A flurry of roster moves today for the Cubs in advance of the doubleheader, and not just the call-up of the free 27th man you get on doubleheader days. In fact, by my count, the Cubs haven’t announced that part yet.
Instead, it’s a trio of players going to the Injured List, and Ian Happ isn’t even one of them:
Cubs moves this morning:
• Arrieta to 10-day IL (right thumb abrasion)
• INF Nico Hoerner to 10-day IL (left forearm strain)
• RHP Dan Winkler to 10-day IL (right triceps tendinitis)
• LHP Kyle Ryan, RHP Keegan Thompson, INF Ildemaro Vargas called up.— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) May 4, 2021
OK. So then you’ve got Arrieta going to the IL instead of trying to pitch through the cut on his thumb again – it went very badly last time. You’ve got the fallout for Hoerner from the collision with Happ in the outfield, which sucks and is hopefully not too serious given how he was looking at the plate this year. You’ve got Winkler dealing with triceps tendinitis, which is something nothing and sometimes scary (anything attached to the elbow always is). I’m sure we’ll get more info on the injuries soon.
In their places, you’ve got Thompson returning just a day after he was optioned, and I figure he’ll take a start in this series (today or tomorrow) instead of Arrieta. You’ve got Ryan coming back to supplement the bullpen. And you’ve got Vargas coming up to help out what might be a short bench today (is Happ available?).
What a mess, man. At least the Cubs are only playing the Dodgers, right?
UPDATE: Confirming the Thompson part – he’ll start tonight, with Adbert Alzolay pushed to tomorrow night, in Arrieta’s spot.
As for Happ, it’s possible he could be available today at some point, even though he was the one in the collision with Hoerner who got carted off the field:
Ian Happ doing better. Still going through more tests, but they'll know more by game time in Game 1. #Cubs
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) May 4, 2021