Willson Contreras Leaves Game With Right Hamstring Tightness
Cubs catcher Willson Contreras made an early exit from today’s game due to what the club described as right hamstring tightness. The injury occurred in the third inning, as after Contreras had singled and then stolen second base, he bolted for third on what ended up being a foul ball from Seiya Suzuki. The catcher immediately grabbed at his right hamstring and, following a visit from the team trainer, left the game.
Afterwards, manager David Ross told The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and other reporters that “there’s definitely something going on,” with Contreras’ hamstring, and that “we’ll find out how extensive” after some tests.
At the very least, it would seem like Contreras will miss a game or two to monitor his leg problem. The Cubs’ next off-day is on May 27, so it’s at least possible the team might keep Contreras out of action (but not on the injured list) until then to see if a full 10-day IL stint could be avoided, though that would require Chicago to call another catcher up from the minors.
If an IL trip is required, Contreras and the Cubs can only hope that it’s a relatively short absence. The veteran backstop is off to a great start, hitting .258/.382/.458 with five home runs over his first 144 plate appearances. That would make for a career year for Contreras if he keeps hitting at that pace, and it would set him up nicely for a big contract this winter as the 30-year-old is eligible for free agency.
Missing several weeks or even months due to a hamstring injury would hamper Contreras’ ability to score top dollar on the open market, though given his track record, Contreras would still likely land a healthy contract even if his platform year is less than stellar. However, missing a lot of time prior to the trade deadline would certainly hurt or even erase the Cubs’ chance of a good return for the catcher, as trade rumors have swirled around Contreras for well over a year. One of the few Cubs veterans remaining after last summer’s deadline fire sale, Contreras recently said he hasn’t heard anything from the team about a possible contract extension.
Cubs Notes: Contreras, Heuer, Howard
Catcher Willson Contreras is potentially reaching the end of his time with the Cubs, the only organization he’s ever known. He’s about five months away from becoming a free agent and is also an obvious trade candidate, meaning he could depart before this year’s August 2 trade deadline. He’s open to stick around via a contract extension but apparently isn’t hearing anything from the front office, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer wasn’t any less withholding when speaking to the media, as Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic relays that he avoided answering a question about the extension situation.
The Cubs did this extend-or-trade dance last year with Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez, with all three of them eventually getting dealt before the deadline. Whether Contreras ends up following the same trajectory or not, he doesn’t seem fazed by it. “I’m just focused on doing the best for this team, finding the best way to help the team, and whatever happens in the middle of the season is going to happen,” Contreras said. I’m at peace with myself. I’m at peace with my mind. And whatever happens, even during the season or after the season, is going to be fine with me.”
Contreras is on pace to have his best season yet, as he’s hitting .263/.391/.474 through 32 games. That amounts to a wRC+ of 150, easily topping his previous high of 126. That will only add to his appeal on the trade market this summer. With the Cubs sporting a 15-22 record, they’re certainly leaning towards deadline sellers for the time being. The fact that they signed Yan Gomes to a two-year deal in the offseason only increases the odds of Contreras ending up changing jerseys in the coming months. As the catcher himself put it, “The trade rumors, they’re going to come.”
As for other members of the team, Codi Heuer tells Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’s expecting to be out of action until June or July of next year. The 25-year-old righty underwent Tommy John surgery in March, just before the end of the lockout. That puts his recovery right in the usual 12-18 month timeline that is customary for such situations. Acquired from the White Sox as part of the Craig Kimbrel deal, the righty had exactly two years of service time coming into this season, meaning he’ll have exactly three years going into the winter, qualifying him for arbitration for the first time.
Another player in the organization facing an extended absence is prospect Ed Howard, who recently underwent hip surgery following an injury last week. Patrick Mooney of The Athletic relays that the organization is hoping Howard can return by Spring Training next year. “The early prognosis has looked good as far as the comeback,” Hoyer said. “But that’s going to be a comeback after a lot of rehab and a lot of time. I know he’s in good spirits. But he’s got a real road ahead of him and you feel for him.” The 16th overall selection of the 2020 draft, Howard is considered the #8 Cubs prospect by FanGraphs and #20 by Baseball America. This significant injury absence will delay his progress towards the major leagues, though Hoyer says he is expected to make a full recovery.
