Although the decisions that led to Pedro Strop’s injury will be discussed further – because that’s what fans do – I want to set part aside for a moment and just update on the injury, itself.
Strop, the Cubs’ current closer, will be getting an MRI in Chicago, but he told Cubs.com that he knows it’s going to be an extended absence: “Right now [the hamstring is] sore. It’s obviously going to take two weeks, at least, for me to get back on the mound.”
From what we know about hamstrings, Strop returning in two weeks – if it’s a mild strain – would actually be some Wolverine-level stuff. Those two weeks would remove him from the mix for the rest of the regular season, and then he would not have an opportunity to get back on the mound competitively until he’d have to go right into the fire of the postseason. And that’s *IF* he can actually be back in two weeks.
Realistically, for what this injury appeared to be, and given that he was immediately sore, I don’t think any of us should be expecting to see Strop again this season – regular or post.
We’ll see what the MRI says.
In the meantime, I guess you just have to continue to hope that Brandon Morrow comes back, miraculously, at 100% in the final weeks of the season, and that guys like Brandon Kintzler and Carl Edwards Jr. can suddenly get their sh*t back together and contribute meaningfully in high-leverage innings. Justin Wilson and Jesse Chavez have been great, and until this recent stretch (worn down?), Steve Cishek had been, too. Eventually, Mike Montgomery will probably move back into the bullpen, and that should help.
As you can see, there’s a lot of “maybe this, maybe that” right there. That’s how damaging this Strop injury is.