TODAY: With an MRI revealing a moderate hamstring strain, Strop won’t return in the regular season, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat was among those to report on Twitter. His postseason availability remains to be seen.
YESTERDAY: Cubs reliever Pedro Strop pulled up lame after grounding into a double play late in tonight’s contest. He says he expects to miss at least a couple of weeks, as Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune tweets, further depleting the late-inning ranks of the Chicago pen at a critical juncture.
Strop was only up to the plate because the heavily worked relief unit was left without other desirable options. Despite a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity, the Cubs sent the veteran hurler up in anticipation of asking him to throw a second inning to lock up a win.
As it turned out, the club won, but Strop was unable to make it back onto the hill. He and skipper Joe Maddon confirmed after the game that it’s a hamstring issue. Understandably, full details of the injury remain unknown at this time.
In large part, Strop’s recovery timeline will simply depend upon how quickly he responds. Perhaps, though, we can expect further indication as to expectations once he’s examined fully in the coming days.
The news leaves the Cubs without their first and second choices in the closer’s role. Top reliever Brandon Morrow is already on the shelf and facing an uncertain path back to the MLB roster. In his stead, Strop has increasingly operated in the ninth inning. Over twenty appearances since the return from the All-Star break, Strop has recorded 11 saves.
At this point, there’s not much to be done but to hope for the best with regard to both righties. Significant outside acquisitions, after all, aren’t a realistic possibility. (Though trades are still possible, through the revocable waiver process, any players changing hands at this juncture are not eligible to participate in the postseason.)
As with Morrow, the 33-year-old Strop is a key piece even before factoring in any added value in a closing capacity. Through 58 frames this year, Strop owns a 2.33 ERA — his fifth-straight season of sub-3.00 ERA pitching in Chicago. After all, going to the next man up still means reducing the quality of the options in the earlier innings, which could lead to increased demands on what’s already a less-than-dominant rotation.
Even if Strop is able to recover by the start of the postseason, any intervening absence will certainly impact the club’s efforts to hold off the Brewers and Cardinals in the division. That makes for an increased challenge for Maddon and his charges, though it might also lead to an even more interesting race for fans of these three teams.
This was Madden over managing again….
And the Raiders suffer 30 years later……please, if you are going to criticize at least get the guy from the right sport. Please,,,,,
Maddon Maddon Maddon. Jeez his name is right here in the article
lmao at panicking Cubs fans. Truth is always the enemy when you’re heavy on the koolaid.
Most teams fans that are in pennant races panic. You probably aren’t familiar with pennant races though
Really man? I don’t even know what to say to a White Sox fan trolling a Cubs team on its way to the playoffs for the 4th straight year with a World Series Title to boot.
Hope Kopech’s career isn’t over? Enjoy the last days of your horrible homer announcer? Good luck on staying under 100 losses?
Nah that’s not even enjoyable to pick on such an irrelevant team.
That’s the key word——irrelevant.
On the koolaid? Who is panicking. Cubs are best team in the league with a deep roster. That is what its for. It seems that ChiSoxCity you seem to be panicking that the Cubs whom you hate are in first place with the best record in the league.
Meanwhile on the southside …. oh I get it now….I just checked your teams record. Ouch!
White Sox….White Sox….Hmmm, weren’t they a team 15,20 years ago??? Play in AA now don’t they?
awwww. 108 year curse broke and we act now like the yankees and their history…how cute.
If what you did 15 years ago is still impressing you, you haven’t done much since then , have you….
A West Indiana White Sox troll? Seriously? Hahahaha, it’s funny that your handle is “ChiSoxCity” considering the Chi has been a CUBS city for as long as anyone alive can remember. The Sux have always been irrelevant, which is probably why you have to pounce on a CUBS post.
BTW, many have tried to do what the Cubs/Astros have done, yet very few have pulled it off. “Prospects” are just that until an organization can prove they can develop them into actual ML players. This is the same organization that thought they were contenders and “all in” when they acquired vets like Dunn, LaRoche (and his son haha) Shields, etc…. only to end up with a worse record than teams actively tanking.
Now, the SUX are still one of the worst teams in baseball with a system full of lottery tickets. How’s Kopech? Haha… Meanwhile, the Cubs PROVEN young core hasn’t even peaked yet while going to 3 straight NLCS, a ring already in the bank and currently hold the best record in the NL.
So you think you’re miserable now? Stay tuned, the Cubs window is wide open for years to come. They have plenty of time to keep you obsessing. Perhaps try trolling the Tigers board… maybe the Marlins… might be a lil more your speed.
You do realize in the last 100 years the White Sox have won exactly ONE World Series also, don’t you?
