Early Trade Deadline Re-Assessment: NL Central
It has only been four weeks, so it’s too soon to judge with finality how this year’s trade deadline maneuvers will play out. That said, we’re already half of the way through the period — the regular season portion, at least — for which rental players were acquired. Even players with future control are usually added first and foremost for their immediate contributions (though there are some exceptions). It’d be awfully premature to say anything conclusive about the prospect side of any deals, but we do now have some additional information with which to work.
So, that’s why we’re going to take a glance back over our shoulders at the moves (and major non-moves) that organizations made in the run-up to this year’s trade deadline. We already covered the AL Central; now we’ll go over to the National League’s middle division.
Cardinals
When the Cards dropped five of six games after the trade deadline, it looked as if they may be on the brink of a collapse. But the club recovered with a stirring, 19-5 run. So … what caused it? A big deadline blockbuster? Multiple, well-conceived additions? Not so much.
The only move the Cards made this summer was a roster-management swap in which they sent veteran infielder Jedd Gyorko to the Dodgers. He’s playing a limited role in L.A. and hasn’t yet done anything of note. Back in St. Louis, the Cards remain laden with position-player options. A deep September roster will help the club mix and match down the stretch, though cramming talent onto a postseason roster will be more difficult.
When the Cards held pat at the deadline, it was fair to wonder whether the team’s uncertain place in the standings was a significant factor. Now, there’s little question that the club has the inside track to a divisional appearance, if not more. It was arguable at the time that the club ought to cash in some of its many solid young assets in pursuit of a higher-end starter or center fielder. So far, the decision not to do so hasn’t hurt (far from it). We’ll see how it plays out over the final month and beyond.
Cubs
The Cubbies’ biggest mid-season acquisition came not via trade, but by way of signing. But closer Craig Kimbrel hasn’t had the biggest impact. That honor would go to outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, who burst to life after being sent to Chicago. He carries a 1.060 OPS through thirty games. The move did cost two pitchers (Paul Richan and Alex Lange) that now feature among the top thirty or so Tigers farmhands. The former has shown well since the deal, carrying a 29:2 K/BB ratio over five High-A starts.
Also more helpful to this point than Kimbrel is veteran reliever David Phelps, who has been excellent since coming over. He has allowed just two earned runs in 13 appearances. That deal could still cost in the long run. It cost the Cubbies Tom Hatch, a Double-A starter who has compiled 35 1/3 innings of 2.80 ERA pitching with an intriguing 34:2 K/BB ratio since the swap.
A low-risk shot on Derek Holland hasn’t really paid dividends, as he wasn’t terribly effective before hitting the injured list. But he could still return and provide an important pen presence late in the season. Brad Wieck, acquired when the club gave up on Carl Edwards Jr., has added a bit of lefty relief depth. Edwards was knocked around before hitting the IL, so there aren’t any regrets there.
There was also a sort of hot-stove miniseries regarding the Cubs catching situation. The team added Martin Maldonado but then sent him on to the Astros for Tony Kemp. When starter Willson Contreras went down with a significant injury, the club picked up Jonathan Lucroy. The club was simply acting on the needs it had before it, but this series of moves hasn’t really worked out. Maldonado would be preferable to Lucroy at this stage of their respective careers; Kemp has struggled badly at the plate and doesn’t seem all that necessary to a roster with a wide variety of infield/outfield-capable players.
While the Cubs are now staring at a three-game deficit in the NL Central, they’ve moved into strong Wild Card position. It’s hard to say they realistically could or should have done much more at the deadline.
Brewers
The Milwaukee org has fallen off the pace since the deadline, playing sub-.500 ball over the month of August. That drop coincided with the rise of the Redbirds … in spite of the fact that the Brew Crew front office was far more active on the trade market — and generally successful in unearthing value.
Adding Jordan Lyles, at the cost of pitching prospect Cody Ponce, has been a clear win to this point. The 28-year-old Lyles has a 2.51 ERA through six starts in Milwaukee. Ponce, a former second-round pick, could yet emerge but hasn’t done anything since the deal to suggest the Brewers made a big mistake by parting with him.
