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"publishedAt": "2026-02-19T02:36:04.790Z",
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"textContent": "<p>MESA, Ariz. — <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" >Cubs</a> outfielder Kevin Alcántara finally <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2025/10/16/cubs-kevin-alcantara-undergoes-sports-hernia-surgery\" >underwent surgery in October </a>to address a sports hernia that he said Wednesday had been affecting him since last February.</p><p>“Tough recovery,” he said Wednesday. “But I’m feeling so good right now. I’m continuing to build up for the first game. … I'm feeling strong right now, but I need to continue working on that.”</p><p>Alcántara is competing for the fourth outfielder spot this spring, with Justin Dean and non-roster invitees Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick also vying to make the Opening Day roster.</p><p>“I'm here for the team,” Alcántara said he told manager Craig Counsell. “Whatever opportunity you bring me, I want to … do my best. I feel so happy with that.”</p><p>Alcántara was on the cusp of making the Tokyo Series roster last year,<a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2025/03/11/cubs-set-tokyo-series-travel-roster-matt-shaw-expected-to-debut-in-japan\" > left off in favor of third baseman Matt Shaw</a>. This year, Alcántara has the advantage of being pain-free, and having last year to point to as proof of concept.</p><p>“Kevin did a heck of a job last September,” Counsell said this week. “There was not a lot of playing time, it was super sporadic. I thought his preparation was great. In the clubhouse, he was great. When he got chances, executed what we wanted him to do. And I thought that was really important. And he had success. It was a successful month.”</p><p>Alcántara didn’t get many chances. In his 10 appearances, he only had 11 at-bats. But he recorded four hits, an RBI and a stolen base. Then when it was time for the Cubs to select their playoff roster, they included him for both rounds.</p><p>“That tells you what happened that last month,” Counsell said. “And now it's just, you’ve got to continue to get better.</p><p>“The issue is, when you put a good team together, it gets harder to make that team. It gets harder to find at-bats, find plate appearances. He's young. When the runway for opportunity comes, that's not quite clear yet. But I also think Kevin showed that he could, in a part time role, be a contributor. And certainly take note of that.”</p><p>Last year in Triple-A, Alcántara had a streaky season. He finished with just a .266 batting average, while hitting a career-high 17 home runs.</p><p>He did so while playing through pain.</p><p>\"It's a nagging injury that you can play with but just is uncomfortable,” Counsell said. “... It doesn't take you off the field, but from a running perspective, explosiveness perspective, from a ‘how many swings do I have in me today’ preparation perspective, all those things, that's very real.”</p><p>Alcántara is looking forward to showing what he can do without those limitations.</p><p>“I hope I’m healthy every year,” he said, “and continue to play a lot of games and help the team.”</p><h3><b>Notes</b></h3><p>• The Cubs announced their minor-league coaching staff Wednesday. Changes include new managers for High-A South Bend and the Arizona Complex League. In South Bend, Daniel Wasinger was promoted from bench coach. And former major-league infielder Dixon Machado, who also spent stints in the Cubs’ farm system, will be at the helm in the ACL.</p><p>• Counsell announced Wednesday that right-hander Jameson Taillon is set to start the Cubs’ Cactus League opener Friday against the White Sox at Sloan Park. Left-hander Matthew Boyd is penciled in for Saturday’s home game against the Rangers.</p><p></p><p></p><bsp-listcarousel class=\"PageListE\" data-module data-column-count=3 data-hide-authors=\"true\" data-hide-categories=\"true\" data-hide-dates=\"true\" data-hide-descriptions=\"true\" data-show-loadmore=\"true\" ><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"list-c90005\" name=\"list-c90005\"></a><div class=\"PageList-header\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title-wrap\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" target=\"{borderColor=#dfdfdf, pageNumber=1, titleUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs, inverseColors=false, footerBgColor=#000000, title=Latest on the Cubs, bodyFont=font-3, showListNumbers=false, imagePositionHorizontal=null, rteBodyFont=font-3, headerBottomBorderColor=#111010, subTitle=null, stickyHeader=true, listTitleColor=#000000, tableCellBorderColor=#ccd1d5, relatedListFont=font-1, hideAuthors=true, tertiaryTextColor=#6c6c6c, buttonHoverTextColor=#ffffff, tableFont=font-1, count=13708, carouselAutoPlay=false, promoTitleFont=font-2, ctaButtonText=[], pullQuoteIcon=[{image=null, narrowImage=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=null}], primaryTextColor=#2a2a2a, buttonTextColor=#ffffff, linkTextColor=#1a1a1a, hideTitles=false, footerLinkColor=#ffffff, items=[{type=Image, anchorId=promo-a20000, authors=[{authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/maddie-lee, jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Cubs reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, bio=[], media=[], name=[{items=[Maddie Lee]}]}], categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs, title=MLB Players Association bracing for lockout before 2027 season: 'All but guaranteed', _styledTemplate=null, imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, wordCount=653, publishDate=February 18, 2026 07:23 PM, description=[{items=[MLBPA leadership visited Cubs camp on Wednesday.]}], target=null, primaryMediaType=null, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/02/18/mlb-players-association-bracing-for-lockout-before-2027-season-all-but-guaranteed-bruce-meyer-executive-director, category=[{items=[Cubs]}], ampLink=null, audio=[], media=[{image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/c3/5a/7e37377944c580e190c2e8ea401e/union-shakeup-baseball.jpg, width=5760, height=3840}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/c3/5a/7e37377944c580e190c2e8ea401e/union-shakeup-baseball.jpg, width=5760, height=3840}, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=Bruce Meyer}], audioDuration=null, timestamp=1771464180000, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs}, {media=[{narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/fc/34/bb0b180b48c99d36df69c9d02760/ap21336638856377.jpg, width=5670, height=3780}, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/fc/34/bb0b180b48c99d36df69c9d02760/ap21336638856377.jpg, width=5670, height=3780}, alt=Bruce Meyer}], type=Image, title=MLBPA names Bruce Meyer interim executive director, publishDate=February 18, 2026 07:10 PM, wordCount=257, _styledTemplate=null, category=[{items=[MLB]}], description=[{items=[The decisions by the Major League Baseball Players Association executive board during an online meeting was a move for continuity ahead of the likely start in April of what figures to be contentious collective bargaining.]