NEWSLETTER
Oof. And here I thought Addison Russell being day-to-day with a groin injury was going to be the worst injury news of the day.
Jorge Soler is headed to the disabled list with an oblique strain which could have him out for a while. Sahadev Sharma reports that the Cubs pegged it as a month, but as we know from recent experience, oblique injuries can vary wildly in how long it takes for a return. Even if Soler is back in a month, that puts him at the end of September. Any delay, and he might miss the rest of the year entirely. What a crummy turn for a guy who was finally, finally just starting to get hot (.291/.367/.392, 110 wRC+ since July 28).
The Cubs’ last oblique injury takes Soler’s spot on the roster, as Tommy La Stella finally makes his return. At various rehabbing stops in the minors, he’s hit .290/.359/.435 with his typically high contact rate. I like La Stella as a bench bat for the Cubs, and always have. Even with Soler’s struggles this year, though, I think the offense just took a hit, even if just in terms of depth.
Jason Motte is also headed to the DL, as he has a strained shoulder. Sharma says that the plan is to take 7 to 10 days off and then start throwing. That, then, could see Motte out three to four weeks. Whatever you think of Motte’s high-contact approach, he does absorb innings well, and this is not good news.
Zac Rosscup, who recently finished rehabbing his own shoulder issue, is back up to take Motte’s place in the bullpen. Rosscup was ridiculous in the minors during his rehab, so hopefully he’s back on track. It’s easy to forget, but there was a good month-long stretch earlier this year where he looked like one of the best arms in the pen.