Improving the bullpen was also a key need and the Brewers accomplished that in their swap with the Giants. Lefty Drew Pomeranz has turned on the afterburners of late. Overall, he has allowed just four earned runs with a 22:7 K/BB ratio over 13 2/3 innings. Righty Ray Black has just two strikeouts in his 6 2/3 innings but has managed to keep opponents to just a pair of earned runs. It’ll be interesting to see whether former top prospect Mauricio Dubon makes the Milwaukee org pay for parting with him. He’d likely be playing a significant role there with Keston Hiura injured; instead, he’s getting a full MLB showcase with the Giants.
The Brewers’ other trade hasn’t yet added value but also hasn’t hurt much. Though Jesus Aguilar started out hot after the Brewers sent him to the Rays, he has fallen back to an unremarkable .279/.351/.412 overall slash with his new club. The hurler acquired in return, Jake Faria, has been knocked around a bit in three MLB appearances.
Reds
The Cincinnati front office turned in what was arguably the most interesting overall package of deadline moves. With only an outside chance at a postseason run this season, but a keen desire to contend as soon as possible, the focus was on the near-future.
First and foremost was the surprising move to bring in veteran righty Trevor Bauer. After picking up multiple short-term starters in the prior offseason, the Reds were in need of another reload entering 2020. In that respect, going for Bauer made for an early shopping trip. He has struggled quite a bit working to an 8.40 ERA in thirty innings, though he’s still sporting a 37:13 K/BB ratio. It just hasn’t been a great follow-up season for a pitcher who landed sixth in the Cy Young voting last year. The Reds are betting he’ll figure out how to return to dominance over the offseason.
The cost for Bauer was fairly steep. Outfielder Yasiel Puig is a pending free agent, but he could’ve been cashed in otherwise. Top prospect Taylor Trammell isn’t tearing up Double-A with the Padres organization, but remains a highly regarded player. And then there’s the other, least-known aspect of the swap. Lefty Scott Moss was pitching well before the swap but has impressed all the more since. He even overcame the treacherous International League in a late stint, allowing just four earned runs on a dozen hits with 23 strikeouts and eight walks in 18 2/3 innings.
Having picked up Bauer, the Reds proceeded to ship out pending free agent starter Tanner Roark. That helped cover the late-2019 salary of the new rotation piece and also landed the team a new prospect in recent second-round pick Jameson Hannah. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been a shining season thus far for Hannah, who struggled to a .224/.325/.299 slash in 78 plate appearances after the deal.
Otherwise, the Reds don’t regret dumping Scooter Gennett, whose feel-good tenure in Cincinnati ended in bitterness. He didn’t last long in San Francisco. The club added righty Justin Grimm for depth, but he hasn’t been called upon.
Pirates
The Pirates were within 2.5 games of the division lead as late as July 7th, but it has been an unmitigated disaster ever since. It was already clear that this wasn’t going to be the team’s year by the time the deadline hit, but that didn’t set the stage for a sell-off.
The deadline period ended up being rather quiet. After the aforementioned Lyles deal, the Pirates swapped Corey Dickerson to the Phillies for some international bonus capacity and a PTBNL. Something may ultimately come of the acquired assets — Ponce seems like a good bet to appear in the majors at some point — but it was hardly a moment of note.
It could’ve been different. The Pirates discussed Felipe Vazquez with the Dodgers and could’ve come away with some serious talent for the high-end reliever. The club also could’ve held trade talks on Starling Marte, Josh Bell, or others. But it’s also plenty understandable that the organization decided against rushing into a decision on such significant assets. The pressure of the deadline might’ve spiked Vazquez’s value, but it could also be that the Bucs can get as much or more by shopping him over the winter (if they decide to do so at all). There’s always injury risk, but he has only continued to excel. While there is an argument to be made that the organization ought to pursue a different direction after another disappointing season, the club still has every opportunity to do so after holding tight this summer.
