The Cubs expect to welcome shortstop Dansby Swanson again from the injured record previous to Tuesday’s collection opener in opposition to the Braves, as famous by Kyle Williams of the Chicago Solar Occasions. Williams relayed that membership supervisor Craig Counsell informed reporters Saturday that Swanson is “heading in path” as he participates in baseball actions in preparation for his return.
Swanson has been on the injured record for simply over every week on account of a proper knee sprain, though he had been taking part in by way of the problem since he first suffered the harm again on April 25. Within the 13 contests he appeared in from April 25 onward earlier than hitting the shelf, Swanson slashed an anemic .159/.229/.227 on the plate whereas dedicated two errors within the area. If these struggles had been the results of the harm, the 30-year-old’s return to motion figures to supply an enormous enhance to the Cubs as evidenced by a robust 2023 marketing campaign the place he slashed a decent .244/.328/.416 (104 wRC+) whereas taking part in elite protection at shortstop.
The absence of Swanson has been exacerbated by a bout of hamstring tightness that has sidelined second baseman Nico Hoerner, who’s an above-average defensive shortstop in his personal proper and had been dealing with the place rather than Swanson previous to his personal harm. Hoerner, who has impressed with a strong .269/.361/.391 slash line (119 wRC+) so far within the 2024 marketing campaign, has not but been positioned on the injured record even though the Cubs aren’t sure when he’ll have the ability to return to motion. Counsell indicated to reporters (together with Williams) that if Hoerner isn’t able to play Sunday the membership will probably wait till Tuesday to make an IL resolution concerning Hoerner because of their time without work on Monday.
The Cubs have missed their typical double play combo dearly, as they’ve been compelled to depend on utility infielders Miles Mastrobuoni and Nick Madrigal as their fill-in choices at shortstop and second base, respectively. The duo have managed wRC+ figures of simply 35 and 62 respectively whereas providing nowhere close to the Gold Glove award-winning expertise of Swanson and Hoerner. Shortstop prospect Luis Vazquez has hit pretty properly on the Triple-A stage this season regardless of his glove-first repute and is already on the membership’s 40-man roster, making him a doable various ought to Hoerner require a visit to the shelf.
Wanting towards the pitching employees, Counsell offered excellent news to reporters Saturday as he famous that lefties Drew Smyly and Jordan Wicks each threw bullpen classes on Friday and are nearing rehab assignments. Smyly seems to be barely additional alongside between the 2, as Counsell indicated that he anticipated the lefty to start his rehab task “early subsequent week” with out figuring out a particular timeline concerning Wicks. The return of each southpaws figures to considerably bolster Chicago’s beginning pitching depth; Wicks had a 4.70 ERA and a robust 3.26 FIP in 5 begins previous to hitting the shelf with a forearm pressure, whereas Smyly started the season within the bullpen however has made no less than 22 begins for the Cubs in every of the previous two seasons.
That beginning pitching depth figures to be significantly useful to the Cubs given the deep struggles of veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks. The 34-year-old soft-tosser was lit as much as the tune of a 12.00 ERA and seven.70 FIP in 5 begins this season earlier than he was sidelined by a low again pressure in late April. He returned from the shelf final week and appeared to have doubtlessly turned a nook after throwing 5 innings of one-run ball in opposition to the Pirates, however a begin Friday in opposition to those self same Pirates proved to be disastrous as he surrendered eight runs (seven earned) on a whopping eleven hits in simply 4 2/3 innings of labor.
Requested about Hendricks’s deep struggles after Friday’s sport, Counsell made clear to reporters (together with Patrick Mooney of The Athletic) that the Cubs want extra from the right-hander going ahead.
“We definitely want higher,” Counsell mentioned of Hendricks’s efficiency this yr. “That’s not going to work. And that’s not going to be ok.”
When requested if Hendricks will stay within the rotation going ahead, Counsell famous that the membership is coping with various pitching accidents and is “going to want innings,” but additionally acknowledged that the membership might want to “see what’s occurring” concerning the veteran righty. Speculatively talking, it’s simple to think about the return of Wicks and Smyly providing the Cubs the type of wholesome pitching depth they’d want, alongside Hayden Wesneski and Ben Brown, to extra significantly contemplate shifting on from their longest-tenured participant ought to Hendricks’s outcomes not enhance.
