Cubs' Jonathon Long withdraws from Team Chinese Taipei's WBC roster due to elbow injury

TEMPE, Ariz. — In the end, Cubs first baseman Jonathon Long couldn’t find a way to make hopping on an international flight with a still-sore elbow make sense. So instead of traveling to Tokyo this week to join Team Chinese Taipei for the World Baseball Classic, he withdrew from the tournament.

“You’ve got to look at it like, what’s the best long-term solution?” Long said Thursday. “Obviously, in the short term, I want to go. But we’re more inclined to push through something that we shouldn’t push through with such a strict timeline.”

Long had been taking swings this week, testing his sprained left elbow to see if he could recover quickly enough to follow through on his WBC commitment. But on Thursday, the Cubs had Long pull back on activity to give him time to recover.

“He has been a little sore swinging, so that’s why we’re backing off,” manager Craig Counsell said.

Long said that the first night after hyperextending his elbow in an in-game collision Saturday, the joint swelled up so much he barely could move it. But the swelling has dissipated in the days since, improving his range of motion.

“It’s just getting to a spot where I can extend it fully and not have pain in it, as well as get the full range of motion this way,” Long said, flexing his arm. “So that’s what we’re working on right now.”

Long dismissed the impact of the evolving bench battle on his decision.

“I didn’t want to go there not knowing if I could hit or not,” he reiterated. “Then I’d waste 16 hours on a flight, plus everyone else’s time, plus my time. So I just wanted to make sure I was going to be fully healthy.”

Regardless, backup first baseman Tyler Austin’s knee operation Tuesday cleared a path for Long to compete for a roster spot.

First baseman Michael Busch is lined up for an every-day role. But as the roster stands, whether Long begins the season on the major-league team or in Triple-A, he’s the top backup option. Austin is expected to be out for months, according to Counsell.

“Obviously, there’s exterior decisions that I can’t make,” Long said. “So I’m going to focus on what I can control and try to have the best camp I can have.”

‘Happiest moment of the game’

Counsell said Thursday morning that his “happiest moment of the game” from the day before was a misplay by Matt Shaw in right field.

“It’s kind of the NFL coach harping on ball security,” Counsell said. “Sometimes you don’t think ball security in the outfield is that big a deal. And that tells you right there, it’s a big deal.”

Counsell has been consistent in saying that spring training mistakes are the best teachers as Shaw transitions to a super-utility role and gets used to the outfield.

Shaw also had a productive mid-game conversation with center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong on a dropped fly ball. It usually would be a routine play for Crow-Armstrong, but he was battling the sun, and the ball bounced off Shaw’s glove.

“That’s exactly the kind of stuff you want to have happen,” Counsell said.

Boyd is Team USA-bound

Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd threw three perfect innings Thursday against the Angels in his last start before joining Team USA for the WBC. He said he’s scheduled to pitch in Team USA’s exhibition game Tuesday against the Giants.

Angels 5, Cubs 4

After Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd tossed three perfect innings and struck out three in his final start before the World Baseball Classic, he was asked if he could have thrown any better. “I could have landed a few curveballs a little better,” Boyd said. “But went out there, we attacked the zone, changed speeds. And it was fun.”

• Right-hander Jaxon Wiggins, the Cubs’ top pitching prospect, allowed five runs in 1⅓ innings. He was credited with the loss and a blown save.

• On deck: Guardians at Cubs, 2:05 p.m. Friday, Mesa, TBD vs. Edward Cabrera.