After a successful big league debut with the Mets in 2015, lefty Jack Leathersich wound up having Tommy John surgery, and then had to work his way back in the Cubs organization, finally getting another big league shot yesterday.
Unfortunately, it did not go well.
Plagued by wildness (even his warmup pitches were nowhere close), Leathersich couldn’t find the strike zone, and his appearance yesterday took the game from “very difficult to come back” to “Laugh City, USA.”
Leathersich now heads back to AAA Iowa, and hopefully doesn’t carry that game with him mentally. He has good stuff, and a great track record, so there’s still a chance for him to be a useful lefty reliever down the road.
Taking his place on the roster is Dylan Floro, who has been up and down with the big league bullpen throughout the season. Given the way yesterday’s game played out, the Cubs are in need of a fresh arm in the bullpen.