After the Covid 19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 Minor League season, Kohl Franklin was chomping at the bit to get back to baseball in 2021.

The Chicago Cubs announced minor league coaching staffs for the 2022 season, and Lance Rymel will be the manager of the South Bend Cubs in 2022. Michael Ryan, the manager in South Bend in 2021 has been promoted to the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. Lance Rymel spent the 2021 season as manager of the Rookie League Mesa Cubs. Rymel was drafted by the Cubs as a catcher in 2012 and spent three seasons playing in the organization.

CHICAGO (AP) — Pinch-hitter Javier Báez hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. Anthony Rizzo homered in his second straight game for the Cubs, who opened what could be the final homestand for some of their stars. Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Craig Kimbrel and/or Báez could be on the move by Friday’s trade deadline.

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have been a bad baseball team for a big chunk of this season and own the worst record in the majors to prove it. The only exception — at least in recent weeks — is when Merrill Kelly takes the mound. Kelly threw eight efficient innings, Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided a three-game sweep with a 6-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

The first South Bend Cubs home game in nearly 600 days is now in the books. Fans who drove anywhere from a few minutes to more than an hour were excited to have live baseball back after last year’s season was skipped. WSBT 22’s Selina Guevara joined the fans at Four Winds Field. Watch her report in the video above.

You can't go to a South Bend Cubs baseball game and not notice Mark McGill. "I'm the on-field emcee for the South Bend Cubs," McGill says. "I play all the games with the fans in the stands. " And he plays them well. For nine seasons, McGill has welcomed fans to Four Winds Field for a fun night at the ballpark. However, McGill will miss opening day Tuesday in downtown South Bend. Why? He's being called up to the big leagues. "Its the top of the mountain. It's the show! "

It was breezy and chilly — but not nearly cold enough to contain Ke’Bryan Hayes. The rookie slugger hit a two-run homer and Pittsburgh’s relievers dominated in a two-hitter, helping the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3 Thursday on opening day. The gametime temperature at Wrigley Field was 36 degrees, and the flags at the iconic ballpark rippled in the breeze for much of the sunny afternoon.

For the first time in nearly 18 months, professional baseball returns to Michiana as the Chicago Cubs Alternate Site team will host two exhibition games with fans in attendance at Four Winds Field. Tickets for these games go on-sale to the general public at 12:00 p. m. on Friday, April 2 and will only be available for purchase online. The Cubs will host their alternate site counterparts from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, April 10 and the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, April 17.