Cubs Reinstate Marcus Stroman
The Cubs announced they’ve activated Marcus Stroman from the COVID-19 injured list. He’ll take the ball tonight against the Diamondbacks, with righty Michael Rucker landing on the 15-day injured list because of turf toe. Stroman hadn’t counted against the 40-man roster while on the COVID IL, and the Cubs freed a spot for his reinstatement by transferring starter Alec Mills from the 15-day to the 60-day IL.
Stroman signed a three-year, $71MM guarantee as part of an aggressive Cubs offseason. He has made five starts with his new team, tossing 26 1/3 innings of 5.13 ERA ball. Stroman’s typically excellent ground-ball rate is down to a more ordinary 45.6% in the early going, but that’s likely not much more than a sample blip. The 31-year-old’s velocity, strikeout and walk numbers are all in line with their 2021 marks, although he’s also seen a dip in swinging strikes.
In any event, Stroman returns to again take the ball every fifth day from skipper David Ross. He’ll be joined in the rotation by Kyle Hendricks, offseason signee Drew Smyly, Wade Miley and Justin Steele. That group looked like a concern heading into the season, and the Cubs rank among the league’s bottom ten in rotation ERA (4.45) and strikeout rate (18.5%), although they’ve been a top ten group at generating grounders (46.1%).
Mills was a significant member of the rotation last season, starting 20 of his 32 appearances. He posted a 5.07 ERA but threw strikes and induced grounders on over half the batted balls against him, setting him up as a back-of-the-rotation option. He opened the season on the injured list with a low back strain, and he’s also battled a quad issue.
Today’s transfer is largely a procedural move, as it rules Mills out for 60 days from Opening Day, not today. He can’t return to the big leagues until the first week of June, which didn’t seem likely anyways considering he’s yet to start a minor league rehab assignment. Mills recently threw a live batting practice session, however, the opening stages of a new ramp-up program.
Cubs Activate David Robertson From Injured List
The Cubs announced that right-hander David Robertson has been activated from the injured list. In corresponding moves, righty Mark Leiter Jr. was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to open a spot for Robertson on the active roster, and a 40-man spot was created when outfielder Michael Hermosillo was moved from the 10-day injured list to the COVID-related injury list, as no designation was given for Hermosillo’s new assignment.
While the Cubs have a long list of injured players in general, Hermosillo joins Jason Heyward and Marcus Stroman as players sidelined without a specific reason, thus indicating an issue related to COVID-19. Robertson was also the non-designated list, and he’ll return to action after being sidelined on May 9.
After signing a one-year, $3MM deal with Chicago in March, Robertson has looked terrific in the early going, posting a 1.50 ERA over 12 innings for the Wrigleyville nine. The 37-year-old pitched only 18 2/3 MLB innings total in 2019-21 (largely due to Tommy John surgery rehab), but Robertson has thus far showed some flashes of his old dominance as a reliable shutdown arm with the Yankees and White Sox.
Hermosillo had been on the 10-day IL with a left quad strain, with a retroactive May 8 placement. The outfielder has seen some starting duty in center field (spelling Heyward when a lefty is on the mound) and has otherwise been used as a backup at all three outfield positions. While Hermosillo hasn’t hit much over parts of five MLB seasons, he has particularly struggled at the plate thus far in 2022, with only two hits and a .364 OPS to show for 35 plate appearances.
Cubs Place Jason Heyward On IL, Select Brandon Hughes
The Cubs made a series of transactions in advance of tonight’s game against the division-rival Pirates. Most notably, center fielder Jason Heyward is headed to the COVID-19 injured list. He won’t count against the 40-man roster while he’s on the IL, and Chicago selected reliever Brandon Hughes to the majors in his place. The Cubs also optioned Conner Menez to Triple-A Iowa and recalled rookie Christopher Morel from Double-A Tennessee.