It’s sad really, the Sux are the only team in baseball that plays in a major market that has to operate like a small market team. Their owner is notoriously cheap to begin with, but when you factor in pathetic attendance, ratings and merchandising… he really has no choice but to operate like a small market club. If they weren’t so irrelevant, it would be sad. The fact is, no one nationally even acknowledges that team, ESPN in particular keeps forgetting they exist. Sadly, even in Chicago, it’s not much different. I guess I can see why they’re so bitter, so obsessive over the Cubs.
go south of madison but north of I80 and its white sox country.
cubs went to the playoffs how many times 1949-1983?
if cubs have such a deep roster, strops not batting.
Stop it your not a true Chicagoen we cheer for Cubs ,White Sox Bears & Bulls this is are City
Not much pitching-wise for the Cubs though
Just how irrelevant? The Sux have to troll because Trade Rumors never even has an article about their team! So they either troll another team or go back to rewinding the vcr to watch Hawk drool.
Go Brew Crew!!!!
Same number of titles that your squad has this century.
LMAO!!!
I LOVE how you so arbitrarily randomly picked 1949-1983. Shocking coincidence the Sox went to the playoffs that year! If you expand that to 1945-1984 then both teams have 2 appearances. In your window yes wow the Sox are so much more impressive.
Have the White Sox even won a playoff series since their WS title? No they have 1 win and 3 losses in 1 little series. Now that is cute. Cubs haven’t not won at least 1 series since 2014.
The South Side still has a Major League Baseball team? Who woulda thought? That’s how much I pay attention to that “other” team on the South Side.
Unlike all 25 of their fans that are obsessed with the Cubs and would rather see the Cubs lose than their own team win.
On a side note, maybe they should rename them the “Bridgeport Canaryville Hillbillies.” It might bring them better luck. Would definitely be more accurate, as well.
Ortsacnilrats did you mean Joe Maddon?
Yes. Apparently a one letter typo sets the world afire these days.
No, a one letter “typo” changes it from a baseball manager to a football coach and the “e” and the “o” are nowhere near each other on the keyboard. I will accept your autocorrect line, though.
Good thing we’re on a baseball forum commenting on an article about the team Joe Maddon coaches. Only a complete moron would think he was talking about John Madden. But hey, why not jump down his throat for making a mistake? Stay classy.
Yep! You let LaStella hit. Or tell Strop to take every pitch. But he’d already thrown 18 pitches and 1.2 innings. Absolutely terrible move. Maddon has a very small circle of trust in late season. The World Series run he only trusted Monty, CJ JR, and Chapman.
Yikes. Autocorrect on my phone changes Maddon to Madden. Y’all need to take a chill pill on spelling errors. My point still stands and I couldn’t agree more with CubsRebs.
Yeah, seriously. You guys look silly making a bid deal over spelling errors. Like everyone on here is a wannabe editor. It doesn’t effect the news and/or content of the story, chill.
Bryzzo, I think you meant to type “big deal” not “bid deal”… can’t you type or spell?!?!
Maybe he has a speech impediment
Then learn how to proofread.
…Or run hard to first all the way!
Stop crying and saying Maddon only put Randy Rosario in position to win not ! he got talent so do Edwards you must make them believe tell like Strop last year got skills use them !
Yea. That “John Madden” is a real idiot. /s. I swear, like 90% of the morons that criticize Joe MADDON, can’t even spell his f u c k ing name right. Coincidence? I think not.
joKe MADDON
is that steve madden’s brother
All I said was that he over managed again. Didn’t call him an idiot or anything close to. Is it not okay to criticize questionable managerial decisions these days?
Joe has made a lot of dumb moves in his tenure as Cubs manager to try to “switch things up”, but this might’ve been one of his worst decisions.
Yet he has the only Cubs World Series trophy in the last 110 years……… sucks he beat my Indians
Not to even mention, he just tallied the most managerial wins in the first 4 years of tenure as a Cubs manager.
I think that says a heck of a lot more about how awful the last 110 years have been rather than how good Joe has been.
I think not. So there’s that.
Also, in his first 4 years of coaching, he has gone to the playoffs every single year, and has a World Series Championship, and an NLCS Championship. I’d love to see the counter-argument to this. This is why I tune out guys like Priggs. You’re a joke, buddy. Lol.
He wasn’t trying to switch things up. He was trying to keep Strop on the mound in the 10th.
There was no reason to keep him on the mound in the 10th. He had already pitched 2 innings and he had a guy up in the bullpen.
There were other guys in the bullpen, but you could tell when he went to his closer with one out in the 8th in what at the time was a tie game, that strop was the last guy out there that he actually trusted.
