Chicago Cubs players have to resort to ‘pills’ as side effect of Japan trip

   

The Chicago Cubs aren’t getting much rest before they play their “domestic” opening day matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. The Cubs resumed playing a Cactus League contest on Friday, two days after the team wrapped up their two-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tokyo Dome.

With a 0-2 record in the regular season, the Cubs had five games to play in the Cactus League before their game against the Diamondbacks once they returned from Japan. Chicago’s players are juggling spring training with a roster that has been trimmed for the regular season and jet lag from the trip to Tokyo.

Chicago Cubs players dealing with side effects of the Japan trip


MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs Mar 19, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) hits an RBI double during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Per Bob Nightengale with USA Today, reliever Ryan Brasier admitted that he’s having trouble falling asleep after returning to the United States because of jet lag. Shortstop Dansby Swanson is taking “pills” to power through the effects of the trip.

“I’m just going to take some pills and keep it moving,” Swanson said. “It’s better to go ahead and get back into it rather than sit around and wait a couple of days.”

The outcome of games in the Cactus League doesn’t matter, but the Cubs have to hope they can feel back to normal before the regular season resumes on Thursday, especially after the slow start against the defending World Series champs.

A mental and physical toll early in the season


MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs Mar 18, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) (right) shakes hands with catcher Miguel Amaya (9) (left) after the top of the second inning concludes against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Manager Craig Consell acknowledged that the trip was hard on the team, especially for starting pitcher Shota Imanaga.

“Frankly, he’s a little under the weather,” Counsell said of Imanaga, who was the Cubs starting pitcher on Tuesday. “That trip was a lot for everybody, but for him in particular. So we’re just going to give him a little extra time to recover fully.”

Despite the extra toll the trip is taking on the 0-2 team both mentally and physically before the regular season ramps up this week, Counsell said the Cubs would do the trip all over again.

“Absolutely, great experience,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “I think we’d all sign up for it again. We’d have full participation in an unanimous vote.”

That might be how the Cubs feel after two games in the regular season. But if they miss the playoffs by a game or two…


MLB: Spring Training Chicago Cubs at Yomiuri Giants Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) talks to media members before the game against the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images