Cubs Roster Move: Michael Hermosillo to the IL to Make Room for Wade Miley

Tonight, Wade Miley will make his 2022 Chicago Cubs debut, and he’ll do it against Mike Clevinger and the Padres in San Diego. But to make room for him on the active roster, the Cubs needed to clear a spot.

And clear a spot they have, by way of Michael Hermosillo.

The #Cubs today activated LHP Wade Miley from the 10-day IL.

OF Michael Hermosillo has been placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to May 8) with a left quadriceps strain. pic.twitter.com/xHbsBNI55k

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 10, 2022

Hermosillo has not produced how many of us imagined/hoped this season, and now he’ll hit the shelf with a left quad strain retroactive to the maximum three days ago. We’ll see how this all plays out in the coming days (For example, will Schwindel actually head to Iowa when Hermosillo (who does not have options) is ready to return?).

Because remember, in addition to Hermosillo, Marcus Stroman and David Robertson are on the COVID-IL, so they might be able to return fairly soon, Andrelton Simmons is making his way back, and Justin Steele isn’t necessarily going to be out forever, either. And there’s like, what, another half-dozen big-league Cubs making their way back? Point being, the Cubs roster is kind of a mess at the moment, but this move allows them to activate Miley without losing anyone permanently (for now).

As a reminder:

The Cubs claimed Miley, 35, off of waivers last year from the Reds, who were trying to get out of paying him a $1 million buyout on his very reasonable option for 2022. So the Cubs got him for nothing except paying his $10 million salary.

As for what you can realistically expect, well, Miley is not an ace but he should be a stabilizing presence. He pitches to contact, especially to righties with a great inner-half cutter that generates a boatload of groundballs. It’s fair to guess that he’ll have some clunkers mixed in when balls find holes and he gives up a homer or two, but a typical Miley start should be five or six innings, two times-ish through the order, and keeping the Cubs in the game. Maybe that’s not saying a lot, but boy do the Cubs need that in their rotation.

UPDATE: More roster moves for the Cubs, with Nick Madrigal going on the IL.