In case you missed the bad news last night — no, not the Cubs biggest loss since 2010 … and, no, not Christopher Morel’s early exit either after colliding with Alexander Canario, either — Jordan Wicks was scratched from today’s game with left forearm tightness.
I’m sure we’ll get some more info on that today when the beats get to the stadium (is he headed to the IL?), but yeah … I am pretty worried about it.
All year, we’ve been raving about the sudden jump in velocity for Jordan Wicks and what it could mean for his ceiling. Meanwhile, everyone has been connecting rising league velocities to the increased rate of pitcher injuries. I shouldn’t have been caught off guard. I guess I just didn’t want to see it. But the truth is Wicks has been throwing his fastball about 1 MPH faster than usual and nearly twice as often (27.6% to 45.3% usage). Meanwhile, his slider is breaking harder than usual and he’s throwing THAT nearly twice as often, too (4.1% to 7.7%).
Throwing harder, breaking more, and using them more often? Yeah, that’s how you take your whiff rate from 9.9% to 13.9% and your strikeout rate from 16.3% to 25.9%. But it’s also how you wind up injured. I guess we really don’t know where this is headed yet. Maybe Wicks will be lucky. But this has just not been the Cubs year in terms of injuries.
Cubs injuries this year: Jameson Taillon, Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks, Jordan Wicks, Julian Merryweather, Drew Smyly, Cody Bellinger, Seiya Suzuki, Patrick Wisdom. And to a lesser extent: Ian Happ. That is four out of five members of the opening day rotation, two of the more important relievers, two middle-of-the-order bats, and the Opening Day leadoff hitter. On the bright side, the Cubs (17-10) are still seven games over .500.
And at least the Brewers lost big last night, too (15-3). Anthony Rizzo even homered in Milwaukee:
Speaking of Anthony Rizzo, today is three-year anniversary of the time he struck out Freddie Freeman:
After another good (and longer) outing last night, Cade Horton has a 1.10 ERA with a 29% strikeout rate and a 3.2% walk rate at Double-A. With Hayden Wesneski and Ben Brown both around to fill out the rotation, and Justin Steele one rehab start away from coming back, I don’t think the Cubs have any plans for Horton soon. But a move up to Triple-A? That has to be soon. I mean, we already thought that was deserved to open the year. Move that kid up, Cubs.
Tyler Glasnow left yesterday’s start with cramping in both his calf and his hand, but he says he’s good to go and doesn’t expect to miss time.
The Giants deserve some serious respect for this signing, because who the heck saw this coming for free agent RELIEVER, Jordan Hicks:
Today’s Cubs finale against the Red Sox starts at 6:10 and it’s on ESPN. After yesterday’s loss, this being an East Coast game, and all the Cubs injuries mounting, that broadcast should be nice and insufferable. Hayden Wesneski will start for the Cubs.
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