}], imageAlignment=null, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/mlb, isFeatured=false, timestamp=1771463423000, anchorId=promo-a30000, target=null, primaryMediaType=null, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/mlb/2026/02/18/mlbpa-names-bruce-meyer-interim-executive-director, ampLink=null, audio=[], audioDuration=null, authors=[{authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/associated-press, bio=[{items=[The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. 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He leaves Monday to join his national team.]}], audio=[], url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/02/17/could-cubs-seiya-suzuki-carry-postseason-momentum-through-wbc-for-a-hot-start-to-2026, audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs}], pageCount=4570, carouselSpeed=null, buttonHoverBgColor=#a91d23, rteHeadingFont=font-1, secondaryColor=#656565, hideCategories=true, _template=/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs, font3=Arial, font4=Source-serif-4, ctaUrl=null, hideImage=false, footerLinkHoverColor=#d3242c, _styledTemplate=/page/list/PageListE.hbs, hideAudioPlayback=false, description=[], listColumns234=null, pagination=[{body=[Next Page], href=?p=2, _template=/link/Link.hbs, contentId=null, pianoSectionSlug=null, target=null}], showSecondItemMedia=false, footerTextColor=#ffffff, hideDescriptions=true, headerSecondaryBgColor=#000000, primaryTextColorInverse=#ffffff, titleColor=null, ampLink=null, listHeaderPosition=null, showActionBar=true, linkHoverColor=#d3242c, buttonBgColor=#d3242c, ctaTarget=null, suppressPagination=false, promoButtonText=null, backgroundColor=null, headerSecondaryTextColor=#ffffff, anchorId=list-c90005, listTitleFont=font-2, headlineFont=font-1, promoDescriptionFont=font-3, primaryColor=#d3242c, slimFooter=false, hideHeadline=false, hideDates=true, headerBorderColor=#e9e9e9, ratingCardFont=font-1, titleTarget=null, tableCaptionColor=#626262, mobileCarousel=false, tableEvenRowsBgColor=#f9f8f3, containerTitleFont=font-2, listBorderColor=#dfdfdf, defaultArticleLeadStyle=standard, _parentFiles=[/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs]}\">Latest on the Cubs</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListE-items\"> <div class=\"PageListE-items-item\"> <div class=\"PagePromoB\"data-align-top> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"MLB Players Association bracing for lockout before 2027 season: 'All but guaranteed'\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/02/18/mlb-players-association-bracing-for-lockout-before-2027-season-all-but-guaranteed-bruce-meyer-executive-director\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/833ebec/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5737x3840+0+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc3%2F5a%2F7e37377944c580e190c2e8ea401e%2Funion-shakeup-baseball.jpg\"/> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/832ed99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5737x3840+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc3%2F5a%2F7e37377944c580e190c2e8ea401e%2Funion-shakeup-baseball.jpg\"/> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Bruce Meyer\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/832ed99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5737x3840+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc3%2F5a%2F7e37377944c580e190c2e8ea401e%2Funion-shakeup-baseball.jpg\"> </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs\" >Cubs</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/02/18/mlb-players-association-bracing-for-lockout-before-2027-season-all-but-guaranteed-bruce-meyer-executive-director\" >MLB Players Association bracing for lockout before 2027 season: 'All but guaranteed'</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">MLBPA leadership visited Cubs camp on Wednesday.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1771464180000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/maddie-lee\" >Maddie Lee </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"653\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListE-items-item\"> <div class=\"PagePromoB\"data-align-top> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"MLBPA names Bruce Meyer interim executive director\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/mlb/2026/02/18/mlbpa-names-bruce-meyer-interim-executive-director\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/66c6910/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5647x3780+23+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffc%2F34%2Fbb0b180b48c99d36df69c9d02760%2Fap21336638856377.jpg\"/> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ad3ea7b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5647x3780+23+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffc%2F34%2Fbb0b180b48c99d36df69c9d02760%2Fap21336638856377.jpg\"/> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"Bruce Meyer\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ad3ea7b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5647x3780+23+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffc%2F34%2Fbb0b180b48c99d36df69c9d02760%2Fap21336638856377.jpg\"> </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/mlb\" >MLB</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/mlb/2026/02/18/mlbpa-names-bruce-meyer-interim-executive-director\" >MLBPA names Bruce Meyer interim executive director</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">The decisions by the Major League Baseball Players Association executive board during an online meeting was a move for continuity ahead of the likely start in April of what figures to be contentious collective bargaining.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> 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"title": "Cubs' Kevin Alcántara is competing for an Opening Day roster spot, finally pain-free after offseason surgery",
"updatedAt": "2026-02-19T02:45:14.359Z"
}