The (probable) COVID outbreak continues with the Cubs, who’ve now placed their fifth player on the Injured List without an injury designation and without having to make a 40-man roster move (i.e., it has to be the COVID IL, but they’re just not officially saying it).
Today’s installment is reliever Tommy Nance, who joins Patrick Wisdom, Austin Romine, Nick Martini, and David Bote. Whatever the particular situation with them, I hope all are safe and healthy at the end of this thing. Previously, David Ross had said this about the original four guys who were out:
Manager David Ross said that none of the players who are out with #Cubs outbreak are having any serious symptoms. Noted that the most they're dealing with right now is congestion.
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) October 1, 2021
Taking Nance’s place on the roster is pitcher Joe Biagini, a minor league signing from before the season who never quite made his way up to the big league team. Biagini, 31, did some starting and relieving with the Iowa Cubs this year, but didn’t have a whole lot of statistical success.
As for the Cubs, it’s just really sad that they’re finishing their season with a COVID outbreak. They’d avoided this moment for almost two seasons, despite never reaching the 85% vaccination threshold this year. Again, my primary thought is just hoping folks are OK.