NL Central Notes: Jeffress, Kela, Baez, Darvish, Suarez, Reds
The Brewers released Jeremy Jeffress today, but before parting ways with the former All-Star, Milwaukee tried shopping the reliever within the NL Central. The Athletic’s Robert Murray reported back in July that the Brewers and Pirates were discussing a trade that involved Keone Kela, and Murray reports today that a Jeffress-for-Kela swap was floated between the division rivals, though “talks never gained traction.”
While the Bucs were (and possibly still are) open to moving Kela in trade negotiations, the controversial right-hander isn’t necessarily a totally expendable piece for the Pirates, whereas Jeffress was clearly no longer in Milwaukee’s plans, as GM David Stearns indicated today to Murray and other reporters. While Stearns left the door open for a potential reunion with Jeffress down the road, the reliever was hampered by a lack of trust in his splitter and a loss of velocity, possibly due to a heavy workload in 2018 or a shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of Spring Training. “I think his arsenal changed this year. That’s something that’s been well documented, not only with the fastball velocity but with the loss of a pitch that had become extremely important in his repertoire,” Stearns said. “When you lose a pitch, you have to become a different pitcher and it’s certainly possible that Jeremy can become a different pitcher and be effective. We just didn’t see it consistently enough to count on him at any point this year.”
Here’s more from around the NL Central…
- The Cubs received a twin dose of injury scares on Sunday when Yu Darvish was scratched from his start due to right forearm tightness. In that same game, Javier Baez suffered a sore neck and a jammed left thumb after sliding into Orlando Arcia‘s knee during a third-inning steal of second base. Baez stayed in the game before being removed in the seventh, and while he may miss a game or two, x-rays were negative on his hand and the shortstop expects to be fine. Darvish’s injury is more ominous, particularly since the righty has been dealing with the issue for his last five outings, as pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and manager Joe Maddon told reporters (including MLB.com’s Russell Dorsey). Despite the late scratch, Maddon thinks Darvish will be ready to make his next turn in the rotation. Needless to say, the Cubs can’t afford to lose any key contributors given the tight status of both the NL Central and NL wild card races.
- Eugenio Suarez left the Reds‘ 5-3 win over the Cardinals tonight after being hit on the left hand during a fifth inning plate appearance. Suarez will be evaluated tomorrow after the swelling subsides. The third baseman has continued to be an offensive force for the Reds (.261/.342/.546 with 40 home runs in 568 plate appearances) despite a worrying spike in swing-and-miss, as Suarez has a league-high 161 strikeouts.
- The Reds‘ pitching has gone from a major weakness in 2018 to a strength in 2019, and while some new acquisitions like Sonny Gray and (the since-traded) Tanner Roark played a part in that improvement, Cincinnati’s biggest addition might have been pitching coach Derek Johnson. C. Trent Rosecrans and Eno Sarris of The Athletic (subscription required) break down how several of the Reds’ arms have changed their tactics from last season now that they’re under Johnson’s tutelage.
Cubs DFA Zagunis, Option Bote, Reinstate Zobrist
Cubs utilityman Ben Zobrist has been reinstated from the restricted list and added to the 25-man and 40-man rosters, according to a tweet from Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (link). To make room on the active 25-man roster, fellow multipurpose player David Bote has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa; outfielder Mark Zagunis has been designated for assignment to clear a space for Zobrist on the 40-man. A similar report from MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian has since been retweeted by the club itself, essentially comprising what passes for an official announcement in 2019.
Though Zobrist and Bote are certainly the most famous names involved in this transaction, the DFA of Zagunis is certainly noteworthy, as the longtime Cubs farmhand offers lots of control and a relatively accomplished minor league track record. The 26-year-old has only received 55 at-bats in the bigs since debuting in 2017, but his minor league numbers tell of a patient hitter with consistently average-or-better league-adjusted production. With Triple-A Iowa this year, Zagunis has managed a .294/.361/.475 slash in his fourth go-around at the highest level of the minors; last year, his .272/.395/.375 output in 453 Iowa ABs was even better by virtue of weighted measures (111 wRC+). It will be interesting to see if a non-contender takes a flier on him in the hopes that he proves to be a big-league late bloomer.
