Jason Heyward was removed from tonight’s game prior to the fifth inning due to illness, and Cubs manager David Ross told The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney (Twitter links) and other reporters that Heyward was sent to hospital for precautionary reasons. “He’s not a guy that you ever have concerns about, so when he says he is having trouble breathing and (feeling) light-headed, I just want to make sure everything’s all right,” Ross said.
It seems probable that Heyward will miss at least a game or two due to this situation even if everything checks out with doctors, though obviously the chief concern is that Heyward is healthy and well. The 31-year-old Heyward is enjoying by far the best of his five seasons in Chicago, entering tonight’s play with a superb .306/.421/.551 slash line and five home runs over 121 PA.
Some more items from around baseball…
- A rib/side injury has kept Marcus Semien out of action since August 29, though the Athletics shortstop could take batting practice on the field tomorrow, manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos and other reporters. That could be a precursor for an impending return for Semien, who can return whenever he is ready since he wasn’t placed on the injured list — the A’s had a team-wide break in the schedule due to a positive COVID-19 test. Semien is still looking to get on track this season, hitting only .229/.285/.379 over his first 151 plate appearances.
- Giants hurlers Jeff Samardzija and Drew Smyly each threw around 50 pitches in simulated game action on Saturday, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle). Smyly has been out of action since August 2 due to strained left index finger, while Samardzija hit the 10-day IL on August 8 with a shoulder impingement. It isn’t yet clear when either pitcher could return, or in what roles they could be deployed in upon their returns. Kapler’s mention of relief work as a possible route for Samardzija is notable, given that “The Shark” has worked exclusively as a starter since the start of the 2012 season.
- Justin Verlander has begun throwing off a mound, Astros GM James Click said today during a pregame interview with Astros Radio (hat tip to The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan). A forearm strain has kept Verlander sidelined for all but one start of the 2020 season, though his latest rehab update provides some hope that Verlander could potentially still return at some point in the regular season or postseason.
Nomar Mazara could take some hitting lessons from the Cubs stud RF, Jason Heyward.
That’s something I never thought I would hear anyone say
Those symptoms certainly *sound* an awful lot like covid. If so, I’d think heyward wouldn’t be spending time with much of anybody.
Could, of course, be anything else at all under the sun.
That $184MIL was well spent on Heyward… Ha!!
Handcuffed the Cubbies’ payroll for 8 years. 5 HR’s only?
Sox on the hook for only $5.5MIL for Mazara.
Took the fake bait just like a catfish. Lay off the Chicago dogs they’re clogging the arteries to your brain!
Do you ever not comment on Cubs articles?
jason heyward is a great baseball player, better than whoever the sox have roaming the outfield
Uh what? No
Shark should be a reliever. He throws hard and can help Giants better that way. Or just make him an opener, max 3 innings. And if he doesn’t like it, DFA
Early in his career they had him in the pen and profiled him as a closer which is why he had less milage on his arm by the time he hit FA, I think he ought to get used to the pen because his starting days are over, maybe he can work occasionally as a swing man but you really need to look at him as a 2-3 innings guy max
Samardzija LOL . Dude is a live DINGER Machine. He just sets it up on a Tee for hitters..
Yeah, put him in the Pen so he can serve up the home run ball late in the game. That makes a whole lotta sense
He’d the staff ace with your Yankees.
Yep…
Yankees. LOL
Only has a 1.04 HR/9 through the first two times in the order.
Say what you will about the Astro’s… but imagine having Justin Verlander available to pitch the 8th and 9th innings in a playoff series? That’s must watch baseball, even taking their past in consideration
I’d say rest him tell next year! They’re not going any where this year! Where’s the trash can when you need it?
I’d try to find a spot for Smyly in the rotation and put Samardzija on short relief work. He still has pretty good stuff, but the long ball has been his Achilles heel the past few years. Maybe limiting his innings could help.