Well, we’ve already got movement in the Cubs’ bullpen after just one game of usage, and it might help explain why Brad Wieck’s velocity has been down.
Maybe Wieck’s landing leg wasn’t feeling quite right and that was throwing him off:
The #Cubs today placed LHP Brad Wieck on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain and recalled RHP Ryan Tepera from the club’s South Bend Alternate Site. pic.twitter.com/vdo7q0kdUT
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 26, 2020
Given that Wieck, 28, has minor league options left, you can presume this isn’t a case of a phantom injury to shuffle guys around. If that were the case, the Cubs could’ve just optioned him out.
Tepera, 32, looked great in Spring Training and in limited Summer Camp duty, but Theo Epstein said he didn’t make the Opening Day roster because he’d been a little delayed by some procedural issues. I guess that went out the window with the Wieck injury, since it’s hard to imagine Tepera went from “just not ready” to “good to go!” in the span of two days at South Bend.
But, hey, that’s the nature of this season. You’re just gonna have to do what you can do. Hopefully Tepera looks as good as he looked in that outing against the White Sox.