The Cubs will activate catcher Willson Contreras and install him in tonight’s lineup, skipper Joe Maddon (h/t Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, via Twitter). Veteran Ben Zobrist is also set to return to action for the first time since early May.
Contreras has been sidelined for about a month, leaving the team without a key regular. Jonathan Lucroy was added to partner with Victor Caratini and hold down the fort, but the club is well shy of full strength without its first-choice receiver.
The Cubs obviously feel that Contreras has recovered fully from the hamstring strain that forced him to the sideline. Otherwise, he’d presumably remain on ice. The club can ill-afford an aggravation of the malady, which might risk Contreras’s postseason availability. At the same time, he’s certainly needed to help the club as it attempts to chase down the Cardinals and hold off Wild Card contenders over the final month of the season.
Is the Cubs’ 40-man full? If so, I’m guessing Lucroy himself might be the casualty.
No, need to send anyone down or DFA anybody here. It’s September.
Caratini did a good job in Willson’s absence.
He asked about 40 man, not 25
No. It’s definitely Caratini. He’s probably going to get traded to prospect depth this offseason.
Uh no.
Uh, why do you care?
Enjoy watching the post season and trolling on cubs fans in October again chisox!
#163
At this point, 163 would be a good thing.
He should get traded. I’m not seeing the Cubs get worse for you, White Sox Fan.
Probably Barnette or Mills.
Barnette I would believe.
Contreras was on 10 day IL so no 40 man move required. It’s only the 60 day IL where the player is removed from the 40-man
After all the times I’ve seen him written about, this is the first time I’ve noticed that Contreras spells his first name with two Ls.
Old guy problems.
His Wil(l)son glove is pretty cool too.
I do my best to watch 162 a year and it took me two seasons to realize it. Thought it was a typo at first
I do like tonight’s linup. They can worry about the 25 man roster if they eek out a playoff birth.