The Cubs will evaluate shortstop Javier Baez by week’s end to see when he’ll be able to start rehab activity, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets. The club has been without Baez for just about all of September because of a hairline fracture in his left thumb, and it’s likely the injury will prevent the star from suiting up again in the regular season as Chicago tries to at least earn a wild-card berth. The Baez-less Cubs have been turning to recently recalled youngster Nico Hoerner at short, and fortunately for them, he has begun his career in outstanding fashion. Thanks in part to Hoerner’s contributions, the Cubs are 6-2 dating back to his Sept. 9 debut.
More injury updates from around the National League…
- Diamondbacks right-hander Luke Weaver may be a “couple days” from returning to a major league mound, per Zach Buchanan of The Athletic. Weaver threw a successful bullpen session Tuesday as he works back from forearm and ulnar collateral ligament issues that have shelved him since late May. The offseason acquisition, who joined the D-backs via their Paul Goldschmidt trade with the Cardinals, had been amid a stellar campaign before landing on the shelf. Weaver owns a 3.03 ERA/3.11 FIP with 9.82 K/9 and 2.02 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings on the season. While Arizona’s playoff hopes have faded this year, the hope is Weaver and fellow young righty Zac Gallen will be among those to help drive the team back into contention in 2020.
- Brewers righty reliever Corey Knebel is “continuing to make progress” in his recovery from the Tommy John procedure he underwent in March, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays. Knebel expects to return to throwing from a mound when spring training rolls around, per Haudricourt. It’s all the more impressive on the Brewers’ part that they’re in the thick of the wild-card hunt without having received anything from Knebel, who was one of their best bullpen options from 2017-18.
- Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland is nearing a late-season return, according to Nick Groke of The Athletic. A strained groin has kept Freeland from taking a big league mound since Aug. 20, but he’ll be able to make two more starts (albeit at just two to three innings per appearance) this year, Groke notes. Freeland will attempt to end his surprisingly dismal season on a high note when he suits up again. One of the NL’s premier pitchers just a year ago, Freeland has been just the opposite in 2019. The 26-year-old has logged a 6.98 ERA/6.13 FIP across 99 1/3 frames, and his struggles led the Rockies to demote him to the minors earlier in the season.
Seems like a quick heal for knebel
pitching off the mound about a year after TJS is a typical time frame
Like an idiot I misread the article. I thought he was already throwing. My apologies
That’s it. You’re fired. Being wrong is 1 thing, but admitting it is unacceptable!
I believe Surer made it all the way back in 14 months.
As for Knebel, no reason to get too excited until he does throw off the mound, and see how he responds physically, then what his command and fastball look like.
Suter* flipping autocorrect
Cubs are really gonna miss Baez and Rizzo in their line up, and especially so when facing St. Louis who they play seven times starting this Thursday.
Losing Yelich hurts the Brewers, but their remaining games are all vs. losers (Padres, Pirates, Reds and Rockies). For that reason, the Brewers just might be the odds on favorites to grab that last wild -card spot.
Doubt the Mets, Phillies or D-Backs are gonna make it. All of them need to win like 10 games in a row just to get close. Ain’t gonna happen.
Shades of the ’50s when the Dodgers and Yankees meet in the WS. TV ratings will go through the roof. Not so much if it’s Milwaukee vs. Minnesota!
I know its a long shot, but Cardinals vs Yankees with a storyline of Stanton vs the team he vetoed a trade too would make for a great fall classic.
the silver lining in all this is that hoerner appears to be the real deal. he’ll go through typical ups and downs being so young, but i’d have to imagine 2B is his to start 2020 unless he looks completely lost in ST.
one less thing to worry about when constructing the roster this off season, which is nice because there is a lot of work to do. i think adding a guy like kendrick would be a nice depth option to help ease him in and a good mentor for the kid.