Tonight, per multiple tweets, including those from the Iowa Cubs’ Twitter stream, Anthony Rizzo was pulled from the I-Cubs game in the sixth inning. The game was tight, and the removal didn’t appear to be injury related. Rizzo then headed to the clubhouse.
Thus, the Internetz freaked. HE’S GETTING CALLED UP!!!!11!!!1!!!LOL!!!!!!
Hold on. We don’t know that yet. Any number of things could explain the move, including – unfortunately – injury that didn’t look like an injury.
Or, he could be called up for tomorrow’s game in Chicago against the Padres. We’ll find out soon.
If he’s being called up to placate an angry fan base because of a 12-game losing streak, I will absolutely flip my lid. He’s three weeks – three lousy weeks – away from being down long enough for the Cubs to gain an extra year of control over him (i.e., a free agent after 2018 instead of 2017), when he’ll be in his prime. Calling him up now is a complete abdication of everything the new front office has proclaimed to stand for, and I will be extremely upset. If you were going to do it, why not just call him up a month ago?
On the other hand, he could be called up because there’s an injury, and the Cubs want him to fill in for a couple weeks, after which time he’ll return to Iowa, and his service clock will stop gaining time. Then he can come back up in a few weeks after that, and all will be right with the world.
If he’s being called up because the Cubs have made some trade that they couldn’t have waited three weeks to make, I’ll be less upset, but, like, call someone else up.
UPDATE: I am relieved – or upset? – to report that it sounds like Rizzo left the game because of a sore wrist, which he experienced during a swing mid-game. No word on how serious it is, but I’m guessing the I-Cubs are extra careful with him. Thus, he is not being called up. You may resume your Sunday night/Memorial Day Eve activities.