@Rythestunner
Do you know anything about baseball? I bet you never said a word until after the injury.
Its called trying to win the game. A BIG game. You see Cubs took the lead. 3 outs to go. Your closer is in the game. You send him back out with the lead to finish the game.
No dude he is not “switching things up” what the heck are you babbling about? What was he “switching up”
You try to win the games by scoring runs. You have an effective reliever up in the bullpen who can close out the game. You have the bases loaded with one out and you JUST took a one-run lead. So you stop trying to score runs by bringing in your relief pitcher to try to drive in more?
Get the f*** out of here with your idiocy.
Rosario, the “effective” reliever in the bullpen was bombed for 4 runs last time out and he’s been erratic as heck the past several times out.
@Ryethestunner
Boy your ignorance shows. You also WIN games by having the lead and closing it out so you are wrong!
Instead of being able to support your position you take to losing your cool and calling me names. You have no class
Well stop making arguments you cannot support and I will stop exposing you for your ignorance of the game of baseball. Actualy your ignorance is exposed by your clueless comments
Boy sorry you cannot take me on in an argument but bad news for you I am going nowhere. What are you gonna do about that tough guy?
You’re wrong
strop is a has been closer.cubs got morrow, before it was wade davis.
“You see Cubs took the lead. 3 outs to go. Your closer is in the game. You send him back out with the lead to finish the game.”
I would love to know how many “closers” have completed 8-out saves this year. I’m sure that list is very small.
It wouldn’t have been a save—-it was a win.
This move is right up there with allowing Canseco to pitch. Very poor decision
Is there even an excuse to send any pitcher up in that situation?
The answer is no. Zero. You as a brewer fan has every right to rip on him for this. Such a stupid move.
Why does he have a right “as a brewer fan” to rip it? Would only Cub fans be allowed to chime in.
As for your “no. Zero” comment I disagree completely.
My point being Brewers fans rip on the Cubs for nearly everything, and a lot of times it is unwarranted, but in this scenario brewcrew was correct. As far as disagreeing with my comment, if you really want him back out there for the last inning send him up there and tell him not to swing. Or pinch hit with La Stella and try to blow the doors open so it matters less about who is pitching the bottom of the 10th.
None whatsoever, especially when a) he’s already pitched 2 innings and there’s someone up in the bullpen to close the 10th, b) the bases are loaded with one out in extra innings and you only have a one-run lead.
Someone up… you mean the unproven rookie who spent half the year in the minors? Yea. That’s the guy you want on the hill with no safety net and a 1-run lead.
I would have rather have him than Strop in his 3rd inning of work.
He spent half the year in the minors because he was unfortunately the odd man out among a lot of veterans with no options left. Rosario has pitched excellently in his time in the majors.
That “unproven rookie” had to come in for the save anyway and threw a quick 1-2-3 inning.
Not necessarily a fan of the decision, but Rosario gave up 4 runs in his last game.
it will all work out, now that rookie will be pitching instead of strop..for next few weeks
He had pitched 1.1 innings, not 2
He pitched 1.2. In effect, that’s 2 innings in my book, especially considering it’s three separate instances of having to sit down and rest and then get back up and pitch.
It’s September. You don’t have to have the pitcher hit in extra innings.
I think Joe Maddon does some pretty unique and innovative things that make baseball interesting and fun to watch, but he also has a tendency to go way too far in being cutting-edge.
Jeez. I didn’t see the game, why the hell was he batting?
Because Montgomery went 4 innings, their best reliever is on the DL, and Maddon didn’t want Rosario pitching the 10th.
I guess question #2 then becomes – Why did Montgomery only go 4 innings for a team with a dead bullpen? Maybe it would’ve been better to let him throw more than 62 pitches rather than letting 7 relievers eat 5 innings…
He was batting because the Cubs now had the lead with 3 outs to go so you do not take out your closer to try to add on. You try to get the win
Does he really not trust anybody else in the bullpen then?
Nobody can justify this. It can’t be done. Mike127 good attempt but still not good enough.
First off he would not have been going into his 2nd inning but his 3rd inning.
Second off this was absolute must win game. Yes he is the Closer and the best active reliever, however they were only up by 1 with bases loaded and 1 out. I don’t know what the percentages are but I’d guess around 40% of the time you score a run with bases loaded and one out. So if you take out Strop for a pinch hitter, yeah you have to bring in a lesser pitcher but odds are you have more than a 1 run lead. I think you have to go for the offense there.
