The Cubs aren’t necessarily super close to getting their starting catcher back, but Willson Contreras’s progress in rehabbing his hamstring injury appears to be going according to plan.
We’ve seen him doing work out in the field, and heard from the front office that he’s pain-free and now building strength. The next step is getting back into baseball activities, which could be coming soon:
Cubs catcher Willson Contreras will travel with the team to New York for the series against the Mets after this homestand. If he continues to progress well, should be able to ramp up baseball activities there.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) August 23, 2019
Willson Contreras is still working in a strengthening routine. He will travel with Cubs to New York next week and may be able to ramp up his baseball activities at that time.
"Everybody's optimistic right now," Maddon said.
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) August 23, 2019
If Contreras is able to put in baseball work in New York (the Cubs are there for just three days), then it’s conceivable he could head out on a minor league rehab stint thereafter – maybe some time before the AAA season ends on September 2? Of course, the Iowa Cubs will be in the playoffs immediately after that, so there could be a little more leeway for Contreras to get his rehab in at the AAA level if that’s where the Cubs prefer to work him. Sorry other PCL playoff teams …
If Contreras is not ready for game action until deeper into September, however, then the Cubs will have to do some simulating for him.