MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian offers that the “expectation” is that Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel will be activated for Sunday’s contest with the Pirates. Signed this midseason to a 3-year/$43MM contract, Kimbrel got off to a rocky start in Chicago before a knee injury robbed him of participation in the club’s last 13 games. Through his first 14 appearances in blue pinstripes, the bearded hurler holds a 5.68 ERA across 12.2 IP. While the club is yet to announce his activation, Gordon Wittenmeyer points out that Kimbrel was on the team’s travel roster for their charter to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and is indeed expected to be activated from the injured list in time for the third edition of MLB’s Little League Classic (link).
Wittenmeyer also relays that Steve Cishek appears as though he’ll be ready to return from the IL on Tuesday after throwing another bullpen session Saturday. Both returns would be welcome news for Cubs skipper Joe Maddon, who has been tinkering with troublesome iterations of Pedro Strop, Kyle Ryan, Derek Holland, and Brandon Kintzler in late-game situations.
More news from around the senior circuit…
- Saturday saw sidelined Nationals ace Max Scherzer throwing his second simulated game of the week, and MASN’s Mark Zuckerman reports that the legendary righty is on track to return on Thursday. “He felt good,” manager Dave Martinez told Zuckerman. “He’s a little bit ornery, but that’s a good thing. Now we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.” It hardly counts as high-level baseball journalism to say that the Nationals are going to need Scherzer in peak form in coming weeks. Sitting atop the tightly packed NL Wild Card race, Washington will play 11 games before season’s end against the Brewers, Mets, Cubs, and Phillies–four teams currently chomping at their heels for the right to play in the postseason play-in game. When healthy, the 35-year-old righty has posted typically ridiculous numbers, with a 2.41 ERA, 2.09 FIP, 12.66 K/9, and 1.67 BB/9 in 134.1 innings this year.
- Though the Braves lost Ender Inciarte to injury this weekend, it’s not all doom and gloom out of the Big Peach–as noted in an article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Gabriel Burns, sturdy shortstop performer Dansby Swanson is ramping up baseball activities. The 25-year-old infielder has missed 22 games this year due to an incidental heel injury but was seen taking ground balls before Saturday’s game. Before being hurt, Swanson was putting together his most complete full-season at the plate, with 17 home runs and a 102 wRC+ in 100 games. His injury was partly responsible for the team’s signing of defensive specialist Adeiny Hechavarria, but the team would eagerly clear a place for Swanson at the team table if he were able to return by late August as currently expected. Atlanta holds a 4.5 game lead in the race for the NL East pennant.
The Big Peach? Lol. Atlanta native and have never once uttered that phrase.
You’re a peach babe! Owoooo
Same
And quite frankly it didn’t land lol
Well you’re clueless!
Isn’t there like 30 Peachtree streets or Avenues in the Greater Atlanta area?
Yes. Your point? GA is also nicknamed the peach state. “The Big Peach” is simply not a phrase you’ll hear in Atlanta. Not from locals anyway. Maybe dorky ones like Jorge78.
That was a Jeopardy clue not too long ago.
Swanson please come back! : (
Please get help!
I agree, but AA did not and now they are paying the price.
No I think he’s telling you to get mental help
Wow, you are so smart. Nothing gets by you!
I’m waiting for Auckland to be declared the Big Kiwi.
Too little too late for Kimbrel to make a difference.
The Cubbies season is over.
Fly the “L” flags proudly.
The White Sox are the ones who need some serious prayers.
White Sox going into offseason number 8 of the rebuild!
Seems like the Sox are in a permanent rebuild, always looking up at their big brother, the Cubs.
If you guys just ignore him he will go away. You are literally just feeding into him.
Take your own advice, then go away.
Looks like this guy has 3 Sox accounts chicagofan. You should know better. There’s only like 500 Sox fans left. What are the odds 3 different people are Sox fans on a message board
There are plenty of Real Sox fans on here and I’m one of them. This clown and the other one if he’s not the same guy is not one of them.
The Pirates will be playing the Nats soon. Perfect opportunity to get Max “healthy”. He can even throw left handed if he likes
has any player sat out looking for more money, signed mid-season, and excelled?
That Kimbrel signing sure was a good move.
2 months into a 3 year contract and you say that? He’s the only 9th inning option for that mess of a bullpen
Kimbrel sucks, how many saves does he need to blow before you figure it out?
Did you just start watching baseball this year?
Hader just blew another save last night does he suck too?
Hader is an overrated one trick pony. The league figured him out, he’ll be back in triple a next year tweeting homophobic rap lyrics in no time
I doubt that about Hader. He’s a stud.
Kimbrel is a hall of famer, and “that mess of a bullpen” has been injured. When everyone is back and not throwing batting practice they will dominate again.
I’m pretty sure that no one living in Georgia has ever referred to ATL as “The Big Peach,” but to each their own.
Sounds like something David lee Roth would say.
This guy gets it