Joc Pederson will make it back for the full Dodgers series after all.
Pederson is being activated today, with Keegan Thompson, who made his big league debut in a fill-in inning yesterday, will head back to Iowa for the start of their season (Bastian). That means the Cubs will go with only eight relievers for the first time since … I can’t even remember. And that, after a weekend of very, very short starts and a worked-on bullpen. So that’ll be interesting. Let’s hope Kyle Hendricks goes deep tonight.
Out since April 20 with a wrist issue, Pederson will return to face his old mates having struggled through a brutal first three weeks of the season when he just looked off. Maybe the wrist was a factor, and maybe it’s better now? Maybe a mental reset will help anyway? Maybe this and that. The reality is that the sample of crappiness is tiny, stacked against a career of well above-average production, especially against righties.
I’m just in watch-and-observe mode, because regardless of that start, the Cubs need Pederson’s bat if they want to turn things around (or, with apologies, have another trade piece in July).
Now we find out what happens to Nico Hoerner with Pederson back. Recall, through rotations and coordination, Hoerner has basically been an everyday starter with Pederson out, and has deserved it. Now does Hoerner start sitting more, or does David Bote/Matt Duffy? I suspect the latter, but we’ll see. Also, Hoerner did just have that collision yesterday.