Zobrist has been out of action since May as he deals with the ongoing ramifications of a divorce. He wasn’t off to a particularly hot start in 2019, as his .241/.343/.253 slash was far less than fans have come to expect of the multitalented greybeard. At 38-years-old, Zobrist is playing in the last year of a four-year/$56MM deal signed with Chicago prior to 2016.
This is the second time Bote has been optioned this month. Despite a .262/.359/.435 (106 wRC+) profile this year, the 26-year-old has been nonetheless wearing one for the team in recent weeks, as the activation of Steve Cishek saw him down to Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 19, only to be recalled on Aug. 25 when Anthony Rizzo started ailing. With this option, the big league sophomore will need to remain in Triple-A for a minimum of ten days.
Cubs To Activate Ben Zobrist
The Cubs will activate veteran utilityman Ben Zobrist when active rosters expand on Sunday, Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com reports on Twitter. That’ll necessitate a 40-man roster move, as Zobrist has been on the restricted list.
Zobrist, 38, has been away from the Chicago organization since early May for personal reasons. He has slowly worked his way back into playing shape and game speed over recent weeks, playing a dozen rehab games while also spending stretches at home. It’s an unusual situation, but one that has unfolded with the blessings of the team.
When he returns, Zobrist will not only be looking to shake off the rust and re-adjust to the grind while entering a full-throated postseason race. He’ll also be looking to bounce back from a brutal stretch of play to open the season. Zobrist reached base at a .343 clip but managed only a single extra-base hit in 99 plate appearances. He hasn’t exactly shredded minor-league pitching on his rehab stint, slashing .189/.333/.405 in 45 trips to the plate.
Despite that tepid recent showing, skipper Joe Maddon says he won’t have any issue plugging Zobrist in at the top of the order. Zobrist surely won’t be thrown back into everyday duties, particularly with so many other mouths to feed in the Cubs position-player mix. But when he is written into the lineup, it makes sense that he’d be utilized at the top. Despite his recent power outage, Zobrist has walked more than he has struck out in his game action this season.
It’s unclear as yet how the Cubs will distribute playing time. David Bote just re-joined the roster. Presumably, Albert Almora and Daniel Descalso will as well in short order. Backstop Willson Contreras isn’t far behind. So long as the 40-man logistics and player expectations can be managed, that ought to leave Maddon with loads of options in any given game.
Willson Contreras To Begin Rehab Assignment
The Cubs have been without Willson Contreras for three-plus weeks after he suffered a right hamstring strain, but the star catcher is closing in on a return. Contreras will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Friday, and if all goes well in the minors, he could rejoin the Cubs within a week, manager Joe Maddon told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune and other reporters.
Contreras went down during the Cubs’ game Aug. 3, which was especially unfortunate just a few days after the July 31 trade deadline passed. With Contreras and Victor Caratini healthy at the deadline, the Cubs decided veteran Martin Maldonado was inessential, as they sent him to the Astros for utilityman Tony Kemp. Of course, the Cubs only acquired Maldonado from the Royals in mid-July because Contreras landed on the IL with a different injury – a right foot strain.
Even with the deadline out of the way and Maldonado out of the picture, Chicago was able to pull in an experienced catcher earlier this month. The team signed former standout Jonathan Lucroy on Aug. 7, which came shortly after the Angels released him. Lucroy’s multiyear decline has continued as a Cub, though he has at least given the team OK offensive production for a backup. The 33-year-old entered Thursday with a .276/.344/.345 line in 29 plate appearances since he joined the Cubs.
Unlike Lucroy, Caratini has been quite valuable this season, which has made the blow of losing Contreras easier to absorb. Caratini swatted a pair of home runs in the Cubs’ win over the Mets on Thursday, giving him nine HRs and a robust .274/.363/.480 line across 201 trips to the plate. Not only that, but Caratini has graded as one of Baseball Prospectus’ top defensive catchers this year.
