We’ll see how the Cubs cover everything today for the early game, with some guys totally out, other guys kinda banged up or ill, and a DH spot. If both Javy Báez and Kris Bryant are down, but not IL’d, the Cubs will have a bench that consists of back-up catcher Tony Wolters. Period. End of bench.
•  The Cubs got lefty Kyle Ryan through waivers, and he’s been outrighted to Iowa. So he’s still in the organization if the need arises and if he can turn things around. He just hasn’t been right since his solid 2019 season, and now there are at least four lefties – already on the 40-man – ahead of him in the pecking order (Andrew Chafin, Rex Brothers, Justin Steele, and Brad Wieck).
•  When you do this with the fastball:
Adbert Alzolay, 94mph Paint. 🎨🖌️ pic.twitter.com/AWhUFgZIlg
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 12, 2021
•  You get swings like this on the slider:
⚔️⚔️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/IQYIcTyz5T
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) May 11, 2021
•  The two homers were very annoying, and Alzolay certain elevated a couple pitches and got punished for it. But overall, his day was excellent, again, and he’s now pushed his K rate to a whopping 29.3% to pair with a tiny 5.7% BB rate. That 23.6-point spread between his strikeout and walk rates is the 9th best mark in baseball, sandwiched between Trevor Bauer and Walker Buehler/Yu Darvish.
•  Little bitta rumblin’, bumblin’, stumblin’ here, but kudos to Rizzo and Wieck for making the play:
WHAT A PLAY BY RIZZO! 🔥
(📸: @WatchMarquee) pic.twitter.com/cmdvZ50qn7
— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) May 12, 2021
•  You’re just gonna miss this pitch by a lot. It is so fast and moves so unnaturally. It looks easily in the strike zone out of the hand, and then it’s gone. At 101 mph. If you hadn’t known him before, you do now. Cleveland closer, Emmanuel Clase:
Emmanuel Clase, Silly 101mph Cutter. 🔥✂️ pic.twitter.com/DXTjHaDYCA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 12, 2021
•  So far, the situation in San Diego is getting worse, with Fernando Tatis Jr. testing positive for COVID-19, and now also Wil Myers, plus all the guys out because of contacts:
To recap: Wil Myers and Fernando Tatis Jr. tested positive. Jorge Mateo, Jurickson Profar and Eric Hosmer (removed tonight due to contact-tracing protocols) join them on the COVID-IL. Both Tatis and Myers are asymptomatic. But that's 5/12ths of the Padres' position players out.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) May 12, 2021
•  If there are any more positive tests, it could be a shutdown situation for the Padres, something we haven’t seen since last year (and kinda hoped/thought we might not see this season because of vaccinations). Meanwhile, in St. Louis:
Cardinals announce increased attendance starting with Cubs series on May 21. Tickets on sale now. And they're hosting a 3 day vaccination event starting tomorrow where each person who gets vaccinated gets 2 free tickets to a game this season. Pretty good deal.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) May 12, 2021
•  Bryan mentioned him in his farm system post this morning, but I want to give an extra push here because it’s so interesting. The Cubs are converting Joe Biagini back into a starter, which I’d thought was just because so many arms were behind and/or called up, but he’s put together back-to-back really good outings. He was also a starter a few years ago, so it’s a “maybe” situation. I don’t know how or when you’d actually be able to incorporate him in the big league rotation – an injury would create an opening, obviously, but then you’d also have guys like Keegan Thompson, Alec Mills, and Shelby Miller in consideration to fill in – but it’s just an interesting side story to follow, especially if Biagini has an opt out in early June, as most vets on minor league deals do.
•  It’s all Anker charging gear as your Deal of the Day at Amazon. #ad
•  Joe Maddon talks about how the Angels moved on from Albert Pujols, which definitely had to be awkward:
If you haven't heard the podcast, read the story!
Joe Maddon's first extended interview on why, when and how the Albert Pujols release went down:
*The difficult conversations
*The final night
*The "grieving"
*The future – for Pujols, Trout & the Angelshttps://t.co/V7SE2B9ym4— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) May 11, 2021