Third, I don’t know but as I watched the at bat unfold I was yelling at my TV that this was the stupidest thing I had ever seen and lo and behold it was worse of an outcome than I possibly could have imagined.
Just DUMB!
I didn’t say I agreed with it, and I didn’t even say I would justify it. The statement was was there an excuse for it. Sure there was an excuse. Maybe a bad one, but there was an excuse. Like I said, Justin Wilson, your table is ready…….. Five weeks ago Strop was not Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, or Edwin Diaz. Tonight it seems like he is all of those rolled into one. The Astros won the World Series last year without a closer…….
The only options left are Chavez or Cishek.
And Wilson, plus Morrow returns next week. They’ll be fine, especially if CJ gets back to normal.
I have always said on here, on Twitter and any other blog, Maddon is a egomaniac joke. The Cubs won the WS in spite of him and they will never win another with him
C’mon man, easy on Joe. He invented the game for crissakes.
Strop just has a little plantar fasciitis. That’s what I heard.
If strop didn’t get hurt and closed out the game none of you would be complaining right now.
Strop should not have even had the option to close out the game. He had already pitched 2 innings. He’s not Josh Hader and he’s not a long reliever.
You can’t hear me at home, but I complain every time strope enters a game that is not “strope proffed” +5 run lead.
wat
This x 1,000. Hindsight is 20/20. Foresight is blind as a bat with Cataracts.
This is really the nail in the coffin here for the Cubs this year. The offense is almost nonexistent lately and they are barely holding on to the lead. If they limp into the one game playoff they either face the Cards or the Dodgers. Without a bullpen and especially a closer it’s not happening this year. Wilson Cishek and Chavez are the only options until Morrow comes back, and even then what will they get from Morrow?
I’m not even gonna read the comments no sense losing brain cells. Here’s an idea how about pitchers run some sprints everyday. That way when they run 90 feet they won’t get hurt and people won’t have to out themselves as absolute buffoons saying stuff like get the DH in the NL
I was watching this game and it really was one of the worst managerial decisions ive ever seen whether he got hurt or not. What bugs me is there are so many who will stick up for it because it was joe maddon. Anyone viewing it objectively should see that even if u think for some reason its not dumb for him to hit Strop there, after weighing that he had already pitched in 2 innings I just dont see who wouldnt agree it was a dumb move. Hes a good manager because of his clubhouse management but strategically he is terrible. Its weird to say because everyone thinks hes some genius. His skill is as a leader.
The whole deal is a no-win situation for Maddon. We saw how his decision turned out, but if he uses LaStella there and the guy brought in to close out the 10th blows it, then this whole stream of comments are what an idiot Joe is for burning his last reliable RP.
But he did bring in someone other than Strop and he didn’t blow it. They might have scored more runs with La Stella pitch hitting. This was scared managing. He could explain a loss with Strop out there. “I used my closer”. Reminded me of Money Ball when the manager said he was going to use a lineup he could justify during future job interviews.
So what is your point catchhubguy. So he had to bring in an unproven pitcher and they still won. What does that have to do with not wanting to chance that.
LaStella may have gotten a hit or walk. Or maybe he would not have. If he did Cubs may not have needed the extra runs. They needed their closer to go back out with the lead and shut it down
You don’t routinely send your closer out for three innings to try and get a save.
I think he was only gonna pitch to Rendon then pull him.
So, I’ve read on here that Maddon was only going to let him pitch to Rendon in the bottom of the inning. So, just to understand better, Maddon was going to have him pitch to Rendon and then bring in the lefty in Rosario to face Soto who hits lefties better than righties and Zimmerman. OK–that makes sense……..actually it makes as little sense as letting him bat. Geez…
I don’t think that’s the case at all. Nobody with a brain would be questioning Maddon for not letting Strop pitch ~3 innings. If LaStella and the next batter failed to get at least 1 more run across, and the new relief pitcher lost the game for the Cubs, the question would’ve been why the heck was Montgomery only allowed to pitch 4 innings – which is also a very legitimate question. That’s the real reason the bullpen was empty. Say what you want about Maddon not “trusting” any of his guys, but the fact is he used 7 guys to get 15 outs after prematurely taking Montgomery out.
This was a terrible move & here’s why… Strop was only going to face Rendon than he would bring in the lefty to face Soto. The percentages of scoring runs with a pitcher up with the bases loaded & 1 out is low, it’s even lower with a relief pitcher.
Mr. Magoo we’re watching you!
Soto has a higher average versus lefties. Sorry Nicky, I believe Maddon had some info that you didn’t.
The problem isn’t that Strop batted — i’m ok leaving him in to protect a lead in extra innings. The problem is that, with the bases loaded and 1 out, you let him go up there with a bat to use.
