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Why Cubs’ Keegan Thompson made his 2023 spring training debut a week after the opener

John Antonoff / for the Sun-Times

Cubs’ Keegan Thompson threw a perfect inning in his 2023 spring training debut Saturday at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.

MESA, Ariz. – Cubs right-hander Keegan Thompson was notably absent from the first week of spring training games. But that was by design, according to pitching coach Tommy Hottovy.

Thompson made his 2023 spring training debut in the Cubs’ 2-0 win against the Angels on Saturday. He threw one inning and retired all three batters he faced: groundout, strikeout, groundout.

“The thing that stands out to me about Keegan is pitchability,” manager David Ross said.