The team didn’t specify whether Heyward has tested positive for the virus. Manager David Ross told reporters (including Jordan Bastian of MLB.com) he’d been battling body aches and dehydration but is feeling better at the moment. Under the league’s 2022 health-and-safety protocols, players who test positive are subject to a 10-day absence from the club, though it’s possible to be reinstated in less time if the player has gone 24 or more hours without a fever, received a pair of negative PCR tests, and been given approval from a team physician and the MLB/MLBPA joint committee (a panel of one league-appointed and one union-appointed physician).
Heyward is off to another slow offensive start. He’s hitting just .208/.288/.264, collecting only three extra-base hits (two doubles and a triple) through 80 trips to the plate. That’s not too dissimilar from his .214/.280/.347 showing over 104 games last season. Aside from a resurgence during the truncated 2020 season, Heyward has posted average or worse numbers at the plate throughout his tenure in Chicago. The five-time Gold Glove award winner has continued to play excellent defense in right field, and he’s worked as the team’s primary center fielder this year.
Rafael Ortega will probably hold down center with Heyward out. The left-handed hitter owns a .236/.333/.361 line in 29 games while bouncing between all three outfield spots and designated hitter. Ortega, a depth outfielder for the bulk of his career, posted a career-best .291/.360/.463 showing last season. That strong work was propped up by a .349 batting average on balls in play that has regressed towards his career norms.
Morel could work his way into the center field mix as well. The 22-year-old primarily played on the left side of the infield during his early days in the low minors, but he’s begun to log more time at all three outfield spots of late. The native of the Dominican Republic draws praise from evaluators for his athleticism and arm strength, so he could play a multi-positional role off the bench.
The righty-hitting Morel has been on the Cubs’ 40-man roster since the 2020-21 offseason, but this is his first MLB promotion. He’s posted big numbers with the Smokies in the early going, hitting seven homers with a .306/.380/.565 line over 28 games. He checked in 16th among Cubs’ prospects at FanGraphs and 29th at Baseball America this past offseason. Both outlets suggested Morel’s swing-and-miss propensity is likely to keep him as a utility type but praised his power potential.
Hughes is also in position to make his MLB debut. The left-hander was a 16th-round pick in 2017 coming out of Michigan State. A college center fielder, he converted to pitching in 2018 after a rough season at the plate in A-ball. Hughes took to the mound and has posted excellent minor league numbers, with a 1.96 ERA over 91 2/3 innings of relief. He has fanned 34.3% of career opponents against a manageable 8.6% walk percentage — with that latter mark standing out as particularly impressive control for someone so new to pitching.
This season, Hughes has split the year between Tennessee and Iowa. He’s yet to allow a run over 16 2/3 innings, serving up just five hits and a trio of free passes while punching out 22. Hughes has never appeared on an organizational ranking at FanGraphs or at BA, but that dominance in the upper minors will earn him a big league look.
In other Cubs’ news, Ross provided reporters an update on Marcus Stroman (via Bastian). The offseason signee has been out since May 8 after landing on the COVID list, but he’s been cleared to rejoin the club. Stroman threw a bullpen session today and could make his next start if he responds well to today’s mound work.
NL Central Notes: Greene, Reds, Stephenson, Pirates, Newman, Frazier, Cubs
The Pirates‘ 1-0 win over the Reds today will go down perhaps the most unusual game of the 2022 season, as Pittsburgh won without a single hit. Reds starter Hunter Greene tossed 7 1/3 innings of hitless ball, but was pulled after 118 pitches and after issuing consecutive walks during the eighth inning. Reliever Art Warren entered the game and issued another walk, then Ke’Bryan Hayes drove in the game’s only run via a fielder’s choice. The Reds lineup, meanwhile, was held to only four hits, with Bucs starter Jose Quintana doing much of the work in shutting Cincinnati out over seven innings.
Since the Bucs didn’t need to bat in the bottom of the ninth, the official threshold of nine hitless innings wasn’t met, so Greene and Warren won’t be credited with a no-hitter. This oddity marks just the sixth time since 1901 that a team has won despite going hitless, and ironically, the Reds were on the other side of the equation in the first such instance. Back on April 23, 1964, the Reds collected a 1-0 win over the Houston Colt .45s even though Houston’s Ken Johnson held Cincinnati hitless over nine full innings of work — a pair of ninth-inning errors led to the Reds’ only run.
