Today’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers has been postponed, so the Chicago Cubs need not make any official roster move today. We did get a definitive clue, though, that Jason Heyward will be returning, as he was in the lineup for today’s game. Furthermore, Ian Happ was in the lineup, which means he will not be the guy going to Iowa to open up a spot for Heyward.
Instead, per multiple reports of who was and was not there at the park today, the expectation is that Tommy La Stella will be optioned back to AAA Iowa to open up the spot for Heyward.
La Stella, 28, has already ridden the bus once this year, and is hitting .304/.484/.522 in 31 big league plate appearances, with eight walks and two strikeouts. He’ll be back, and he’s very much a good thing for this big league bench, but with an eight-man bullpen and Happ here to stay, the Cubs’ only other realistic option was optioning Albert Almora Jr., but the Cubs must prefer having his elite outfield defense available (and he’s not a zero at the plate) over La Stella’s lefty high-contact bat. There may also be development considerations, as the Cubs are bringing Almora along this season to become a full-timer as soon as the second half of this year or next season.
As for the bullpen, it looks like it may also get a switcharoo, with yesterday’s debut arm, Pierce Johnson, heading back to Iowa in favor of Dylan Floro, who was spotted in Chicago (Sharma). Johnson had his inning interrupted by rain yesterday, and perhaps the Cubs want to get a different fresh arm up. Of course, with today’s game postponed, it’s entirely possible that plan will change for tomorrow, since every arm will have a day to rest.