The hits just keep on coming.
Just as Marcus Stroman started finding his groove out there on the mound (combined 13.0 IP, 8H, 2ER, 1BB, 8Ks over his last two starts), he hits the injured list. And frustratingly, there’s no explanation provided.
Cubs Marcus Stroman on IL Justin Steele starts tonight
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) May 8, 2022
UPDATE: One possible explannation is the COVID-IL, which wouldn’t require a designation and would allow the Cubs to bring up Adrian Sampson in place of Frank Schwindel without making a corresponding 40-man roster move. You can read more about that right here.
Stroman, of course, was supposed to pitch tonight against the Dodgers. Obviously, that’s not happening now. So Justin Steele, who was originally scheduled to pitch yesterday, before being re-scheduled for Monday, will now go tonight. Meanwhile, Kyle Hendricks will take his spot in the opener against the Padres in San Diego.
If the Cubs were ever going to turn this ship around – already a longshot, even here in early May – it was going to require a run from Hendricks and Stroman. Sadly, now, that seems as far away as ever.
More roster news coming. Stay tuned.