When the Cubs’ top two catchers are healthy, few teams are in better shape behind the plate. Injuries aside, Contreras has enjoyed a fourth straight highly productive campaign – at least with the bat – as he has posted a .275/.365/.525 slash and 19 homers in 340 PA. The big-armed Contreras’ overall defensive numbers pale in comparison to Caratini’s, but the former is nonetheless among Chicago’s most valuable players and a key reason why it’s in playoff position at the moment.
The Cubs, who are 2 1/2 games up on a wild-card spot, will be thrilled to welcome back Contreras as they continue attempting to chase down the Cardinals for an NL Central crown. While the Redbirds are a game and a half ahead, the two teams still have to square off seven times in late September, when Contreras should again be a prominent part of the Cubs’ lineup.
MLBTR Poll: Superstars For Sale?
ESPN scribe Jeff Passan floated a very interesting tidbit in his latest column Wednesday: There’s a belief among rival executives that the Red Sox, Indians and Cubs will at least be willing to listen to trade offers for their franchise players during the upcoming winter. That means any of Boston’s Mookie Betts, Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor or Chicago’s Kris Bryant could change hands once the offseason rolls around. It’s far from a guarantee anyone from the group will wind up on the move, but the idea that they might should make hot stove season all the more interesting.
The only member of the trio with fewer than two years of team control remaining is Betts, who will enter his final season of arbitration eligibility over the winter. The 26-year-old right fielder is just a season removed from earning AL MVP honors, which helped him land a historic $20MM payday to avoid arbitration last winter. The 2019 version of Betts hasn’t been as stellar as the MVP-winning player, but that’s not a knock on his performance this season so much as a compliment to what he did a year ago, when he amassed an eyebrow-raising 10.4 fWAR. Betts is up to 4.8 in that category this year, having slashed a strong .282/.384/.494 with 21 home runs and 13 stolen bases across 622 plate appearances.
Just a year from winning their latest World Series title, why would the Red Sox possibly move Betts? They’re unlikely to make the playoffs this year, though a trip back to the postseason in 2020 hardly looks out of the question. However, Betts has indicated on multiple occasions that he’d like to test free agency after next season, when he could reel in one of the all-time richest contracts in the sport. For the Red Sox, trading Betts a year before a potential journey to the open market would help the club replenish its farm system to some degree. The Red Sox only came in 22nd place in Baseball America’s most recent talent rankings.
The Indians, on the other hand, boast the game’s 10th-best system, though they’re incapable of spending to the extent the Red Sox can. That means Lindor is quite likely to end up elsewhere in the coming years. Mr. Smile will be a free agent after 2021, but it would behoove the Indians to get something for him prior to then. In the meantime, the 25-year-old Lindor is sure to collect a notable raise over his current $10.55MM salary when he reaches arbitration for the penultimate time during the offseason. Lindor perhaps hasn’t been quite as great as he was in 2018, a career-high 7.6-fWAR campaign, but his 4.3 mark and .300/.353/.532 line with 24 homers and 19 steals through 522 PA are mighty impressive nonetheless. Needless to say, teams will line up for the elite shortstop if small-market Cleveland goes with the agonizing decision to make him available in the coming months.
And then there’s Bryant, yet another former MVP. The Boras client joins Lindor as another all-world performer who’s slated for his second-last trip through arbitration in a few months. Bryant, 27, is well on his way to another raise (he’s currently on a $12.9MM salary), having batted .282/.379/.521 and smashed 29 dingers over 552 trips to the plate. Whether the Cubs would truly consider parting with Bryant is up in the air, but they are amid their second somewhat disappointing season (albeit one that looks as if it will culminate in yet another playoff berth), and waving goodbye to the third baseman/outfielder would go a long way toward aiding them in bolstering their system. It’s definitely a below-average group, according to BA, which places it 29th in baseball.
