.
“That’s what the game does to you,” Counsell said. “It tells you ‘I’ve got to make some adjustments.’ It’s good to get some perspective, some time to let that sink in. That’s what is hard about a season. It doesn’t stop. It doesn’t let up, and you’ve got to do it (again) in four days. It’s hard to make changes in that quick of a window, and the games carry that importance.
“The time away has allowed him to take a step back, put together a good plan and we’ve got six weeks to kind of dial it in.”
The Cubs haven’t scheduled Cade Horton’s spring debut, though he was throwing 98 mph in live batting practice and is healthy again. Counsell said they would be conservative with Horton at the start of spring. Edward Cabrera’s debut is also unknown.
Week ahead: White Sox
Chris Murphy of the Chicago White Sox throws during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on Feb. 12, 2026, in Glendale, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Monday: at Rockies, 2:10 p.m.
Tuesday: at Mariners, 2:10 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Reds, 2:05 p.m.
Thursday: at Dodgers, 2:05 p.m.
Friday: vs. Rangers, 2:05 p.m. (webcast), at Brewers, 2:10 p.m.
Saturday: at Guardians, 2:05 p.m. (CHSN)
Sunday: at Cubs, 2:05 p.m. (Marquee)
With Cactus League games underway, pitchers are getting the chance to make a case.
Chris Murphy told manager Will Venable the best ability is availability.
The lefty, acquired in an offseason trade from Boston, is up for any role with the team.
“Told (Venable) in one of the first meetings I had with him, you could tell me an hour before the game I’m starting and I’ll be ready to do it,” Murphy said Saturday. “Whatever it needs to be, whether it’s throw me down in the bullpen, go two innings, one-third, go one inning, start the next day. I don’t care. I just want to get outs in the big leagues.”
Murphy went 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 23 relief appearances over three stints with the Red Sox in 2025. He had 30 strikeouts and 20 walks in 34 2/3 innings as he returned from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him in 2024.
“I need to get back to what I did well in ’23 and the beginning of ’24, which is, hey, suffocate the zone,” Murphy told the Tribune on Feb. 14. “Do what I need to do. Throughout the offseason, that was the focus as well. Strike one, strike two, put him away.”
Murphy knows he has to eliminate the walks.
“I know I gave it some grace that command is the last thing to come back from Tommy John (surgery),” he told the Tribune. “The fact that I still competed and got outs while I didn’t have my best (stuff) every single time I went out, that tells me everything I need to know about who I am as a pitcher.”
Murphy had strong command on Saturday against the Athletics, saying he was 8 for 10 on first-pitch strikes. He allowed one run on three hits with one strikeout and one walk in two innings.
What we’re reading today
Quotable
“I’m still trying to figure out how to put a bench together that will satisfy Bruce Levine. That’s something I haven’t accomplished yet.” — Cubs manager Craig Counsell answering another question about the bench from the veteran WSCR-AM 670 reporter