A flurry of roster news for the Cubs this evening, as they’ve finally settled on who will take the open starting spot tomorrow against the Reds: it’ll be AAA Iowa righty Alec Mills, who was up once before this year, but has mostly been starting adequately in the minors this season.
More Cubs announcements: starter for tomorrow will be Alec Mills.
Also, Tyler Chatwood headed to the 10-day DL, retro to Aug 21st, with left hip inflamation–Dillion Maples will join the team.— Kelly Crull (@Kelly_Crull) August 23, 2018
Mills, 26, has an ERA near five this year at Iowa, but much better peripherals. He hasn’t emerged as a serious contender for the 2019 rotation or even necessarily bullpen, but as a guy to fill in for a start? He’s fine.
And that’s especially true since it means that Tyler Chatwood will not be making the start. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to see anyone injured, but we’ve established that Chatwood could simply not take another start for the Cubs this year. Hopefully he rests the hip on the DL, then rests down the stretch, then gets himself back into the right place to compete for a rotation spot in the spring.
In the meantime, reliever Dillon Maples and his insane stuff will come up tonight. You know the drill: if he can command his fastball and slider, he’s the nastiest righty you’ve seen this side of Adam Ottavino. If he can just throw them both for strikes, he’ll dominate. If he can’t command one of the pitches, he’s susceptible to getting hit. If he can’t command both, he’ll walk every batter he faces.
When Mills comes up tomorrow, the Cubs will have to move someone out, temporarily, to clear up a 25-man spot. That could mean Maples goes right back down, or it could be someone else in the bullpen. No need to decide it until after tonight’s game plays out.