We’re still a couple months from the offseason rearing its head, but if anyone from this trio hits the block, it should make for an incredibly interesting winter of rumors. Do you expect any of them to actually change teams after the season?
(Poll link for app users)
Will any of these three be traded in the offseason?
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Francisco Lindor 39% (3,089)
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Mookie Betts 34% (2,690)
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Kris Bryant 26% (2,080)
Total votes: 7,859
NL Central Notes: Moose, Zobrist, Estrada, Cards
The Brewers dropped a big contest but escaped an injury scare tonight, as MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy was among those to cover on Twitter. Infielder Mike Moustakas departed after being hit on the wrist while trying to make a play in the field. Fortunately, x-rays after the game were negative. Though he’s expected to take at least one day off, it seems Moustakas has avoided serious injury. That’s good news for a Milwaukee team that’s struggling to keep pace with the two leaders in the NL Central race.
About those two front-runners …
- It seems the expectation remains that the Cubs will bring Ben Zobrist onto the active roster once rosters expand on September 1st, per Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. That’s still far from official, and Sullivan notes that the team still likely wants to give the veteran more reps before activating him. It remains a mystery just how this unusual situation will play out. The 38-year-old Zobrist is a treasured presence in the dugout but wasn’t in top form before taking personal leave earlier this year. Through a dozen rehab games — spread out to enable him stretches of time to be with his children — Zobrist is hitting .189/.333/.405.
- Cubs prospect Jeremiah Estrada announced today that he underwent Tommy John surgery (h/t Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, via Twitter). The young righty had been in notable position on the Chicago prospect chart, in the evaluation of the Fangraphs prospect team. A recent over-slot sixth-rounder, Estrada missed all of 2018 and only threw 10 2/3 innings this year before going under the knife. It’s unlikely he’ll pitch competitively in the 2020 season, though there’s still plenty of time for the twenty-year-old to blossom.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch held an interesting chat with Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt Jr. that’s well worth a full read for fans of the club. Pressed on the club’s decisionmaking after three-straight seasons without a postseason appearance, DeWitt did not cede any ground. He rejected any view that the club went cheap this summer, saying the organization remains among the higher-payroll outfits in the league. As for the current front-office leadership group, DeWitt did not seem inclined at all to consider significant change in leadership. “There is always accountability,” he said. “But keep in mind, we’ve had a pretty nice run of success under the current regime with 11 consecutive winning seasons, and when we have missed the playoffs it has been by a very small number of games.” As things stand in the 2019 race, the Cards have a strong chance of breaking their string of playoff absences. But the pressure will increase significantly if that doesn’t come to pass.
NL Injury Updates: Ray, Swanson, Lopez, Jeffress, Cubs, Rockies
We’ll run through a boatload of injury updates from the Senior Circuit as Sunday’s games kick off.
- Diamondbacks southpaw Robbie Ray has been activated from the 10-day injured list, the team announced. The club optioned right-hander Joel Paymaps in a corresponding 25-man move. Ray is back after just ten days away with back spasms to make his 27th start of the season against Milwaukee on Sunday. As always, he’s combined a huge strikeout rate (31.1%) with a few too many walks and longballs to be a true ace, settling in with a solid but not elite 3.99 ERA in 2019.
- Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson completed another rehab game without issue and should be activated from the 10-day injured list tomorrow, tweets MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. The former first overall pick will be a welcome upgrade over the combination of Charlie Culberson and Adeiny Hechavarría, who make up Atlanta’s current shortstop mix. Swanson’s got a solid .265/.330/.468 slash (102 wRC+) for the NL East leaders.
- Marlins right-hander Pablo López is also slated to return to the big leagues tomorrow, tweets Venezuelan baseball writer Daniel Álvarez-Montes (later confirmed by MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro). The 23 year-old was off and running on cementing himself as a part of the Fish’s long-term rotation plans when he went down with a shoulder strain that ultimately cost him two months. On the season, López has logged 76.2 innings with a 4.23 ERA, albeit with more promising strikeout (23.3%) and walk (5.7%) rates.