More from around the NL Central…
- Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson cleared concussion protocol after being hit in the mask with a foul ball during Saturday’s game. Stephenson didn’t play today but isn’t expected to miss much time, even though the team will be cautious given that Stephenson already missed two weeks with a concussion earlier this season. Manager David Bell told reporters (including The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith) that the Reds are working with Stephenson on finding new types of masks and padded helmets, and the club is committed to keeping Stephenson behind the plate. Joey Votto already has first base spoken for anyway, plus Stephenson’s bat is more valuable from the catcher position than at first base. However, with three concussions already in his career, Stephenson and the Reds can only hope that a position switch doesn’t eventually become a necessity for health reasons.
- The Pirates hope Kevin Newman can start a minor league rehab assignment this week, Pirates GM Ben Cherington said during his weekly radio show (hat tip to Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Newman hit the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain on April 27, so the timing of a rehab assignment coincides with the rough 3-5 week timeline initially given for Newman’s recovery. The veteran shortstop was off to a decent start before hitting the IL, batting .250/.308/.375 (96 wRC+, 98 OPS+) over his first 52 plate appearances. Rookie Diego Castillo has seen most of the shortstop duties while Newman has been sidelined, but Pittsburgh fans continue to wait for star shortstop prospect Oneil Cruz to get an extended call-up to the majors.
- In some Cubs-related injury news, Alec Mills will toss a live batting practice session on Tuesday. (Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune was among those to report the news.) Mills has yet to pitch this season due to a lower back strain, and he made one minor league rehab outing before being set back by quad tightness. David Bote (shoulder surgery) and Clint Frazier (appendectomy) are both expected to start their own rehab assignments within a few days. Frazier told Montemurro that he believes he’ll need five games to ramp up, which would put him on target to rejoin the Cubs when they begin a series with the Reds on May 23.
Cubs Place Nico Hoerner On Injured List, Activate Andrelton Simmons
The Cubs announced to reporters, including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, that shortstop Nico Hoerner has been placed on the injured list with a right ankle sprain retroactive to May 12. Swapping places with Hoerner is shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who will come off the injured list.
It’s surely a frustrating series of events for Hoerner and Cubs’ fans. Any injury is frustrating, of course, but this one was suffered when Hoerner collided with umpire Dan Iassogna during a recent game. Through 29 games on the season, he’s hitting .271/.293/.396, wRC+ of 94. It’s a rarity for his plate appearances to conclude with the ball in the catcher’s mitt behind him, as Hoerner has an incredibly low walk rate of 2%, as well as a very low 14.1% strikeout rate. No timeline has been given for his recovery process.
As for Simmons, he was signed by the Cubs to a one-year contract that will pay him $4MM plus incentives. However, shoulder soreness has kept him on the IL for the entire season until now, meaning he’s yet to play in a game as a Cub. He has always provided elite defense but has rarely provided much with the bat. Last year with the Twins, his batting line was .223/.283/.274. Although that adds up to a meager 56 wRC+, FanGraphs still believed him to be worth o.8 wins above replacement on account of his glovework.
Injury Notes: Votto, Meadows, Canning, Howard
Decked out in a snazzy Dr. Strange jersey for a “Marvel Night” promotion, Joey Votto played the first game of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville tonight. Votto was placed on the COVID-related injured list on May 3, and Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon) that “it’s really hard for me to know” exactly how long Votto’s rehab assignment will last. The veteran slugger will play today and tomorrow for the Bats, and Bell seemed to imply that it could be a somewhat lengthy stint, saying “it was encouraging that he’s playing tonight. Not too long ago, he wasn’t feeling well.”
Sheldon believes Votto could be activated from the IL when the Reds visit his hometown of Toronto on May 20-22. Obviously the top priority is simply that Votto is healthy and can get properly prepared for his return, but this absence could also serve as a reset for the 38-year-old’s season. Pretty much everything has gone wrong for the Reds thus far in 2022, including Votto’s ice-cold .122/.278/.135 slash line over his first 90 plate appearances.
