Earlier today, we caught word of Duane Underwood Jr.’s call back up to the big leagues, at the expense of a then-unnamed right-handed reliever.
Well, guess what … I liked it better when I didn’t know who it was:
Craig Kimbrel to the IL with a knee issue. Duane Underwood recalled.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) August 5, 2019
The Cubs big, mid-season free-agent signing and closer Craig Kimbrel is heading to the injured list with a knee issue. I’d say that’s preferable than any sort of arm/elbow/shoulder/hand injury – and it is – but without knowing any other details (updates below), you’ll be hard-pressed to find any optimism here.
Along with Underwood, the remaining righties in the bullpen are Brandon Kintzler, Steve Cishek, Rowan Wick, David Phelps, and Tyler Chatwood. And your best bet at an interim closers – though I suspect it’ll be more of a closer-by-committee approach – are Kintzler and Cishek.
The Cubs were finally starting to engender some positivity with a sweep of the Brewers and return of Cole Hamels … and then we lose Willson Contreras and Craig Kimbrel in a matter of days.
IMMEDIATE UPDATE I: Kimbrel got an MRI and it revealed some inflammation and … maybe it’s not the end of the world?
MRI revealed a strain for Contreras in right hamstring and he'll be out about 4 weeks. Right knee inflammation for Kimbrel. Initial hope is not much more than the 10 days for him, but will monitor it over the coming days. Felt it during his last outing.
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) August 5, 2019
If it really isn’t much more than 10 days, the Cubs will survive, but you’ll miss him in the meantime and risk losing the continued progress he made after starting his year mid-way through the season. Fingers crossed and all that.
UPDATE II: Players are almost ALWAYS more optimistic about their injuries than they should be, but Kimbrel is suggesting that he’d pitch through this if it were October and that he won’t need more than the minimum stay in any case:
Kimbrel said felt it on a pitch in last outing but not serious. Seems sure he’ll be back in minimum 10 days. If later in season or October “absolutely” could pitch thru it.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) August 5, 2019
Other news and background:
Kimbrel said he is confident that he will be back in 10 days . He had knee surgery on the left knee scoped (meniscus in 2016 )
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) August 5, 2019
Kimbrel: “I think when you look at the options of pushing through it or taking time to let it calm down, this made sense.”
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) August 5, 2019
Kimbrel said he’ll still be able to play catch and stay in a rhythm, just no running
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) August 5, 2019
That second tweet is especially important to me, because Kimbrel has obviously been dealing with some depressed velocity, which could, in part, be due to the extra time off. I hope he can keep throwing and keep that arm warm in his 1.5-2 weeks off so as not to reset any progress he did make.