- In less fortunate news, the Brewers placed right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress on the 10-day injured list today with a strained left hip. They’ve recalled fireballing 29 year-old righty Ray Black in his place. Jeffress has had a difficult second half, pitching to a 7.56 ERA in 16.2 innings since the All-Star Break. It’ll be Black’s second MLB stint in Milwaukee since they acquired him and Drew Pomeranz at the deadline for notable infield prospect Mauricio Dubón.
- The Cubs placed left-handed reliever Derek Holland on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist contusion. He sustained the injury when he was struck by a comebacker. Infielder David Bote is back from Triple-A Iowa to replace Holland on the active roster. Bote’s presence was needed to deepen the Cubs’ bench in the absence of star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who’s day-to-day, tweets Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Rizzo left yesterday’s game with back tightness, the club announced.
- Finally, updates on a couple injured Rockies, courtesy of Thomas Harding of MLB.com (Twitter links): veteran right-hander Chad Bettis confirmed he’ll undergo season-ending surgery to correct a right hip impingement, marking the end of a year in which Bettis pitched to a 6.06 ERA. On the other hand, left-hander Kyle Freeland is working through a throwing program in hopes of mounting a late-season comeback from a groin strain, says Harding. Freeland’s 6.98 ERA is one of the chief reasons the Rockies have slumped to a 58-72 record in a year in which they hoped to contend.
Latest On Willson Contreras
The Cubs are making do without top backstop Willson Contreras, but it largely goes without saying that the club anxiously awaits his return. There’s optimism within the organization about his health status, manager Joe Maddon told reporters including Tony Andracki of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).
Contreras has been sidelined since early August with a hamstring strain. At the time, the expectation was that he’d miss about a month of action, and it’s clear he’ll be sidelined at least that long — if not a bit longer. But it’s relieving to hear that things have progressed well to this point.
At present, Contreras has yet to resume baseball activities. Instead, he’s still building up strength in the region of the strain. Both club and player have every intention of exercising ample caution. In addition to the fact that Contreras has previously experienced issues in that area of the body, he’s facing a tight timeline within which to return. A setback would potentially be disastrous with just five weeks remaining in the regular season.
It’s not clear precisely how soon Contreras could be back. The timeline will obviously depend upon the particulars of his recovery. But Maddon noted that his first-choice backstop could begin picking up baseball activities as soon as next week.
Cubs’ Brandon Morrow Shut Down For Season
Cubs reliever Brandon Morrow has suffered a setback in his recovery from elbow surgery, President Theo Epstein told reporters including Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. He’ll miss the remainder of the season.
While the precise nature of the setback is not yet known, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports that Morrow will require another procedure to correct the issue. A timeline for Morrow’s recovery is not yet known.
After undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in the offseason, there were always questions whether the right-hander would be able to pitch for the Cubs in 2019, but optimism seemed to be building as Morrow built his workload up in hopes of making a September return.
Morrow’s injury history with the Cubs dates back to last season’s All-Star break, when a biceps injury cost him much of the second half of the season before giving way to elbow problems that necessitated last November’s surgery. He last pitched for the Cubs on July 15 of last year. Earlier this month, it looked as though that might change as Morrow began throwing off a mound, but his progress halted there and his Cubs tenure is effectively over.
With a 2019 return now out of the question, Morrow’s season will go down as one in which he has been unable to appear in a single game for the Cubs, who doled out $21MM in guaranteed money to bring the 35-year-old aboard after a breakout 2017 season with the Dodgers.
In light of Morrow’s recent setback, that two-year contract looks in hindsight to be an utter misstep by the Chicago front office. With a $12MM team option for 2020 that will almost surely not be exercised, Morrow will have appeared in just 35 games over his Cubs tenure—none of which came in the postseason. To be fair, Morrow has been reliable when he has been on the field—posting a 1.47 ERA in a half-season’s worth of games in Chicago—but such a drastic lack of availability paints an unpleasant picture of the Cubs’ hefty investment in the veteran.