More on other injury situations from around baseball…
- Griffin Canning has spent the entire season on the 60-day IL due to a stress reaction in his lower back, and he felt some discomfort during a recent two-inning simulated game. Angels GM Perry Minasian told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register) that it’s a relatively minor setback that won’t require any more testing, but Canning is “going to take a little more time with our medical staff in Anaheim and we’ll take it day by day.” June 6 is Canning’s first eligible day to leave the injured list. The 26-year-old (and former top 100 prospect) has a 4.73 ERA over 209 1/3 career innings with the Angels, a tenure highlighted by a Gold Glove in the 2020 season. With the Angels intending to keep their six-man rotation going for the remainder of the year, the Halos will need Canning healthy to provide extra depth in the coming months.
- Austin Meadows has missed the Tigers‘ last two games due to what the outfielder described as vertigo-like symptoms and a sensation of spinning. “I don’t know if it’s an infection or just inner ear dizziness,” Meadows told The Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and other reporters. Referring to missing three of four games during a recent series against the Astros, Meadows said “I was pretty sick in Houston. I had a sinus infection, so I don’t know if it’s a residual effect from that, or whatever is it.” On the plus side, Meadows did a normal set of baseball drills prior to today’s game, so he might not be far away from a return. Meadows has hit .270/.365/.350 over 115 PA, good for a 120 wRC+ that is easily the best of any regular in the offensively-challenged Detroit lineup.
- Cubs prospect Ed Howard‘s season is in jeopardy after suffering a hip injury in a High-A game earlier this week. While trying to avoid a tag at first base, Howard fell to the ground in awkward fashion and was in obvious pain on the field. Howard and the organization are still trying to determine the next course of action in dealing with the injury, but speaking to The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro and other reporters, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer implied Howard’s 2022 campaign was over, saying “It’s a shame that his season is going to be cut short.” The 20-year-old shortstop was the 16th overall pick of the 2020 draft, and is currently ranked 14th by MLB Pipeline and 18th by Baseball America on the pundits’ lists of the top prospects in Chicago’s farm system. Howard’s bat is still a work in progress, but Pipeline cites him as “one of the best defenders in the entire minors.”
Mariners Option Jarred Kelenic, Claim Adrian Sampson
The Mariners announced this afternoon they’ve claimed right-hander Adrian Sampson off waivers from the Cubs. They’ve also selected outfielder Steven Souza Jr. to the big leagues in place of Jarred Kelenic, who was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. Seattle also reinstated Sergio Romo from the 10-day injured list, optioned Danny Young and designated Stuart Fairchild and Yohan Ramirez for assignment to clear 40-man roster space for Sampson and Souza.
Kelenic’s demotion is the most notable of Seattle’s spate of moves. A former sixth overall pick and top prospect, Kelenic has yet to produce against big league pitching. He struggled to a .181/.265/.350 line over his first 377 MLB plate appearances last season, striking out in 28.1% of his trips while hitting only .216 on balls in play. The M’s surely hoped to see more from the left-handed hitting outfielder in the early going this season, but that hasn’t yet been the case.
Through 30 games, Kelenic owns just a .140/.219/.291 mark. The youngster has gone down on strikes 36 times while making contact on only 67.8% of his swings. That’s the 12th-lowest contact rate among 192 batters with at least 90 plate appearances, and the M’s have decided it’s time for a reset against Triple-A arms. It’s the second time in as many years that Kelenic has been optioned after scuffling against MLB pitching, but he responded well during a month-long stint in the minors last summer.
The timing of Kelenic’s latest option comes rather ironically as the M’s are headed to Queens for a weekend series with the Mets. New York, of course, originally drafted him and included him in the controversial Robinson Canó/Edwin Díaz swap. That looked to be a coup for Seattle given Kelenic’s prospect pedigree, but he’ll obviously need to perform better whenever the M’s bring him back to the big leagues. There’s plenty of time to do so, as he won’t turn 23 years old until July. Because of the canceled minor league season in 2020, the Wisconsin native has still only played 51 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
Barring an exceptionally lengthy stint, the demotion doesn’t seem likely to affect his path to free agency after the 2027 season. Kelenic entered the year with 105 days of big league service; players are credited with a full service year for spending 172 days on an MLB roster or injured list. He’s accrued approximately 36 more days this year, meaning he needs to be in the majors for around a month more to surpass the one-year threshold in 2022. How long this stay in Tacoma lasts will no doubt be determined in large part by Kelenic’s performance there, but it’s hard to imagine the M’s keeping him down until September barring some major struggles against Triple-A pitching.