Take three strikes and sit down!
The insurance run clearly isn’t important or you’d have pinch hit. Letting him swing is just asking for a double play, and if he DOES reach base, now your reliever who’s thrown 1.2 innings already has to run the bases before going out to hold an apparently-critical lead.
Interesting observation Ted
Here’s the problem I have with this thread. I challenge anyone to dig up the criticism of Maddon the other times over the last couple of years when he has let his relief pitcher bat when it was intent to let him pitch the next inning. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. I have not read a single criticism of Javy actually making a poor bunt (in the air and too hard), probably because they scored on the play. They basically have played the entire season without Darvish, a large chunk without Bryant and Morrow, don’t know if Heyward is coming back…..losing Strop is another tick on the belt but baseball history won’t dictate the 2018 world series winner on a Pedro Strop at bat in September.
Bravo Mike127!
heavy criticism on maddon during the ws when the closer was over used. blew game 7. though came back and won.
Chapman didn’t bat in that situation. The point of the thread is letting Strop bat.
I believe we won that world series in spite of the coaching.
@citizen
Maddon blew game 7 of the world series you say? I thought the Cubs won the world series?
Oh the 13 pitch at bat that lead to the homer was Maddons fault not Chapmans. Oh. Ok.
You can certainly make a VERY good argument that Chapman was overused, and that played at least some part in the at bat you’re referencing.
Absolultely you can make the point that Chapman was overused, BUT NOBODY makes the point that Andrew Miller was also overused to the same extent and NOBODY makes the point that Miller also gave up a pretty big home run in game seven also. For all the “criticism” Maddon gets, boy oh boy, the losing manager seems to get off pretty darn easy for some of the stuff he did.
Great point!
I challenge you to find a time when he allowed the relief pitcher to bat with bases loaded, less than 2 outs, and a 1 run lead after already throwing 1.2 innings. Not every situation is the same.
And you’re not going to find criticism of Baez unless you do some real deep digging. Chicago and the sports media throw a parade every time he touches a baseball.
Oh ok Priggs nice challenge. Cleveland plays in AL and Miller does not even bat. Did you not even know that?
Pitchers shouldn’t be hitting anyway but there is no excuse for this to happen in September. Maddon is an idiot. Strop should have dogged it to save himself.
Yea there goes that Joe Maddon winning games again
Montgomery needs to go back to the bullpen. Not cause he’s doing bad but they need help. Who can they get to go into the rotation to fill his spot is the problem. Alex mills is a wildcard, Jaime Garcia no thanks. Maybe try to pickup someone off waivers for the final 2 weeks knowing he will not be able to make the playoff roster?
Chatwood is good for 100 pitches and the offense knows they are expected to score when he pitches.
I don’t want to see that guy anywhere near a mound these last two weeks. They would be better off with Garcia or Mills
As bad of a move as Maddon made, it wasn’t even his worst in the last two weeks. Game against Washington last week, down 3-0 in the 3rd, he lets the (relief) pitcher bat and then immediately takes him out.
Len Kasper just cleared it up. Maddon spoke to Strop after the 9th inning & told him “if we score here, you can take the at-bat & close it out.”
Both were on-board. Sound decision given the fact that all reliable RP’s were burned & this game was crucial after losing 2/3 to Mil.
Well said pleepleus
What exactly did he clear up? Isn’t that what everyone already knew? I don’t see how that makes the decision any smarter.
Your first comment was clear and unbiased. But now, at the end of the thread, you’re letting your ‘hater’ shine.
Priggs is just a miserable troll. Pay no attention to him. If he believes anything he writes, then he knows nothing about baseball.
In most cases he’s actually pretty insightful and unbiased. There is some “hater” once in a while and that’s OK. I have a ton of Sox fan friends myself and understand that I was in their position a handful of years ago (minus the Sox being good during that period) of having a poor product to cheer for on the field. Trolls will be trolls. I think just the fact that Priggs in on a chat board while his team is so miserable will make it so much better for him when/if the Sox rebuild takes hold. Priggs, stay on board……I certainly don’t take any of your jabs personal or seriously.
So what is your point? Maddon cannot do it unless everyone does it all the time. So its a small list so what. Its an important game that is when the small list comes into play
Well Priggs let me educate you. It cleared it up as people like you take the position that Maddon should have pinch hit to try to expand the lead and the counter is you have the lead so go close it out! Your closer is on the mound with 3 outs to go. That is why he did it like it or lump it. That was the reason and explanation. So you disagree but so what. It crystal clear as to why he did it
Wow… Chicago fans are a little over sensitive about there teams.
*their