In the meantime, Seattle will turn to the veteran Souza with Julio Rodríguez, Jesse Winker and Dylan Moore as outfield options. The 33-year-old has gotten sporadic MLB time with the Cubs and Dodgers over the past couple years, but he hasn’t played a full season in the majors since 2017. Signed to a minor league deal in Spring Training, Souza has gotten off to an excellent start with the Rainiers. He’s hitting .267/.417/.533 with five homers and a massive 19.8% walk rate in 22 games. The 14-18 M’s will see if he can carry over that production against big league arms to inject some life into an outfield that has underwhelmed.
Fairchild was part of that outfield mix very briefly. The 26-year-old was acquired from the Diamondbacks for cash in late April and appeared in three games, going hitless in a trio of plate appearances. A Seattle native, Fairchild was a second-round pick of the Reds in 2017 and has been traded twice in his young career. The M’s will have a week to deal him again or try to run him through outright waivers.
That’s also true of Ramirez, who has pitched in the bigs over the past three seasons. The right-hander owns a 3.97 ERA in 56 2/3 career innings, striking out a strong 28.6% of opponents. He’s also walked 15.2% of batters faced, however, and he’d been tagged for three homers in his first seven outings this year. The Mariners elected to move on, but he works in the mid-90s and has a pair of minor league option years remaining, so it’s possible another club takes a chance on him.
In his place, they’ll bring aboard a multi-inning option from the Cubs. Sampson started five of his ten appearances for Chicago last season, tossing 35 1/3 frames of 2.80 ERA ball. That came with an underwhelming 19.3% strikeout rate and an alarming 2.04 homers allowed per nine innings, but he pounded the strike zone and induced a fair amount of ground-balls. Chicago re-signed the righty to a minor league deal over the winter. He was selected to the big leagues on Sunday, pitched in one game, then was designated for assignment.
Cubs Place Nick Madrigal On 10-Day IL, Select Ildemaro Vargas, Designate Adrian Sampson For Assignment
The Cubs announced a flurry of roster moves this evening, most prominently sending second baseman Nick Madrigal to the 10-day IL with low back tightness. The team also selected Triple-A infielder Ildemaro Vargas‘s contract, designating right-handed pitcher Adrian Sampson for assignment to open up a 40-man roster spot for Vargas.
Madrigal, acquired in last season’s cross-town trade for Craig Kimbrel, was hitting a pedestrian .203/.250/.241 (43 OPS+) at the time of his IL placement. There’s still plenty of time for the 25-year-old to turn it around when he returns to the field, though a few things stick out in his early season offensive performance. Chief among them, Madrigal’s elite contact abilities have eluded him to a notable extent thus far.
His 16.7% strikeout rate, while considerably better than the league average, is more than double his career rate entering the season. The former first-rounder is hitting the ball with more authority than ever, however, which may eventually lead to a more impressive batting line than the one that is currently present. Madrigal’s defense has also remained top-notch, largely offsetting the contact hitter’s lack of offense in the eyes of most defensive metrics.
Vargas meanwhile returned to the organization this winter on a minor league deal and was hitting .279/.321/.413 in 25 Triple-A contests. Offense isn’t Vargas’s calling card though, as his promotion stems from his ability to play all around the infield, a must-have for a three-man Cubs bench.
Sampson, another offseason minor league signee, pitched to an excellent 2.80 ERA in 35 plus innings (10 games) for the Cubs last season as a swingman. Advanced metrics weren’t terribly bullish about his performance however, which helps explain the minor league pact and the right-hander’s lack of opportunity with the big league team this season. The 30-year-old has continued to have a decent run in Triple-A this year, so it will be interesting to see if the Cubs can keep him in their organization as depth or if a team hurting with injuries will seek to claim him in the coming days.